At the end of Revelation, John sees a vision of the church, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. She is a “holy city.” This holiness takes an architectural shape in this vision. John tells us that the city is a perfect cube; its width, height, and length are all the same. This cube-shaped image of holiness is not unusual. The Temple had a room that was cube-shaped: the Holiest Place or the Holy of Holies. Those measurements were distinct for this room. The Holy Place (the first room one entered in the Temple) was twice as long as it was wide. But the Holy of Holies was a perfect cube: 20 x 20 x 20 cubits (1Kg 6.20; Ezek 41.4). John’s vision is that the New Jerusalem, the church, is a “Holy of Holies city.” There are no more veils to hide us from God or God from us. No boundaries exist between the church and the throne of God. We, the city of God, live in the presence of God continually.
Understanding the architectural reference of the church being the Holy of Holies shapes the way we are to think about holiness. What is the Holy of Holies, and, consequently, what does that tell us about our own holiness?
The Holy of Holies is the location of the throne of God. It is where God sits above the cherubim. It is the place where heaven and earth are united. To be the holy city–or, the Holy of Holies city–is to be the place of the throne of God on the earth. If people are to draw near to God, this is the place they will do so. The church, therefore, is not some sideline activity to one’s personal Christian life. It is not a supplement to one’s personal devotional life. The church is the place where you meet God, where God has chosen to draw near to the earth. The church in her worship is the place where God meets with the world, giving himself to us through his word, baptism, Supper, prayer, and one another. The world draws near to God when they come into this holy city.
The church being this Holy of Holies city is a great privilege. But with every great privilege is great responsibility. What went on in the Holy of Holies? Once per year the high priest would enter on behalf of Israel and the world to make atonement. The high priest didn’t go into the Holy of Holies to have a personal ecstatic experience. He didn’t go into Holy of Holies to boost his personal spiritual life. He entered the Holy of Holies in worship for the sake of others. The reason he was made holy and, thus, fit to enter the Holy of Holies was to offer prayers and offerings for the sake of others.
Holiness is a calling to service for others. When we enter the holy city for worship on the Lord’s Day, we come with all sorts of needs. We need cleansing. We need healing. We need encouragement. Those are legitimate needs that God will meet in worship. But we also need to realize that when we come for worship as a holy people, we are coming to offer ourselves in prayer, giving, etc. for the sake of one another and the world around us. When we confess our sins, it is not only our personal sins we are confessing. We enter corporate confession for the sake of the church and the world. We hear the word of God, not only to be changed ourselves, but to take it to others. We give tithes and offerings for the sake of the church and her ministry to the world. We participate in the Supper, calling upon God to remember his promises in Christ for the sake of the church and the world. We offer up the Prayer of the Church for the sake of the church and the world. Being holy is a calling to serve others. We are separated from the world for the sake of the world.
Be holy.
