The End Time Church: From the Cathedrals to the Catacombs

By Dan L. White

Copyright 2021 by Dan L. White, all rights reserved.

Chapter 92

The Temple not Made with Hands

If God spoke to you, what would you do?

When He spoke, if the mountains trembled, would you?

And when all that happened, would you ask God to please be quiet?

That’s what Israel did, as Mt. Sinai trembled when Yahweh spoke the Ten Commandments.

Exod 20
18) All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance.
19) They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”

From then on, God spoke to Moses, and Moses spoke to the people. Yahweh spoke the Ten Commandments, then Moses spoke ordinances pointing to those Commandments.

The physical Ark of the Covenant was superseded by the spiritual Ark, the resurrected Messiah, who obeyed the Ten Commandments perfectly.

The physical Temple was superseded by the spiritual Temple, the flock of the Messiah, who overcome their lawless human nature and obey those Commandments.

Also, physical signs were given by Yahweh, through Moses, as reminders to obey the Commandments.

Such as this one.

Luk 8
43) A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any,
44) came behind him, and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped.

That fringe on His garment came from this episode.

Num 15
37) Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
38) “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue:
39) and it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all Yahweh’s commandments, and do them; and that you don’ t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute;
40) so that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.

The purpose of that fringe ordinance was to “remember all Yahweh’s commandments, and do them.”

We see there a distinction between the Ten Commandments spoken by Yahweh and the regulations given by God to Moses, who then spoke them to Israel.

Heb 9
18) Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood.
19) For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
20) saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”

The fringe, spoken by Moses, was not the same as the Ten Commandments, spoken by Yahweh. The fringe ordinance was given only to remember the Commandments.

Why did Israel need that reminder to obey Yahweh’s Commandments?

Again – “that you don’ t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute,” Num. 39:15.

The reminder to do good was given because their hearts were bad.

Right before those verses about the fringe is this passage.

Num 15
32) While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.
33) Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.
34) They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
35) Yahweh said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp.”
36) All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

After being given repeated warnings about keeping the Sabbath holy – and every week having double manna the day before the Sabbath! – this man ignored the Sabbath Commandment. The fringe with a blue cord was then given to remember it.

This example also shows the curse of the old covenant – disobey and die.

The human heart is “not subject to God’s law,” Romans 8:7, so no amount of reminders will change that heart, or make a lasting difference. Only a changed heart makes a difference.

However, the human heart, given the way it is, may think fringes are not just a reminder to be righteous, but that the fringes themselves are righteousness. Following such thinking, the bigger the fringes, the more righteous the fringer.

Matt 23
5) But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,
6) and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
7) the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.

A woman was healed when she touched the fringe of Yeshua’s garment. The Pharisees’ fringes were larger and longer than Yeshua’s, yet no one was ever healed touching their fringes.

What does that mean?

It means the fringes had no spiritual effect. No matter how big they were, how long they hung, they were just a physical reminder to obey the Commandments.

If the fringes did have a spiritual effect, then the Pharisees should have healed more people than Yeshua did. Their fringes were bigger! The Pharisees did not heal people, so what difference did their fringes make?

None.

Yeshua’s fringes did not heal the woman. Yeshua had the spirit of the Father. The Pharisees had the spirit of their spiritual father, Satan, (John 8:44). That, not the fringes, was what mattered.

Furthermore, the Pharisees’ fringes were even counterproductive. The external reminder to be righteous was used by the fringers to be unrighteous – “to be seen of men.”

Matt 6
3) But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,
4) so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Fringes and external physical signs contradict the left hand/right hand principle. The desire to exalt the self is native to the human heart, and external physical signs can feed that desire “to be seen of men.” This is always an issue to be faced when you wear something to show your righteousness.

So Yeshua had the fringe on His garment. Must followers of Christ also wear fringes?

Besides wearing a fringe, Yeshua was also circumcised, had a sacrifice offered for Him at His birth, and ate the Passover lamb. If we must wear a fringe because Yeshua did, must we also be circumcised and eat the Passover lamb because He did?

Yeshua was to be the Passover lamb, yet He and His disciples ate the Passover lamb when they ate the Passover.

Matt 26
17) Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Yeshua, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
18) He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”
19) The disciples did as Yeshua commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.

Until Christ became that Passover lamb, the old covenant was still in effect.

It did not end until the Father accepted Yeshua as the eternal sacrifice. The external physical signs and sacrifices and circumcision were part of the old covenant. That’s why Yeshua participated in those physical things that were part of the old covenant. It continued until He became the sacrifice to end that agreement. The new covenant then replaced the physical ordinances with the spiritual reality.

Heb 9
16) For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it.
17) For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives.

So Yeshua had to die before the old covenant ended.

Circumcision was given to Abraham long before Moses, but in the new covenant agreement, physical circumcision was superseded by spiritual circumcision.

Rom 2
25) For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
26) If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?
27) Won’t the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law?

“Circumcision profits, if you are a doer of the law,” Paul wrote. In that case, you will have fulfilled the old covenant and saved yourself. However, if you don’t do the law, then your physical circumcision is spiritual uncircumcision.

All except the Messiah have broken the law. This includes every circumcised male. Therefore physical circumcision is spiritually nothing.

1Cor 7
18) Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.
19) Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

In verse 19, circumcision cannot be interpreted as “keeping the commandments of God,” without also including uncircumcision as “keeping the commandments of God.” So the verse has to mean that keeping the Commandments of God is what matters.

1Cor 7 New English Translation
19) Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Instead, keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

1Cor 7 LBP (ES) Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Texts: Aramaic of the Peshitta, (ancient Aramaic translation of the Greek scriptures)
19) For circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the LORD’s commandments is everything.

Circumcision or uncircumcision is nothing.

Rom 2
28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;
29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Notice that this applies not just to Gentiles, but also to Jews or Israelites. Physical circumcision was a sign that a man was a Jew, but Paul said that “he is not a Jew who is one outwardly.” A Jew is not someone who has been circumcised. He that is a spiritual Jew is circumcised in the heart, not in the flesh. So neither Gentiles nor Jews need to be physically circumcised. A man may be circumcised for a physical reason, such as purported health benefits. However, physical circumcision is not today commanded by God for anyone, including all Jews or Israelites.

Circumcision was considered the most important physical sign. This is shown by the reaction of a number of early Jewish Christians to circumcision. They could not cut it off, would not give it up.

No uncircumcised males could eat the Passover, Exodus 12:48. In Acts 15, the apostles, elders and brothers all got together to discuss circumcision, because some Jews were so adamant about not giving it up. Over and over Paul had to write against the error of requiring circumcision, such as these verses.

Gal 6 New English Translation
15) For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation!

Titus 1
10) For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision…

Repeatedly, Paul had to warn against requiring circumcision.

Circumcision creates a man-made temple.

The two physical Temples were made with men’s hands. Many men built those buildings. However, Paul told the Athenians that God “doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands,” Acts 17:24.

Notice the parallel with circumcision.

Eph 2
10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
11) Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision,” (in the flesh, made by hands);
12) that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13) But now in Christ Yeshua you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.
14) For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition,
15) having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace;

Notice that what was abolished was ordinances spoken by Moses, not the Ten Commandments spoken by Yahweh.

As with the Temple buildings, physical circumcision is a work of men’s hands. The new Temple is the flock of the Messiah. This flock is not circumcised with men’s hands, but is circumcised by God, when He changes their hearts. God Himself – not men! – builds this new Temple.

Col 21
1) in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

God builds the new Temple of the body of Christ, and God does the circumcising to allow people to enter. Physical circumcision done by men was useless and was superseded by spiritual circumcision done by God.

Not made with hands!

Paul is the prime example of the futility of physical signs, as he himself described in Philippians.

Phil 3
2) Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
3) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Yeshua, and have no confidence in the flesh;
4) though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5) circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6) concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
7) However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.

Paul, by the righteousness in the law, was blameless. He was circumcised, wore fringes and phylacteries and offered sacrifices.

But, you know what?

When the Messiah appeared, circumcised, blameless Paul was just as guilty as the other Pharisees.

Israel had waited for Yeshua for over a thousand years, and when the Anointed One came, circumcised, fringed, phylacteried Paul was His enemy. Paul watched the Messiah suffer and die, and Paul persecuted and approved killing the sheep of His flock.

So what good did Paul’s circumcision do?

After he was struck blind and then had his eyes opened, Paul realized that filleting his foreskin had only affected his flesh. Then the spirit of Christ filleted Paul’s heart.

After that, Paul spent the rest of his life opposing the “dogs” of “false circumcision,” as we just read.

Phil 3
2) Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.

Yahweh says He will punish those who are circumcised in uncircumcision.

Jer 9

25) Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will punish all those who are circumcised in uncircumcision:

26) Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.

Israel was circumcised in uncircumcision. All those guys who yelled “Crucify Him” at Christ’s execution were circumcised, wore long fringes with a bright blue cord, and who knows what else they exhibited – and exhibited is the right word – in their visible religion. The physical signs of circumcision or dangling fringes or head coverings or prayer shawls or phylacteries did not change their human hearts. In their cases, all that physical display actually fed their evil hearts!

“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” they yelled with their fringes dangling.

Note this –

Since the premier physical sign of circumcision did not continue, none of the other physical signs – whatever they might be said to be – continued, either. It is contradictory to not be circumcised and then wear fringes or other stuff.

If the heart is not changed, circumcision and all other physical requirements are useless.

If the heart is changed, circumcision and all other physical requirements are not needed.

Going back to those old covenant ordinances, as some like to do, might not seem like a big deal.

It is.

Paul says it is a rejection of the Redeemer.

Gal 5
2) Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
3) Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4) You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.
5) For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
6) For in Christ Yeshua neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

Being alienated from Christ is absolutely a big deal!

Gal 2
16) yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Yeshua Christ, even we believed in Christ Yeshua, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

That whole package of physical rituals, spoken by Moses, was an attempt to be justified before God based on what a person did. The big intended lesson of that is –

It didn’t work.

Rom 3
19) Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
20) Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
21) But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
22) even the righteousness of God through faith in Yeshua Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
23) for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

The old covenant agreement included the Ten Commandments spoken directly by God and it included the ordinances spoken by Moses pointing to those Commandments. By the works of the law – by a person’s own individual acts – circumcision, sacrifices, fringes, or even Commandment keeping – no person can make himself righteous before God. All are guilty.

Amazingly –

Having the Commandments spoken directly by Yahweh, and a permanent copy written on rock by His finger, and ordinances pointing to those Commandments –

Even all that did not make anyone righteous before Yahweh.

Rom 3
10) As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
11) There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
12) They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one.”

Then the sacrifice of Yeshua, perfect in the law, makes us righteous before the Father. In the new covenant, when we accept Him, we get credit for His righteousness.

2Cor 5
17) Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Yeshua Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19) namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20) We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21) For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The Ten Commandments are now written not on tablets of rock, but on tablets of the heart. The physical signs pointing to the Commandments are not needed because the Commandments are already embedded in the Christianos, the Greek word for the first Christians.

Heb 10
16) “This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;’” then he says,
17) “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.”

Christianos have the circumcision of Christ.

Col 2
11) in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
12) having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13) You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14) wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

Like the Temple and the Ark, the physical signs of sacrifices, circumcision, fringes and any other such requirements either real or perceived, were superseded by the spiritual. The first Christianos in Acts were cut to the heart. Paul was cut to the heart when he was struck blind and didn’t eat for three days. That is the circumcision that God wants.

Physical signs, as with Paul and the other Pharisees, did not change the heart. The spirit of Christ in the new covenant can change the heart. A person with a changed heart – that seeks Yahweh God with all his heart and puts himself last – does not need a fringe on his britches.

The physical Ark of the Covenant with its Ten Commandment tablets has not been seen for ~2600 years. The physical Temple has been gone for nearly 2000 years. They have been spiritually superseded by the Messiah and His flock. In the same way, external physical signs pointing to the Commandments are superseded by changed hearts, with the laws of God written on those hearts.

But many people think those physical signs really look religious. We will see more of this in the near future, as another temple is built with hands.