As the Children of Israel approached the river Jordan, before passing over to inherit the land promised to Abraham, Moses commanded them regarding the things they were to do upon entering the land. First, they were to destroy the seven nations that inhabited the land and cleanse it from all the abominations that the nations living there embraced. All of the inhabitants were to be destroyed, leaving none left alive. Every place where they worshiped their idols was to be destroyed. They were to overthrow their altars, cut down their groves, burn their graven images, and possess the kingdom for themselves and their children forever.

This was done as an illustration of God’s holiness, judgment, and the sanctification that He demands of His people to receive His promises. In the same manner, when we are saved from Egypt (sin), the heart is to be purified by destroying former vices and casting down all idols in the heart, walking in the ways of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” As the children of Israel subdued the Canaanites by the sword upon entering the land, those who follow Christ are to do likewise with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

The LORD also told Israel He would choose one tribe out of the twelve, and in the inheritance of that tribe he would establish a place for his name. All the tribes were to bring their offerings and sacrifices for sins before him in that place alone. In the place He would later name, there would be the site for sacrifices of atonement; no other altars were to be built in any place in Israel for sacrifices of atonement.

Because of King David’s faithfulness, the LORD chose him and appointed Judah to be the ruling tribe over all twelve tribes of Israel. And the city of Jerusalem was chosen as the place for the Lord to be worshiped. There, David’s son Solomon built a house for the name of the LORD.

After Solomon finished and dedicated the House of the LORD, the temple in Jerusalem was the only place acceptable to offer the yearly sacrifice for sins—a depiction of redemption through the blood of Jesus alone. Jesus declared his body was the temple; he is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through the temple of his body that he rasied.

He came to fulfill the works done in the temple and to raise up another temple made without hands: his body.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that true worshipers of God would worship God not in Jerusalem alone but would worship him in Spirit and in Truth. We are no longer bound to travel to a specified location as Israel was. We can now come before him wherever we are to offer our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. We now go through Jesus Christ, the High Priest in heaven, to make supplications and present our requests directly in the presence of God.

Kings of Judah and Kings of Israel

All things considered, the shadows of the true, depicted by the prophets throughout the Bible, fell short of what was to come that would be fulfilled in Christ. For even Moses, who foreshadowed Christ and led Israel out of bondage in Egypt, failed to cross over Jordan into the promised land. Similarly, Joshua did not completely drive out all the inhabitants of the land, nor did Solomon, who also foreshadowed Christ by building a house for the LORD, create a perfect image of Him. For his heart was turned from the LORD by his many wives, and in his old age he built altars to burn incense on before other gods.

These men, among others, were chosen to foreshadow the Messiah who was yet to come, even though they were not perfect in all the things they foreshadowed.

It was therefore necessary that God send his own Son, who was perfect in all things, to build himself a house unto the LORD—which house we are if we walk as he walked and endure unto the end (Hebrews 3:6)

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” In the hearts of those whom He created is the true house that He desires to dwell in. Throughout the whole world, the hearts of those who seek Him are the place He has chosen to put His own name, sanctifying His children as holy unto Himself and designating the heart as His dwelling place, an eternal Jerusalem: the Foundation of Peace.