we are reminded that he stated that those who came to him at that time he would ‘resurrect in the last day’. (John 6:41-47, NW) The early Christians did not go to heaven at the time they went down into death. They did not experience their resurrection change, but slept in death awaiting God’s due time for their resurrection. As far as they were concerned, God’s organization was without them as children until such time as they would be resurrected. This brings us to a thrilling part of the fulfillment of the prophecy, and it is continued in the following.

Temple Teaching

“Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”—Hab. 2:20, AS.

 1. (a) How is the Christian congregation Scripturally identified as a spiritual temple? (b) For the temple to be complete, what is required as to its members?

THE Christian congregation is spoken of as being a spiritual temple, an organization of worship to God’s praise. Peter puts it this way: “You yourselves also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house for the purpose of a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 2:5, NW) The apostle Paul likewise identifies these children of God’s household as a temple building, saying: “You . . . are members of the household of God, and you have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. In union with him you, too, are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.” (Eph. 2:19-22, NW) It is readily seen that for this temple organization to be built up completely, the resurrection of its dead members is required. The resurrection of the body members of Christ Jesus who slept in death would be a building up of the temple by the assembling of members. The apostle Paul was one of these, and to Timothy he said, “I have fought the right fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith. From this time on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me as a reward in that day, yet not only to me, but also to all those who have loved his manifestation.”—2 Tim. 4:7, 8, NW.

 2. (a) Give Bible proof as to the form of life in which the members of the temple organization are resurrected. (b) Do all members of Christ’s body undergo a long sleep in death?

² The resurrection of these members of Christ’s body is not as human creatures, but with spiritual bodies so that they are in position to be associated with their head in heaven. Thus we read: “It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. It is even so written: ‘The first man Adam became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man is out of the earth and made of dust; the second man is out of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of