The last surviving Christian apostle, John the son of Zebedee of Galilee, was exiled by the Roman Empire to the penal Isle of Patmos and had a series of inspired visions there. In one of these visions he saw a typical temple, concerning which he writes: “And a reed like a rod was given me as he said: ‘Get up and measure the temple sanctuary of God and the altar and those worshiping in it.

The apostle John was one of that spiritual “Israel of God.” As such, he did not need to have a temple of stone and wood at Jerusalem in order to worship Jehovah of armies. As a spiritual Israelite, he worshiped Jehovah God at His great spiritual temple, the one that had been typified by the material, earthly temple that had stood in Jerusalem. (Hebrews 9:23-26; 8:1, 2) Just think if we had to have a material temple at Jerusalem in which to worship Jehovah God. Where would we be? But we can worship at the spiritual temple where John did.