God's Temple

"But God's desire was to be IN man, to work IN man and THROUGH man and not through bricks and mortar and gold, unfeeling objects."

MEN HAVE BUILT some tremendous examples of architecture in order to worship wood, metal, and stone. Many from ancient times remain today. None of them, it is said, measure up to God’s temple, erected by King Solomon. Minister Rick Renner estimates it was worth at a minimum some 183-billion dollars. We know it was truly a wonder of the world because when the people erected the temple in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra, the people who remembered Solomon’s wept bitterly. There was simply no restoring the past.

God has done something far better for us, something He did in Genesis at man’s creation that He sent Jesus to restore after man’s sin. Sin separated man from God but did not stop God from seeking man. He sought a relationship with men and women throughout all generations and the Old Testament gives us many examples of it. But none of them, despite their mighty stories of great faith, have what we have under the New Covenant. They had God with them. These were Jesus’ words to His disciples. Speaking of the Holy Spirit, He said, “But ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17).”

WITH is not the same as IN. The Spirit was WITH man in the physical temple, but they could not approach Him as they were. Sacrifice and cleansing were required because sin could not enter His presence, and men were forever filled with sin. Though God was love under the Old Covenant, as He is love today (He has never changed), until Jesus’ death bought man’s redemption, there was a veil between us. Jesus’ death ripped the temple veil from top to bottom. What a shock that must have been to those priests in attendance!

But God’s desire was to be IN man, to work IN man and THROUGH man and not through bricks and mortar and gold, unfeeling objects. His desire was people. Though He created all living creatures, the blood of animals could not fully cleanse men from sin because they have no spirit man in them. No, man was made in God’s image and in His likeness. Physically, spiritually, and having a soul (mind, will, and emotions), man was created to be the temple, the walking, talking, secret place of the presence of God.

Individually, we are God’s holy place, within us, written on our heart is His Word, but as the church, we are not separate denominations nor buildings of worship, but the presence of God in nations, around the earth. We, the people, the children of God, in our physical bodies, alive where we reside on this planet are God’s temple. The building that houses our services may be necessary as a gathering place, but when we separate and go home or to work or on vacation, God is with us, in us, Emmanuel.

"And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16)

Image by Lana Pajdas from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com