The Word of God states that unless God build the house, whatever that house may be; a ministry, marriage, business venture or the building of an actual Church. Regardless the endeavor, if the Lord is not fully at its center—it is doomed to enviable failure. The Bible hosts a plethora of just such stories of eventual demise. Down to the mighty King Solomon a figure in today’s text.
One thing Solomon knew early on, understood well enough in his early years, was that it was not man who built God a home, but rather God who instructed man to build a Holy Place to gather to pray and to worship Him.
It was God in the desert of Arabia who instructed Moses about how he should go about building a Tabernacle. Every detail, down to the most seemingly insignificant, was birthed from the Omniscient mind of God. And, what may have seemed insignificant to man, was certainly not so with God. A holy and pure God demands nothing short of the same from His people, or there will be a price to pay. Eventually the Tent is erected.
All is accomplished according to the exact specifications of the Lord God and He came and filled it with the Glory of His presence: “Then the cloud covered the Tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Ex.40:34).
We, as those created and set apart for His use, cannot be corrupt vessels and expect to live. Just look to Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu as or examples. “Each took his fire-pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do” (Lev.10:1) Emphasis my own.
The results, each is struck dead. Consumed by the very fire they had wrongly put in their censers. Why? Willful disobedience.Transgressions that defiled that which is Holy…
- They used their own censers and not those utensils set apart in the sanctuary for Holy use.
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Only the High-Priests were allowed to burn incense in the Holy censer.
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They used common fire. Not that taken from the Holy fire continuously burning at the altar.
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They were both Priest.priests, obliged above the people to keep the rituals Holy and pure.
Now the Tent is erected. All is accomplished according to the exact specifications of the Lord God and He came and filled it with the Glory of His presence: “Then the cloud covered the Tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Ex.40:34).
And as it was with Moses and the plans given Him by God, so it is with Solomon and the plans he inherited David. These plans given to David by divine inspiration from the Lord: “All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the Lord, all the work to be done according to the plan.” (1Cron.28:19).
We have now witnessed the fulfillment of the Mosaic Covenant and the building of the first Tabernacle of the Lord.
Now through David’s desire to build a dwelling place for God, the Davidic Covenant is born and, through his son Solomon, a man of peace, the Temple of the Lord is built-in Jerusalem.
In addition to the strict building command issued by God for the design of these places of worship, (each measurement, placement and construction material used in their building) we see as equally significant, a direct relationship to the contributions made by the people of God for the acquiring of the materials necessary to guarantee the Temples construction (1Chron.29:1-6), (Ex.35:20-29).
Understand, God did not need the gifts of His people to accomplish His plans then, and He does not need them today.
We are however, graciously invited by the Sovereign God of the universe, Creator of all things seen and unseen, to harmoniously walk along side Him and share in His creation process.
More succinctly, be co-creators with Him. Why? We find our answer in the person of Jesus Christ, our third, greatest earthly Tabernacle.
John’s Gospel introduces Jesus as the Son of God Who Tabernacles among men during His earthly sojourn (Jn.1:4). Thus making Jesus the Living Tabernacle of God dwelling with man. From the time of Jesus’ coming to earth to present, the dwelling place of God among men is no longer witnessed in buildings filled with great clouds of smoke…
The New Testament teaches us that the dwelling place of God is the Church. His Body. Not a building, but in those people called by His Name in the person of The Holy Spirit.
Stephen knew this. At his trial he defended himself, in part, for speaking against the Temple proper. And in so doing educated those listening that it is the Body of Christ, His people—that are the true church (Acts 7:48-50).
Are you, like the Israelite’s mesmerized by a building?
Are you thinking that simply because you are in Gods House He is with you?
That a relationship between you exists?
Think again…
God is not found in buildings made of stone. For the Israelite’s, the Temple had become an idol—a foothold used by satan. A hook into the people’s pride. Certainly for the Pharisees, even for the Apostles. They held both the Temples splendor as well as its mere physical presence as proofs that God both favored and was among them. And as a result mistakenly believed that they were with Him.
The Temple is not necessary for God; He doesn’t need it. Man does.
And as it was with the Israelite’s, so it is with us…
Many folks today who attend a church seem to feel that the act of entering a building and participating in the ensuing service is proof positive they are a Christian. misguided, they’ve looked right past their lack of a relationship with God. Their lack of welcoming His gift of salvation and their need for His Lordship over their lives.
From the beginning God showed Himself relational with man. Just look to Adam and Eve for confirmation. They were created with relationship in mind, to tabernacle with God: (Gen 2:15-25-3:1-19).
Additionally, God knew Blood would need to be shed to maintain relationship with Him. We see evidence of this in the Garden. It’s shedding was witnessed after the fall of Adam and Eve… to cover their sin. “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Gen.3:21). The first shedding of blood.
Next we witness blood shed in The Tent of Meeting by the Priests on behalf of the people for the atonement of their sins. Moses construct, the ephemeral model of Christs Redeeming work yet to come. “Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. 15“Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16“He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities.…(Lev.16:14-16). And, “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance” (Heb.9:7).
Now on to Solomon’s Temple: “Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. King Solomon offered as a sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep” (1 Kings 8:62-64).
Lastly, stand with me at the foot of the Cross of Christ. Beholding the Ultimate Earthly Tabernacle. God Himself in the person of His Only Begotten Son. Where the Blood of The Spotless Lamb was shed once, for all…“And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself”(Heb.9:21:26).
Though our Father both initiated and made provision for each of His Earthly Temples He never intend for us, His children, to mistakenly idolize them. Nor are we to assume that simply because they are among us today, that His Spirit inhabits them.
As Stephen said, Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things” (Acts 7:48-50).
What is church? Better yet, who is Church?
Since Scripture clearly indicates what the Church is not, a building made of stone by human hand. Perhaps the greatest answer to this question resides in the dialogue between Jesus and a Samaritan woman.
An Odd teaching tool this, seeing how Jews and Samaritan’s had no dealings with each other. Unfortunately, much like the world and the church today. Separate, another us and them culture.
Are you still walking into a building today and thinking you’re at church?
Are you, like the Israelite’s mesmerized by the building itself? It’s beauty and opulence?
Do you Think that simply because you are in Gods house He is with you… that relationship between you exists?
Listen to Jesus description of the True Church, the Church as God intended from the beginning…
“Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn.4:21).
Blessing Beloved, until next time…
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