Good morning -
If we build it He will come. It may sound like a famous line from the movie, "Field of Dream", but it instead applies to God and His dwelling place.
A detailed description of God's temple is found in Ezekiel 40-44, complete with specific measurements. Whether this is the description of a future temple or one from the past, the important lesson is that God is meticulous about the details concerning His dwelling place.
God no longer takes up residence in holy places but in holy people. At the moment of Jesus' death on the cross the curtain at the entrance to the most holy place in the temple was ripped apart (Matthew 27:51), dramatically representing a change in access to the presence of the Most Holy One. Jesus' sacrifice provided the means for the presence of God to dwell with people rather than places. The Apostle Paul summarized it well when he said,
"do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Imperfect as we are, Jesus has satisfied God's meticulous requirements for us to become the temple of God. Mortals have now become the brick and mortar temple!
We ARE the temple of God. Is there any other truth that gives basis for healthy self-esteem and an optimistic outlook? It is also truth that provides powerful motivation for godly living. Would we dare subject the temple of God to immoral behavior, dishonest speech and hateful actions?
God instructed Ezekiel, "As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the plan. If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its whole design and all its statutes and do them." (Ezekiel 43:10-11)
The purpose of the temple details in Ezekiel was to provide incentive for holy living. Such is the purpose in knowing that we are God's temple. With privilege comes responsibility.
May the glory of the Holy One shine brightly in and through you as your lifestyle is shaped by His inner presence.
Pastor Steve
If we build it He will come. It may sound like a famous line from the movie, "Field of Dream", but it instead applies to God and His dwelling place.
A detailed description of God's temple is found in Ezekiel 40-44, complete with specific measurements. Whether this is the description of a future temple or one from the past, the important lesson is that God is meticulous about the details concerning His dwelling place.
God no longer takes up residence in holy places but in holy people. At the moment of Jesus' death on the cross the curtain at the entrance to the most holy place in the temple was ripped apart (Matthew 27:51), dramatically representing a change in access to the presence of the Most Holy One. Jesus' sacrifice provided the means for the presence of God to dwell with people rather than places. The Apostle Paul summarized it well when he said,
"do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Imperfect as we are, Jesus has satisfied God's meticulous requirements for us to become the temple of God. Mortals have now become the brick and mortar temple!
We ARE the temple of God. Is there any other truth that gives basis for healthy self-esteem and an optimistic outlook? It is also truth that provides powerful motivation for godly living. Would we dare subject the temple of God to immoral behavior, dishonest speech and hateful actions?
God instructed Ezekiel, "As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the plan. If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its whole design and all its statutes and do them." (Ezekiel 43:10-11)
The purpose of the temple details in Ezekiel was to provide incentive for holy living. Such is the purpose in knowing that we are God's temple. With privilege comes responsibility.
May the glory of the Holy One shine brightly in and through you as your lifestyle is shaped by His inner presence.
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 10:49 AM
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