He was the wrong man with the right idea. But, the right idea came to fruition at the right time by the right man.
King David had a heart's desire to build a temple of worship for Almighty God. And, while he was a man after God's own heart, he was a warrior who had shed too much blood to be the man to build God's house. "But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me." (1 Chronicles 22:8)
So, this important task fell to his son, Solomon, a man of peace. "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God" (2 Chronicles 22:19).
These two men were instrumental in the construction of a great temple of worship. But, the lessons for us aren't so much about building a temple as being one. "you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5) With this important clarification as to what the temple of God really is, we can readily apply David's words to Solomon: "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God". One minor clarification: it is not for us to actually build the temple but, as Peter reminds us, to be built into a temple. We are the stones and wood being crafted into a temple fit for Him.
Few stones are naturally ready for use in construction. In ancient times, rocks and stones had to be carefully hewn to specific dimensions for use in a building. If we are the living stones being built into God's temple, the same is necessary for us. I, for one, have plenty of rough edges He has been chipping at and shaping for quite a few years. And there is still plenty of work to be done on this rock to make me fit well in His temple along with the other rocks and stones. The fit isn't an easy one. We're formed together into a temple, so there is chipping and shaping to be done on each of us so that we can fit together. That means some give and take among us; work that allow us to conform to one another even as we conform to our Father.
Today is a stone-shaping experience for each of us. Don't resist what He is doing, but instead rejoice that the shaping work done in your life allows you to better fit in to His temple, for His glory and honor.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
King David had a heart's desire to build a temple of worship for Almighty God. And, while he was a man after God's own heart, he was a warrior who had shed too much blood to be the man to build God's house. "But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me." (1 Chronicles 22:8)
So, this important task fell to his son, Solomon, a man of peace. "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God" (2 Chronicles 22:19).
These two men were instrumental in the construction of a great temple of worship. But, the lessons for us aren't so much about building a temple as being one. "you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5) With this important clarification as to what the temple of God really is, we can readily apply David's words to Solomon: "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God". One minor clarification: it is not for us to actually build the temple but, as Peter reminds us, to be built into a temple. We are the stones and wood being crafted into a temple fit for Him.
Few stones are naturally ready for use in construction. In ancient times, rocks and stones had to be carefully hewn to specific dimensions for use in a building. If we are the living stones being built into God's temple, the same is necessary for us. I, for one, have plenty of rough edges He has been chipping at and shaping for quite a few years. And there is still plenty of work to be done on this rock to make me fit well in His temple along with the other rocks and stones. The fit isn't an easy one. We're formed together into a temple, so there is chipping and shaping to be done on each of us so that we can fit together. That means some give and take among us; work that allow us to conform to one another even as we conform to our Father.
Today is a stone-shaping experience for each of us. Don't resist what He is doing, but instead rejoice that the shaping work done in your life allows you to better fit in to His temple, for His glory and honor.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
posted by steve @ 9:20 AM
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