11-13 August
2014 - God's Temple - Part One – Manna by Dorothy Callies
2 Corinthians
6:16a NLT “What union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are
the temple of the living God …”
Reading from 2
Cor. 6:16 from KJV “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,
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Where was God
before He came to live inside of us, being the temple of the living God? I
would like to share a little bit of history about the Temple so we could
appreciate the present verse that said, “We are the temple of the living God.”
After Moses and
the Israelites left Egypt and after the Red Sea crossing, God gave them His
instruction about the tabernacle. The word, tabernacle was called, “Meeting
Tent” or “Holy Tent;” a special tent where the Israelites worshiped God. It was
used from the time they left Egypt until Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Temple took
seven years to build. The Israel had brought the Ark of God into the Most Holy
Place, a new home for the ark. The Temple began with honoring God and
acknowledging His Presence and goodness. After the dedication, the Glory of God
filled the Temple with clouds.
In the same,
way, our worship should begin by acknowledging God’s love. Praise God first;
then you will be prepared to present your needs to Him. Remembering God’s love
and mercy will inspire you to worship Him daily. Psalm 107 is an example of how
David recalled (look back about) God’s enduring love.
From Solomon’s
time with the new Temple until Jeremiah and Ezekiel time, the Temple was
destroyed. About the Temple, it will go to part two for more details why the
Temple was destroyed and left for ruined. The exile Israelite came back home
from 70 years of captivity from Babylonia. The Temple was rebuilt during
Nehemiah and Ezra time.
Until Herod’s
time, he was able to fix up the Temple a little more to please the Jews. Jesus
was there to see the Temple. The history says that often Jesus taught the
people at the Temple. It appeared to be His favorite place to be close to His
Father, sensing His Presence right from the Temple.
Then the next
thing was while Jesus was on the cross, the veil of the Temple was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom. Nothing was said if God had left the Temple.
I may presume that God may have waited until the day of Pentecost to fulfill
all the promise that He poured out His Spirit upon all flesh whose hearts were
opened to Him.
What impressed
me? The veil … was rent. The tearing of the “veil of the temple” signified that
a way was open into the presence of God. Through the death of Christ, the
curtain was removed and the way into the most holy place, God’s presence was
open for all who believe in Christ and His saving Word. Paul said, “We are the
temple and that is where God went … in us!” It is through the worship of the
song, God becomes real …
To be continued.
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