Believers as the Temple of God - Day 148 Through the Bible

The South Toe River that runs along 80 S - near Mt. Celo Church

My Personal Lessons and Applications From Today's Readings

Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 5 and 6) - perhaps one of the problems - it was called "Solomon's" temple because it seemed to honor him more than God.  All the expense, all the beauty was not enough to make this a lasting temple.  God's prescient reminder to Solomon of the conditional covenant:" Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statues...execute My judgments...keep all of My commandments...and walk in them...then...I will dwell among the children of Israel...and will not forsake My people Israel."  This first temple was sacked by Egypt a few decades later, rebuilt by Jehoash, then  completely destroyed and plundered by the Babylonians in 586 BC.

Jesus as the New Temple of God (John 10) In John 2:19 Jesus declared His body to be the new temple of God that He would raise after three days.  This statement was made after the disciples commented on the beauty of the second temple.  In John 10 Jesus is walking through this second temporal temple that had been desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes ("God Manifest" - known to the Jews as Antiochus Epimanes "The Madman").  According to Dr. Stanley's Commentary: Antiochus forbade circumcision and sacrifice (though he sacrificed an "unclean" pig on the altar of the temple) in an attempt to cause the Jews to break their covenant with God, source of their strength and power.  However, a small remnant of believers routed Antiochus and rededicated the temple over a period of 8 days with 1 day of oil.  It was during this Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), that Jesus is walking through the second temple, declaring again to the unbelieving Jews that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the promised Messiah. "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep...My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me..."

My Lessons and Applications:  The veil in this second temple is ripped from top to bottom at the crucifixion of Jesus, declaring direct access now open to God for believers through Jesus' sacrifice. This second earthly temple will later be completely destroyed by the Romans.  We, as believers in Jesus Christ, are now the temple of God.  Scripture tells us (Romans 11) we are brought into the House of God through the Jews, through their denial of Jesus at His first coming; Revelation says Jews and Christians will be one body of believers in the Second Coming, when believing Jews will acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah.  Until then, we are God's temple on earth because He indwells us through His Holy Spirit (John 14:12-18); this is our New Covenant, our power and strength.  

Believers as the Temple of God on Earth Now (1 Corinthians 3: 10-16) 

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.