The Temple of God
God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle so that the
children of Israel might worship Him. In
this temple was the most holy place where the ark of the Covenant was placed. On the ark was placed the mercy seat. God said of that place, “And there I will
meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My
glory. So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will
also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. I will
dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God” (Exodus 29:43-45). The tabernacle (and later the temple) was
God’s dwelling place among His people Israel.
The temple was called the “the house of God,” and the
“house of sacrifice” (1 Chronicles 29:2; 2 Chronicles 7:12). In Isaiah 56:7 it was called a “house of
prayer.” Jesus said, “It is written, ‘My
house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of
thieves” (Matthew 21:13). The house of
the lord was also called a sanctuary and a palace. Isaiah referred to it as “Our holy and
beautiful temple” (Isaiah 64:11).
The temple and the items of the temple were to be kept
pure and undefiled under the penalty of death. Leviticus 15:31 says, “'Thus you shall
separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their
uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them.” Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron used
profane fire to burn incense to the Lord, and they died for their error
(Leviticus 10:1-2). God was very serious
about His temple.
Today there is no longer a designated building created
by men’s hands wherein God dwells. Zechariah
prophesied in chapter 2:10-11, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For
behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the LORD. Many
nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My
people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of
hosts has sent Me to you” (Zechariah 2:10-11).
In 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul wrote, “And what agreement
has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As
God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My
people.’” Jesus said, “If anyone loves
Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him
and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).
Under the Law
of Moses a copy of the word of God was kept in the ark of the Covenant. Today the word of God resides in the hearts
of Christians. In speaking about the new
covenant, God said, “I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their
hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33;
Hebrews 8:10).
Paul wrote, “Do
you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells
in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). This
verse does not teach that each Christian has miraculous powers. Miracles have ceased (1 Corinthians
13:8). In the context of 1 Corinthians 3
Paul is talking about being a faithful worker in God’s kingdom. In verse 9 he says that you are God’s fellow
workers, and that you are God’s building.
Verse 13 says that your work will be tested by fire.
In 1 Corinthians 3:17 Paul warned, “If anyone defiles
the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which
temple you are.” Unrepentant sinners
cannot enter into the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Yet, there is hope. You can be made holy. Listen to these words in 1 Corinthians
6:11. “And such were some of you. But
you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Paul wrote, “Therefore if anyone cleanses
himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful
for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2Timothy 2:21). Is God’s temple clean?
