Where Is The Temple Of God Today?
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles, uncategorized
There existed in Jerusalem an elaborate temple constructed by Solomon. David had wanted to build God a house but God would not allow him to do so, because he was a man of blood (1 Chronicles 28:3), so Solomon was given the privilege. Its construction is recorded in 1 Kings 5-6. Each hewn rock and timber was so precise that there was no noise of hammer or axe at the site when the materials were brought to be put together (1 Kings 6:7).
This temple was the best that could be made because it was designed to be God’s house. It was in the Most Holy Place, that God manifested His presence. When the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant and put it into the Most Holy Place, the glory of God filled the place (1 Kings 8:10-11).
The temple stood as a symbol of God’s presence. It was the place where the people sacrificed and met God for forgiveness. But that old temple was robbed and destroyed. Later it was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again. In 20 BC, Herod began the temple reconstruction which remained standing in Christ’s day, but was finally destroyed in AD 70 by the Roman army never to be rebuilt again.
Does all of this mean that God is without a temple? Not at all. However, the temple which exists today is entirely different in that it is made up of people — each individual a living stone in which God’s Spirit dwells (cf. Ephesians 2:20-21; 1 Corinthians 3:10-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-21; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:4-8).
From Isaiah 28:16 and Psalms 118:22, Peter makes an application of the “corner stone” of God’s spiritual temple. The corner stone was vital to a building, because by it the building was squared and plumbed. When Isaiah was writing, there was an Assyrian invasion coming from the north and a looming siege of the city of Jerusalem. God had told Judah to trust Him for deliverance but Judah was afraid, because it was totally defenseless. Therefore, it had made an alliance with Egypt for help. God calls this a rejection of Him as a corner stone, tried and true, and their own attempts would be brought to nothing.
When Jesus taught the parable of the wicked vinedressers in Matthew 21:33-46, He specifically had in mind the use of Isaiah’s message to Judah in Isaiah 28:16-24. Just as Judah had rejected the counsel of God and would not trust Him for deliverance, the Jews would reject Christ and ultimately kill Him. He is the chief cornerstone selected by God to be the foundation of His spiritual temple.
Peter calls the stones that make up this spiritual temple “living stones,” because they have been made alive by the word (1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 1:22-23). Unlike the old temple in Jerusalem, God dwells in the heart of each living stone. Paul uses the same figure in 1 Corinthians 3:10-16, where he stresses that the type material built in this spiritual house differs because souls are different. Some materials will not stand the tests of fire while others are made stronger by them.
Because we are a dwelling place of God (Ephesians 2:22), we are built together, growing into a holy temple of God (Ephesians 2:21-22). Stones in God’s temple are to be alive, active and pure (1 Peter 2:5).
Let’s ask ourselves, “Where do we fit? ” — What happens if we do not build our lives around the chief corner stone? — What kind of a stone are we?