2 Chronicles 6:12-42
Tuesday, 12 April 2021
“But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens even the highest heavens cannot contain you.” -2 Chronicles 6:18
David’s long desire of building a dwelling place for God Almighty was fulfilled by his son, Solomon. 2 Chronicles chapters 1-7 give us the elaborate steps taken by Solomon to build this magnificent temple. Yet after all he had done, he wondered how he could contain and restrict this awesome, glorious and powerful God in this temple.
What do you think? Can God be locked up in a temple? Paul while speaking to some religious Athenians reconfirms Solomon’s statement; Paul says: “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.” (Acts 17:24)
If this is truth then, where does God live? When Jesus died on the cross 2000 years ago, the veil in the temple was rent in two thereby bringing man closer to God. Jesus shed His blood and brought us near to God and through the cross reconciled us with God (Ephesians 2: 13&16). This one act of God in Christ made us a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit [Eph.2: 22].
If you and I are a Spiritual House where God dwells, what is God expecting us to be and do? In 1 Corinthians, Paul lays down 3 principles concerning God’s temple to be followed by us, who are His temples.
God’s Temple is Sacred- [1Cor. 3:17] As people in whom the Spirit of God lives, we can never live dual lives. As children of God, we cannot walk in ungodliness for all the days and pretend holiness only when we come to church. We are called to reflect God’s holiness at all times in our every speech and conduct. So let’s not fool ourselves in thinking that holiness is in the clothes we wear or the way we carry ourselves or the good deeds we do. Holiness is a byproduct of our relationship with God. As 1 Peter 1:15 says: “But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.”
God’s temple cannot be destroyed: [1 Cor. 3:17] Though each of us are individually responsible to be temples of the living God, corporately as a church we become the SPIRITUAL HOUSE of God (1Peter 2:5). As this Spiritual House for God, He expects us to live and work together in unity and love. But every time we undermine a fellow believer, we are pulling down a stone that is being used to build God’s house. He is calling us to put aside our personal differences as each of us is important in building the body of Christ. Isn’t it amazing that God wants to use us to be and to build His church? So let’s live by His rules and bring Him glory rather than face His wrath.
God’s temple cannot be co-owned-[ 1Cor 6: 19&20] Once you and I receive the gift of salvation that God has to offer us in Christ Jesus, from then on we cease to live for ourselves and begin to live for the One who saved us (Gal 2:20). Until now the devil had his sway over our lives but now we are bought by Christ’s own blood (1 Peter 1:18). A costly price was paid for our redemption. He is our owner-we belong to Him completely. What are we to do under this new leadership? We are called to honour Him in whatever we do (1Cor 10:31).
Just as the temple that Solomon built stood as a testimony of the glory of God, may each one of us being built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, with Jesus as the Cornerstone become a holy temple for the Lord- where God lives by His Spirit[ Eph. 2:20-22 paraphrased].
QUOTE FOR THE DAY: “The body is God's temple, but we are to worship God, not the temple.” Martin Luther King
Listen: ‘LORD PREPARE ME’