The Temple
The Genesis account relays
that God was in the Garden with his creation, with the first two humans – Adam
and Eve. The Garden was God’s first temple because the temple is where God
dwells. Genesis 3 tells us that mankind rebelled against God when Adam and Eve
disobeyed God’s one command. As a result, mankind was expelled from the Garden,
from the temple. Since then, God has done everything to restore the temple in
order to be with his creation.
As described in the Book of
Exodus, God instructed the nation of Israel to build a tabernacle while they
were wandering in the wilderness. Centuries later, God provided detailed plans
for a temple – which King David’s son, Solomon had the privilege to complete.
Each time, the temple was meant to be a place for God to dwell, to be with his
people. For God desires to be with his creation. Unfortunately, mankind’s
continued rebellion prohibited (and prohibits) God from being in the presence
of sin. However, God made a temporary provision by the use of the temple which
involved lengthy instructions of sacrifice of animals and a cleansing ritual in
order to be in God’s presence. But the nation of Israel rebelled against God
which resulted in punishment by the use of the armies of other nations and the
destruction of the temple.
After the nation of Israel
were exiled (see 2 Chronicles 36, the Book of Daniel and the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah), God instructed the prophet Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem and the temple (see Ezra 3 and Nehemiah 2). When Nehemiah and the
Israelites were halfway done with the walls, they were taunted and threatened
by neighboring kings and armies. But Nehemiah stood his ground. He did not come
down from the wall (Nehemiah 3:4). Eventually, the city and the temple was
rebuilt.
But mankind’s rebellion
continued, and an everlasting temple was required for God to be with his
people. God hates sin, but “For God so loved the world [mankind] that he gave
his only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting
life.” (John 3:16). God came to the earth in the form of a man – Jesus the Messiah,
Emmanuel which means “God with us.” Jesus said to “destroy this temple” and he
will rebuild it in three days. The religious leaders of the time ridiculed him
for this statement. But Jesus was talking about his own body. While on the
cross, as his temple was being destroyed, the “people, priests and the elders
mocked Jesus, and shouted at him … ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he
is the Messiah, the chosen of God.’” They mocked and taunted Jesus, but Jesus
did not come down from the cross. Jesus stood firm and completed the will of
God. For Jesus was going to rebuild his temple in three days while in the
grave.
Jesus is the rock of salvation.
He told his disciple Peter, “And I tell you … on this rock [speaking of
himself] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail
against it.” God built a new temple – his church, his people – who are the
community of believers in Jesus the Messiah. God built his new temple in each
believer as the Apostle Paul wrote, “.. do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” Therefore, each
believer can be in the presence of God without the need of “lengthy
instructions,” because the ultimate sacrifice Jesus said, “It is finished,”
when he was on the cross. Now, it is the privilege of every believer to seek
God in prayer, “… your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven.” The believer must “stand firm” (1 Corinthians 16:13), on the rock,
Jesus who is the cornerstone of his temple, and not be moved by those who would
taunt and ridicule the believer for his or her faith in the one who desires to
be with his people in perfect unity for all eternity, until one day when his
people will dwell with him in his perfect and restored temple on the New Earth (Revelation
21).
