The Temple

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).