Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, NASB)
I’m fascinated with the ancient temples of Israel. First, there was the Tabernacle, built by Moses. Then came King Solomon’s Temple. Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians when they conquered the nation of Judah. The Temple was rebuilt (Zerubbabel’s Temple, or the Second Temple), was later expanded by Herod the Great, and was then known as Herod’s Temple, the Temple of Jesus’ day. This Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The Tabernacle and the Temple were essentially scaled-down replicas of God’s dwelling place in heaven. The verses above state that we are temples of God and that the Spirit of God, aka the Holy Spirit, dwells within us!
God directed Moses to build the Tabernacle, sort of a portable temple, for the Israelites to transport through the Sinai Peninsula during their 40 years of wandering. God was very meticulous in His planning for the Tabernacle, giving Moses specific dimensions, and detailing the materials to be used. God is not only a great Planner, He is a wonderful Logistician–He arranged for the Egyptians to provide all the materials to the Israelites before they left Egypt!
God was also very specific in His planning for the Temple. While God didn’t allow King David to build the house for His name in Jerusalem, David collected all the materials that his son, King Solomon would use to construct the Temple. As with the instructions for the Tabernacle, God also gave regulations as to sacrifices, who was allowed to enter and when, and prohibitions on defiling God’s dwelling place.
Did you know that God used the same careful planning when designing and constructing you? The Bible says that God formed the first man, Adam, of dust from the ground. The word “formed” here implies very meticulous, loving care. That same detail is used to create all of us. Psalm 139 says that we were “fearfully and wonderfully made” in our mother’s wombs. We are made in the image of God! Does the knowledge that everyone you meet is God’s image-bearer change the way you see him or treat her?
So there are purposeful similarities between the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the human body: Detailed, careful planning and construction; rules and regulations for care and maintenance; and they are all dwelling places of God! I don’t know about you, but knowing that the Holy Spirit of God lives inside of this earth suit gives me pause to consider how I live. The things I look at, what I listen to, etc. God set up guard stations at the entrances to the Temple; so should I guard my entrances (eyes, ears, nose, and mouth)? I don’t want to defile my Temple. I want the Holy Spirit to be comfortable in my Tabernacle!
Here’s food for thought: Heaven may be defined as “the dwelling place of God.” God dwells in me . . .
If you’re a follower of Jesus, if you’ve accepted God’s offer of salvation through His Son’s sacrifice, then the Holy Spirit lives in you. There is hope in knowing that God loves me so much that He sent His Son for me and that He lives in me! How about you?
Worship: Take Me In (to the Holy of Holies), sung by Catherine Mullins