There's a movie playing out in my mind's eye of a heady, euphoric, real-life drama. King Solomon and all his men had completed the The Temple construction in Jerusalem. It was a magnificent, one-of-a-kind edifice dedicated to the One and only True God, Whom Solomon and all the Israelites worshipped.
Play it out in your own mind. All is in readiness, action on the set. Here come the priests bringing up the laver, altar of burnt offering, table of show bread, the altar of incense and utensils and so on from the Tent of Meeting to the Temple. All the sacred furnishings brought in the procession. Another group of priests bearing the ark of the covenant upon their shoulders, into the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. The priests, consecrated for this work, reverently get everything into their places; in the Most Holy and the Holy Place.
What a wondrous 'home' for these articles of worship, pleasing to the LORD. Everything new gleaming and sparkling. Nothing of the Temple could compare to any other building ever built.
Yet, compared to what happened next, although it undoubtedly lent to the dedication occasion, it could not compare to what happened next.
The "priests finished their work and withdrew from the Holy Place..." (1 Kings 8:10).
This verse seems written in one milli-breath, for immediately, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD" ( 1 Kings 8:10). It was like God just could hardly wait to come to be with them. There was so much of God's presence that the priests could not perform other service!
Verse 11 says,
"...for the glory of the LORD filled the temple."
It doesn't say, 'the' temple, or 'Solomon's' temple, but His temple. God claimed it. The priests, King Solomon and all the people must have been in such awe! Doesn't it make your heart stop to think of it all?! A most amazing, astounding sight and occurance to behold. Very much their "Jehovah Shammah" presence.
This temple was built for the LORD's Name and presence to be there (v 15). Built because David's heart had the idea to build it for the LORD's Name. God honored David's heart's desire, so much so , that the glory in His Name, was overwhelming for the priests.
Solomon cherished the way God kept all His promises He had made to David his father. He mentions them more than once. He said that,
"not one word has failed of all the good promises [God] gave through Moses' (1 Kings 8:56 NIV).
When God told Moses, He'd go with them all the way, He kept that promise. Now, while they are in the Promised Land, He is with them still. Four hundred and eighty years! (1 Kings 6:1 NIV). No wonder David often remarked on the 'steadfast love" of the Lord in so many of the Psalms he wrote.
Awesome God.
Promise-keeping God.
This is the same God of Whom Solomon prayed, "no God like this God of Israel", with his hands uplifted toward Heaven. Can you see this next clip, with King Solomon standing before the altar of this very God in front of the "whole assembly of Israel" (1 Kings 8:22-24 NIV)?
What a monumental moment! Are you still picturing it?
Now even the foreigners would hear of God's holy and great Name and know of all the mighty deeds that God had done and was still doing. All those signs and wonders.
Think of all God had done throughout the 40 years of leading the people of Israel through the desert: the daily manna supply for, what a million or more people; the water from the rock; shoes that never wore out for 40 years!; healing from snake bites; protection from enemies, the very thought of being able to pass through the Red Sea and later, the Jordan River, on DRY ground! Who could mistake these for anything else? These were the acts of almighty God and His outstretched, giving hand (1 Kings 8:42 NIV).
New Testament times showed this same great and mighty God at work through the signs and wonders wrought through the power of the Holy Spirit Who indwelt men and women who belonged to Jesus Christ. Combined together, continued building of the new "Temple of God" -- the collective body of God's children saved through faith in Jesus Christ and His work upon the cross.
God's promises still being kept. Great is His faithfulness.
The Israelites of Solomon's day were promised, the continued presence of God, on condition. Solomon reminded them to,
"be fully commited to the LORD [their] God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands..." (1 Kings 8:61 NIV).
Their blessing was commensurate with their obedience to God.
After Solomon finished dedicating the Temple to God, he blessed the whole congregation of Israel. They then blessed him. Their hearts were,
"joyful and glad...for all the good things the LORD had done for His servant David and his people Israel" (1 Kings 8:6 NIV).
A very Golden Age of Israel.
Of note was Solomon's wish that the LORD [their] God,
"May never leave us nor forsake us" (1 Kings 8:57 NIV).
There was "threat" of that back then. The Spirit of God did leave King Saul when he was disobedient and didn't fear God. King David had fear of God's Spirit leaving him when he had sinned. He pleaded with God to "stay" with him. Thus, it is not strange that Solomon prayed that God's presence "never leave nor forsake".
We know that nowadays, that those who have salvation through Jesus Christ, have everlasting life (John 3:16; Romans 6:22; Revelation 22:17). This gift is not earned. It was freely given and is freely kept, unconditionally, by God and Jesus, once given.
The Holy Spirit will never leave us nor forsake us (John 10:28; Hebrews 13:5). We need to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God and realize we need to fear God and do what is right.
Be self-controlled and alert to Satan's wiles and be thankful for the grace of God which has worked mightily in our lives. Get it into our heads, that the temple of the Holy Spirit is our bodies and we must therefore, live holy lives, pleasing to the LORD. God demanded it of the Israelites. He desires it for us, His children through Jesus. We will be glad and rejoice when we do. Make room in our hearts for the Holy Spirit and listen to His voice leading and guiding us in the way to please the Lord. Let it come from the heart, as David's desire to build a Temple for God's presence in Jerusalem.
May we be reminded weekly, or as often as we partake of the bread and drink of the cup on any given Lord's Day. As we pass these emblems, one to another, may our hearts be fully attune to our Heavenly Father and to living sanctified lives all week through because we are the temple of God the Holy Spirit.
Father God, may our hearts desire be to be holy as You are holy and to keep our "temple" sacred for Your Name and for the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit. May Jesus' Name be praised in all the earth, by one and all. May many come and worship you with pure hearts and keep Your Name holy and reverant.
In Jesus name we pray.
~ERC November 2021~
Based on 1 Kings 1-10 especially Chapter 8 NIV.
No comments:
Post a Comment