And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
2 Corinthians 6:16
The holy temple of God was built twice and destroyed. We can only imagine the beauty of the first holy temple of God that King Soloman built. The second temple was built after the Persian exile and had some renovation done by King Herod before the Roman empire destroyed it. Many people wonder about its former glory and its usage by those of the Jewish faith who came yearly for the holy holidays such as the Passover. The Passover is one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays and it is in remembrance of the Israelites’ departure out of Egypt. In Jerusalem the “Temple Mount” is said to be the place of the original Holy Temple of God. Today, the “Dome of the Rock” sits on the Temple Mount which was built during the Mamluk times. The “Dome of the Rock” has its roots in Islamic beliefs. The meaning for the Dome of the Rock is the Ascension of the Prophet to heaven, or where heaven and earth meet. Let us remember the marvelous story of what happened after Jesus yielded up the spirt in Matthew chapter 27.
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks were split; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints that slept were raised, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
Matthew 27:51-53
The Holy of Holies was a small room at the back of the hall of the temple and it had a cloth partition that separated it from the Holy Place where the golden lampstand and the shewbread table stood. Only the priest could enter the Holy of Holies and that was once a year on the Day of Atonement. This curtain partition between the two rooms, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom. This opened up the Holy of Holies to the outside world. It was said that during the Roman Empire invasion of the Temple in Jerusalem that Titus went into the Holy of Holies and found nothing in the room. Titus found nothing in the temple for Jesus, our sacrifice for sin had risen and now sits on the right hand of God. There is much speculation as to where the ark of the covenant went. However, if you read about God’s appearance to Solomon in 1 Kings chapter 9, you will read about Israel being cut off from the house of the Lord due to them worshipping other Gods. Under King Nebuchadnezzar, his captain of the guard plundered and burned the house of the Lord [see 2 Kings 25:8-9]. The second temple under King Herod on the Temple Mount was also destroyed by fire. Some wonder where the ark of the covenant went. It is now in heaven [see Revelation 11:19]. I am always baffled how man goes about destroying his environment. It does not matter what it is destruction seems to be on the minds of man. Let us remember that the second temple, God did not instruct any man to build like the first temple. There is no agreement whatsoever that His temple should be linked to any kind of idol worship. That is why the apostle Paul stated that every man’s work will be tested. It is tested to find out what the real motive of man is.
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”
1 Corinthians 3:13
God will test every man’s work with fire to reveal the truth about their work whether or not it is worthy. If it is worthy, God will give a reward. God will reveal in what manner or situation your work stands in, whether for good or bad. God will reveal the truth of the matter of the heart of man. God will reveal the fake news, the fake prophets, and whatever else is not of the Lord. It was Jesus who said, “you do not know to whom you worship,” [John 4:22]. We have so many iconic items that we worship, and the truth is we really do not know what it is that we are worshipping these days. Any kind of virtue has gone from what we are worshipping and there is no moral value tied to what we are worshipping these days. The removal of the temple of God is the one sign that the Lord God himself is the only one who truly is Holy. Any other item becomes idol worship. Think about it, the temple itself with its objects could not change man’s consciousness’. Our life is built upon Jesus Christ as the only foundation that is laid [see 1 Corinthians 3:11]. We are being built up by the spirit of God. We do not need a big building in order to worship God since we are the temple of God. Our salvation is a free gift from God that we receive by faith. It is only by faith that we have received eternal life. God provided the way through Christ Jesus. Jesus has reconciled us back to God. Whatever we do now, we do by the glory of God, for we are now the temple of God. The apostle Paul stated, “know you not that you are the temple of God?” We were bought with a price and now belong to God. We now belong to the body of Christ, and we therefore should glorify God in whatever task He has chosen for us to do.
You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:5
We are lively stones because Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone that has been laid. We are being built up into a holy spiritual house in the Lord. We do not fashion ourselves according to our former lusts or ways of the world, but we fashion ourselves after the Lord Jesus Christ who has freed us from the bondage that was under the power of Satan. We are now the children of God. The son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. We are born again by the incorruptible word of God which lived and abided forever, [see 1 Peter 1:23]. We are to be holy in all manner of life, for He is holy.
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:18-22
This is astounding and for me unfathomable to conceive that I would be of the household of God and to grow into a holy temple in the Lord. The very Presence of God in all His fullness is now dwelling in our spirit right now. How amazing is this. How amazing it is to be framed together and grow into a holy temple in the Lord. Out of his sanctuary will flow rivers of living water and we will all drink from it to become a holy temple of God where we will grow fruit every month. As we are sheltered under the mighty hand of God, the living waters shall be our food and healing will flow from it to all who are in need. As we rest in the Presence of the Lord, He will take away the dead branch in us and all the deadness of our own self to bring forth new growth. We must grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Get ready to be His Holy temple and grow into the trees of righteousness. As He gives you living water, you will bear new fruit for the glory of God. Become His habitation of worship as a Holy temple of God. All Praise and Glory to the Lord of Host.
