“And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst” (Exodus 25:8).
God wanted his people to build Him a Sanctuary where He could dwell amongst His people. God wanted to commune with His creation! In order for God to dwell in His sanctuary the priests had to purify and cleanse the sanctuary. There can be no sin; no, nothing unclean can live in the same place God lives.
This was a complicated act that had to be fulfilled by the Ancient Jews in order to have the presence of God dwelling amongst them. These rules and laws were impossible for us to continue to fulfill and God knew they would not last the test of time. He had to act in order to save His beloved creation. God knew we would fail in every way so He sent His Son. His word says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Understand this; God sent Himself in His Son. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Why? God knew that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself.
We are no longer required to build a Temple made with wooden beams, or marble blocks, animal skins, and silver or gold but with flesh and bone. We are His Temple! We have become His abode where He dwells amongst us. Is that possible? Yes, it is. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). What then do you say to God when we are told that our body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit?
We look back to Exodus 25 and we see what God was doing. He was preparing for us a way that He could dwell with us as His sanctuary. This is the command He gave us and it is what lies behind the commandment “build Me a sanctuary.” These words teach us our relationship to God and what He expects of each of us. What made this commandment so unique was God knew we would become His Temple, His “kings and priests” (Revelation 5:10).
In order for us to abide in him and him in us we must keep His temple, His sanctuaries clean from all sin. God and sin cannot dwell together. This is our daily challenge as we take up or own crosses in order to keep our temples clean so the Lord may dwell within His temple which is you.
My Question to you is this…Are you His Holy Temple, His king and His priest? Or, are you just making it through life from Sunday to Sunday? His Temple was a place He dwelt all day and all night. Are you acting like a “king and priest” or are you acting just like the world? What makes you different than those around you? Can Christians and non-Christians notice something different about you and how much time you spend with the Lord? Or, do you just blend into the crowd and become another unknown face?
When you dwell with the Lord He dwells with you. IF you commune with Him, you become a partner and a friend and you experience His personality and His Nature. In the end how much do you want to Tabernacle with the Lord in His Sanctuary or in His Temple? “It is written,” he said to them, ‘My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.’ ” (Luke 19:46) What does your house, abode, dwelling, Tabernacle, Sanctuary or Temple look like? Are you making your Temple “a house of Prayer” and a “Holy Mountain” or are you selling your goods in a market of thieves?
Today’s blog entry was written by Wayne Olin, one of our Hope Harbor faithful serving the United States Army in Korea.
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