What makes the temple, the temple

Solomon made a beautiful temple.  Its beauty was unsurpassed by anything else ever built in Israel up to that time.

And yet for all its beauty, it was just a building.  A beautiful building, but just a building nonetheless. 

Then God came.

It says in verses 10 and 11 of 1 Kings chapter 8,

When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 

And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

What makes the temple, the temple? 

It’s the presence of the living God inside that temple.  It’s his glory shining out from that temple. 

Without God in the temple, all you have is an empty building.

What makes a Christian the temple of God? 

It’s not their outward appearance.  It’s not whether they’re slim or big, tall or short, smart or not so smart, beautiful or not so beautiful, gifted or not so gifted. 

What makes a Christian the temple of God is God’s presence and glory dwelling within them.

That’s what he does.  And so that’s what we are.

How do you look upon yourself?  Do you see yourself as the temple of God?  Or as something less? 

God sees you as nothing less than his temple.  You are his dwelling place.  And it is through you that God wants to display his glory so that others may be drawn to him.

Let us never forget that. 

So as we consider this simple truth, let us do as the Israelites did that day, falling on our knees before him and saying, “The Lord is good; his love endures forever.”  (2 Chronicles 7:3)