I am a Temple

Introduction

Introduction

The Temple of God is a key theme through out the Scriptures. In the beginning of Creation there was no need for a Temple because we were fully one with God; no sepration, a perfect unity. As a result of sin and the fall of mankind, there was a need for a tabernacle where God and man could meet.

Moses met with God in the Tent of Meeting until the Tabernacle was built. When David was king, he asked God if he could build a temple (). God told him no because King David was a man of war and had much human blood on hands. However he was allowed to gather the materials his son Solomon would need to build it (). Solomon’s temple was destroyed and ransacked by the Babylonians in 586 BC (). However, King Cyrus of Persia allowed the temple to be rebuilt () under the leadership of Zerubbabel; Nehemiah was sent to oversee

When David was king, he asked God if he could build a temple (). God told him no but allowed him to gather the materials his son Solomon would need to build it (). Solomon’s temple was destroyed and ransacked by the Babylonians in 586 BC (). King Cyrus of Persia allowed the temple to be rebuilt () under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

Over the next four hundred years, a series of Gentile rulers built up and also defiled the second temple. The cycle culminated in 39 BC when King Herod battled and took control of the temple. In the battle, Herod’s forces slaughtered many of the priests and defenders, angering the Jewish community, securing the Temple for the Roman Empire. Then Herod proposed to renovate the temple in 20—19 BC. The main work on the temple was completed in one-and-a-half years, and the outer courtyard in eight years.

As Jesus approached his Crucifixion, he prophesied

“Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” .

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), .

Later on at Jesus’ trial - “two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ” .

two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), .

There were some finishing touches by Herod’s workers, however in 70 AD after a long war between the Jewish Zealots and the Roman authorities, Jerusalem and the Temple were burned down. The burning of the Temple caused the gold and silver ornamentation to melt and seeped into the cracks in the stones. Once the fires had burnt out Roman soldiers, looking for the gold, took the temple apart, stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy.

Herod’s temple lasted until AD 70, which marked the end of the second temple era. At that time, after a long war between the Jewish Zealots and the Roman authorities, four Roman legions, led by Titus, besieged Jerusalem and burned down the temple. As the temple burned, the gold and silver ornamentation melted and seeped between the cracks in the stones. In their zeal for a stipend, the Roman soldiers took the temple apart, stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy

The Temple Dedication

There was holy protocol and specific requirements in order to enjoy fellowship with God. King Solomon was given the responsibilty of building the Temple of God as seen in .

There was holy protocol and specific requirements in order to enjoy fellowship with God.

2 Chronicles 2:4 NIV84

Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on Sabbaths and New Moons and at the appointed feasts of the Lord our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.

Eventually King Solomon was given the responsibilty of building the Temple of God as seen in .

The Temple experience involved:

Burning Fragrant incense

Setting out the consecrated bread

Burnt offerings morning and evening

Weekly Sabbaths; Monthly New Moons and Yearly Feasts

King Solomon prepared all the people and provisions to build the Temple of God in . Then he proceeds to build the Temple from the foundation up and down to all the ornate Temple furnishings ().

- When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the Lord was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and gold and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of God’s temple.

The Ark Brought to the Temple

2 Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. 3 And all the men of Israel came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.

4 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, 5 and they brought up the ark and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests, who were Levites, carried them up; 6 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

King Solomon then proceeds to bless God and offer his Prayer of Dedication. When

In the New Testament we see the Temple of God transitioning from stone and mortar to human hearts… Jesus often engaged the religious leaders in the

The Temple of God is a key theme throughout the Scriptures. In the beginning of Creation there was no need for a Temple because we were fully one with God; no separation, a perfect unity. As a result of sin and the fall of mankind, there was a need for a tabernacle where God and man could meet.

Moses met with God in the Tent of Meeting until the Tabernacle was built. When David was king, he asked God if he could build a temple (). God told him no because King David was a man of war and had much human blood on hands. However, he was allowed to gather the materials his son Solomon would need to build it (). Solomon’s temple was destroyed and ransacked by the Babylonians in 586 BC (). However, King Cyrus of Persia allowed the temple to be rebuilt () under the leadership of Zerubbabel; Nehemiah was sent to oversee the rebuilding work.

Over the next four hundred years, a series of Gentile rulers built up and also defiled the second temple. The cycle culminated in 39 BC when King Herod battled and took control of the temple. In the battle, Herod’s forces slaughtered many of the priests and defenders, angering the Jewish community, securing the Temple for the Roman Empire. Then Herod proposed to renovate the temple in 20—19 BC. The main work on the temple was completed in 1 ½ years, and the outer courtyard in eight years.

As Jesus approached his Crucifixion, he prophesied as seen in - “Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Later on, at Jesus’ trial - “two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days’ ” ().

There were some finishing touches by Herod’s workers, however in 70 AD after a long war between the Jewish Zealots and the Roman authorities, Jerusalem and the Temple were burned down. The burning of the Temple caused the gold and silver ornamentation to melt and seeped into the cracks in the stones. Once the fires had burnt out Roman soldiers, looking for the gold, took the temple apart, stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy.

The Temple of God

There was holy protocol and specific requirements in order to enjoy fellowship with God in relation to the Temple. King Solomon was given the responsibility of building the Temple of God and prepared all the people and provisions to build the Temple of God in – “Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on Sabbaths and New Moons and at the appointed feasts of the Lord our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.” The Temple experience involved: · Burning Fragrant incense · Setting out the consecrated bread · Burnt offerings morning and evening · Weekly Sabbaths; Monthly New Moons and Yearly Feasts Then he proceeds to build the Temple from the foundation up and down to all the ornate Temple furnishings in the following two chapters. In see the completion of the work - When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the Lord was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and gold and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of God’s temple. 2 Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. 3 And all the men of Israel came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month. 4 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, 5 and they brought up the ark and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests, who were Levites, carried them up; 6 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

King Solomon then proceeds to bless God and offer his Prayer of Dedication. “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple (). God’s glory fills the Temple and the people praise God saying – “He is good; his love endures forever.” The Living Stone We see the Temple of God being built with stone and mortar in the Old Testament. The raw materials in the raising of the Temple in the New Testament are human hearts… We are told – “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (). The Living Stone is Jesus Christ and we are living stones. “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (). This spiritual house is made up of men and women from all over the world and has similar actions as the Temple in the Old Testament. · Burning Fragrant incense: As living stones, we are to pray. The prayers of the saints are like incense rising to heaven. “The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out” ( NLT). · Setting out the consecrated bread: These 12 cakes of bread were most likely baked weekly on Friday and was set apart for the priests to offer to the Lord. They would also eat the Bread of the Presence of the Lord. Jesus tells us he is the Bread of Life that we are to consume (). We are to ask for our daily bread, both naturally and spiritually (). · Burnt offerings morning and evening: The offerings were God’s way of promoting spirituality and fellowship in the Old Testament. Jesus came and fulfilled all the offerings required by God. We now offer our lives as living sacrifices made holy and righteous by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God (; – “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”) · Weekly Sabbaths; Monthly New Moons and Yearly Feasts: This refers to the regular weekly, monthly and yearly gathering of the saints. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (). In conclusion So, you are not foreigners or guests, but rather you are the children of the city of the holy ones, with all the rights as family members of the household of God. 20 You are rising like the perfectly fitted stones of the temple; and your lives are being built up together upon the ideal foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, and best of all, you are connected to the Head Cornerstone of the building, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ himself! 21 This entire building is under construction and is continually growing under his supervision until it rises up completed as the holy temple of the Lord himself. 22 This means that God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you! ( The Passion Translation). In Application Pastor Becky will lead us in prayer…