My Body His Temple! His Name Is There! Series

WHERE DOES GOD DWELL AND WHERE HAS HE PLACED HIS NAME?

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Part of Stephen's defense against the accusations reads thus:

Act 7:44-50 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. (45) Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; (46) Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. (47) But Solomon built him an house. (48) Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, (49) Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? (50) Hath not my hand made all these things?

When Stephen was falsely accused and brought to trial the charge brought against Him was that he spoke blasphemous words against the temple:

Act 6:11-14 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. (12) And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, (13) And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: (14) For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

This same type of accusation was also brought against Jesus by false witnesses:

Mat 26:59-61 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; (60) But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, (61) And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

This error concerning the temple occurred at the beginning of Jesus' ministry after He had cleansed the temple:

JohN 2:15-22 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; (16) And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. (17) And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. (18) Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? (19) Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (20) Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? (21) But he spake of the temple of his body. (22) When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

The disciples did not completely grasp the meaning of Jesus' words until after His resurrection.

From the beginning God created man for His pleasure and will:

Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Col 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

PROGRESSIVE RESTORATION OF FELLOWSHIP

God had fellowship with man which was catastrophically disrupted when man sinned.

In the perfect environment created in Eden He communed and fellowshipped with man.

Then man fell and God's redemptive work kicked in to restore man back to fellowship with God.

1. THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS

This was specifically emphasized after Israel was delivered from Egypt and God when God gave Moses specific commands concerning the construction of the tabernacle:

Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.