A Place To Dwell Forever Series

There was a priest who served in large city, and one cold day in December he discovered that the baby Jesus - that had been his church’s manger had been stolen. He reported it to the police and he explained to them “We’ve just got to find that baby. He’s the only Jesus these people have ever known.”

The story of Jesus’ birth… well it can run that risk. There’s a lot of people today that, when think about Jesus, they think of Him as if He’s only a baby in a manger because… that’s all they ever see! But of course… Jesus was far more than that. The key note scripture for our sermon series is: Matthew 1:23 which says “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

You see, Jesus WAS born as a baby, born of a virgin. But He was more than just a baby. Jesus was God with us. Over the last 2 weeks we’ve been looking at the fact that God has always wanted to be with us. He’s always wanted to walk with us and talk with us, much as He did with Adam & Eve, and Noah, and Enoch, and Abram. And He’s always wanted to dwell amongst us - like He did with the Israelites in the Wilderness. And, it was in the wilderness that God declared “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” Exodus 25:8

Now, that Sanctuary that God wanted built was the Tabernacle. It was a tent-like structure that was always in their midst in the wilderness. And when they got to the Promised Land, the Tabernacle, was set up at a community called Shiloh. But the day came, as it always does with tents, that the Tabernacle eventually outlived its usefulness. And it was then that Solomon built the temple.

ILLUS: One scholar noted that when the Temple was constructed it was a magnificent building. It stood on Mount Moriah… and it could be seen for miles around. It was an elegant building. And you could tell that the builders took pride in their work because it’s gold and marble literally made the building glisten in the sun. The Israelites had good reason to be proud of this building.

So, when they dedicated the Temple to God (as it says in our text) there was the blowing of trumpets and playing of instruments. It was a time of rejoicing and feasting. There were hundreds of sacrifices made., and we’re told that as soon as Solomon finished his prayer (dedicating the building), “fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." II Chronicles 7:1-3

(PAUSE) This was a day that Israel would remember for years. The glory of the LORD filled the Temple, and God was in the midst of His people. GOD DWELT WITH HIS PEOPLE!

Now there are couple things about this story that caught my attention. 1st, Solomon had prayed in I Kings 8:13 “ I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.”

Well, that was a nice sentiment… but that didn’t happen. Approximately 200 years later, according to the prophet Ezekiel (chapters 8-11), God’s glory left the temple because of the sin of Israel and the temple was destroyed shortly after by Babylon. (https://israelmyglory.org/article/the-day-the-shekinah-returns-to-israel/#:~:text=The%20Shekinah%20glory%20left%20Israel,Israel%20was%20over%20them%20above)

WELL, THAT’S A BUMMER.

But it’s not that hard to understand. The Temple was just a building. God didn’t need it. He didn’t need a place to live. I mean, even the vastness of heaven couldn’t hold God. And besides, God had a better Temple in mind. Do you know what Temple God really wanted? The real Temple God wanted was you!!!

I Corinthians 6:19-20 says “Do you not know that your body is a TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” When God allowed Solomon to build the Temple, THAT Temple was an example of what God wants in YOUR life.

For example, we’re told that “the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house.” (II Chronicles 7:2) Now, here’s the deal - when you became the Temple of God (When you became a Christian) His Spirit came and dwelt inside of you. Acts 2:38 says “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”