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.
In the wilderness the tabernacle became the focal point of God's presence. God was dwelling among His people
Exo 40:34-38 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (35) And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (36) And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: (37) But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. (38) For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
2. THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON
Likewise the temple that Solomon built:
2Ch 5:13-14 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; (14) So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
2Ch 7:1-3 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. (2) And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house. (3) And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
3. THE BODY OF JESUS
Then came Jesus who spoke of His body as the temple.
JohN 2:21-22 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.
4. MY BODY HIS TEMPLE
And now we have the Word of God identifying us as the temples of God individually and collectively as exemplified by the following Scripture:
1Co 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1Co 6:16-20 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. (17) But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (18) Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
2Co 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Eph 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
5. HIS NAME IS THERE!
Moving back to Moses' conversation with God in Exodus 3 we find this interesting and very important declaration:
Exo 3:13-15 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? (14) And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (15) And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, YAHWEH God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Further on we find God saying :
Exo 6:2-3 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am YAHWEH: (3) And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name YAHWEH was I not known to them.
Then in the course of handing down the commandments God made this tremendous statement;
Exo 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
God chose to place His Name in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:
2Ch 7:15-16 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. (16) For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
Therefore we need to examine what manner of persons we ought to be…
1. Whose temples are we?
2. Who should be dwelling in us?
3. Who can cleanse us? Can a temple cleanse itself?
4. What happens when we allow the presence of God in our lives?
While God desires to live with man and in man, man tries to compartmentalize God and place Him in a building which he calls a church...God's house. It becomes a case of "out of sight"...out of mind! We then believe that can "go to church" at regular periods then "leave church" and forget all about it until the next time we return. But God did not intend it to be so. His church and temple is you, it is me, we are His church His temple together!
When you are in the presence of important personages you have a tendency to mind your p's and q's. When God comes to live in you He gives you the ability to mind your p's and q's
He chose to put His Name there and He will bless those who meet Him there. My body is His temple. He dwells in me and has chosen to place His Name in me.
It is an awesome thing to know that Yahweh dwells in me and has placed His name Yahweh in me and I am blessed:
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Next time you look at yourself in the mirror you are not merely looking at an outward beautiful/handsome form but you are looking at the temple of Yahweh! How beautiful do you want this temple to be for Him?
We were cleansed by His Blood and need to adorn this temple with beautiful things not with a merely elegant outward but inward enhancement. Stephen was saying that it was more than going through the motions of routine rituals. It was a renewing of His Love and Anointing everyday as we make hallowed and sacred the place where Yahweh dwells and where He has placed His name.
Having a beautiful building in no guarantee of the presence of Yahweh but the presence of Yahweh in you guarantees a beautiful you!
