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Message
1 Kings 8:22-53
“Temple Theology”
How important is the temple in the life of the Israelites?
We need to realise that
Tabernacle (portable)
= Temple (permanent)
Expand
Reminder of selectiveness of Scripture.
Exodus 25-40
• highly detailed description of structure, worship articles, clothes to wear.
• then it tells us that they did it.
• very repetitive.
The point being that God is very specific about the Tabernacle/Temple.
Then:-
Exodus 40:34-38
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.
Yahweh was there!!
If you wanted to know that God was with you, all you had to do was look at the tabernacle.
Expand briefly
– the spiritual encouragement this would give.
- also the challenge “How do I live a Holy Life”
Because God is right there.
That was the purpose of this building.
It helped answer the question “How Do I Live A Holy Life?”
That is the question we struggle with just as much don’t we.
We have an awareness of personal failings (expand)
- pre-Christian life … it has consequences.
- the constant temptations … they cause guilt.
- stubborn character traits … we are in this personal battle.
So we identify with the Israelites and the question that they wrestle with, “How Do I Live A Holy Life”.
And it is a constant question that they wrestle with, so much so that in the days of Solomon – which are about 480 years after the Israelites came out of Egypt and when they built the tabernacle – there is still very much a desire to build a permanent structure.
Let’s have a closer look at some aspects of the temple.
It was Yahweh’s idea and King David’s plan
1 Chronicles 28
(Turn to it)
verses 2-3 a desire thwarted, David was a warrior and had too much blood on his hands to build the temple.
verses 11-12 David is the architect.
verse 17 all down to the finest detail.
1 Chronicles 28:19
19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.”
The building is often called Solomon’s Temple, but really it is God’s Temple isn’t it. God is getting the help of all sorts of people to make the building happen.
The Temple was a huge project
Resources
1 Kings 5:10-11
6000 tonnes of wheat
8000 litres of pure olive oil.
Workmen
1 Kings 5:13-16
The achievement ability would have been high.
6am-6pm … 6 days a week.
Size
1 Kings 6:2
27 long, 9 m wide, 13 m high (higher than a power pole)
That is just the actual temple building.
Detail
1 Kings 6:19-22
No cost was spared
Time
1 Kings 6:37-38
A seven year project
Talk freely about how when we do a project we feel so proud,
- look at what I did.
- other people comment.
How Solomon felt and the nation as well.
This is a crowning achievement.
It is so grand.
So extravagant.
Everyone was able to live a holy life because the temple was there to help.
Everyone felt so safe in their religion.
Except there is one problem
… …
now it is all gone.
Remember this book is written to the exiles in Jerusalem.
This is what they think about when they read about the temple.
2 Kings 25:8-10, 13-15.
Everything – down to the forks and knives David was so meticulous in organising – it is all gone.
The very thing which is meant to be their source of spiritual connection … is just ashes.
After the exile
Rebuild of temple, expanded by Herod.
(Quick explanation)
It was also destroyed by the Romans.
70AD
(Quick explanation)
Today:-
Muslim Temple.
So what is going on?
1 Kings 8:22-53
Remember the purpose of the tabernacle/temple is to help us answer the question, how do we live a holy life?
1 Kings 8:23-24 (read)
God has been faithful
1 Kings 8:27-30 (read)
No hear from the temple, but hear from heaven.
It is not the tabernacle or the temple that enables people to move forward.
It is not the ritual and the religion that gives us hope.
It is not bible reading, prayer, church attendance or community service which saves.
It is God.
Let me show you what I mean.
1 Kings 8:31-33 (read)
Not accept my sacrifice.
But hear from the altar.
1 Kings 8:35-36 (read)
Not bring an acceptable offering.
But confess your name.
1 Kings 8:46-51 (read)
They are not even in the land.
Yet when repentance happens God will forgive and renew.
He will bring them back … to a temple-less land.
Holiness does not come because of the temple, it comes because of God
The temple is just a symbol of something much greater.
The temple is just a promise that God wants to have a relationship with us.
The temple is not the main event.
The problem with a temple is that it leads to hollow religion.
• thinking activity is enough.
• just going through the motions.
• the Israelites kept doing it … in the days of Solomon … in the days of Jesus.
God doesn’t want a hollow religion.
God wants a relationship.
When Jesus died a number of supernatural events happened. One of them was this:-
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
Matthew 27:50-51
God, in a really visual way, is saying “No more”
No more does God want the hollow sacrifices …
(Expand:- people would come and give sacrifices, but their heart was not changed it was just all show).
No more does God want empty ritual …
(Expand:- people were being one sort of person at the temple, and a different person elsewhere).
No more does God want religion …
(Expand:- people looking like they are followers, but really don’t know God at all.
That was one of the reasons God brought the people into exile in the first place.
And that is the challenge for us.
Is our Christianity a RELIGION?
Or is our Christianity a RELATIONSHIP?
Talk freely using the analogy of the difference between a partnership at work and a marriage.
Are we just going through the motions, or are we looking for a vibrant experience of excited faith with Jesus where Jesus helps us on the road to holiness
Prayer
