Temple of God

Temple of God October 6 2019 Ver 2.3 A/V Temple of God In Old Testament times the Temple was the place where God showed his presence. It symbolized the presence and protection of the Lord God among his people. The Temple represented God’s redemption of his people – Firstly there were the daily sacrifices for sin on the bronze altar Once a year - the Day of Atonement. The High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place – The Holy of Holies – behind the curtain: and sprinkle lambs blood on the cover of the Ark of The Covenant to atone for the sins of the people. The temple was filled with the glory of the Lord from the day its dedication, when the priests could not even enter the Temple as the glorious presence of the Lord had filled it. Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. V’s 3 And the seraphim cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” A/V Solomon’s Temple David wanted to build a Temple for the Lord – but because of his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent killing of Uriah he was only allowed, by God, to provide or it. Solomon, the Son of David and Bathsheba, started it’s construction in his fourth year as king, and it took seven years to complete. 1 Kings 7:15 Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 8 metres tall and 5.5 metres in circumference Two large pillars were set at the entrance of the Temple .. everyone had to walk through them to enter the Temple. They had incredibly ornate capitals on the top of them, each 2.3 metres high, covered in latticework, chains and pomegranates . What was the point of these two pillars ... there are many and varied interpretations on these – with a large number being influenced by occultic and/or pagan origins ... Biblical Commentaries refer to the south pillar JAKIN = he establishes - Christ the head And the north pillar BOAZ = in him is strength - Christ the body The Babylonians broke up the large bronze pillars and carried then off to Babylon. A/V It is not how it seems The Temple was rebuilt by Ezra after some Israelites were allowed to return from exile in Persia But did it look the same ? NO Haggai 2:3 Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! God sees things in a completely different perspective Haggai 2:9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” What does that mean to us today ?? A/V 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV 2 Cor 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, V’s 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ Last week I spoke about the powerful weapons of our warfare How we can use those to destroy the “false arguments” that the devil would try to use against us in the “Courts of Heaven” A/V Mystery of Iniquity (from 29 Sept) I used the visual image of our live being “like a big box” and Satan would want to keep us contained, limited, frustrated and in-effective for the Kingdom of God. We all can have been affected by past sins of our parents/ grandfathers and great grandparents. Generational sin can be applied to 3 or 4 generations. The iniquity of the sin is a mystery to us, but the curses would want to try and contain our lives. I showed that if we repent and plead forgiveness on their behalf – we, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can use the weapons of our warfare to “destroy the box of iniquity” – restrictions are removed. A/V Build Our Life in The Spirit from 29 Sept Our covering is removed Iniquity vanquished Nothing to hide We are left open Furthermore we must step into RIGHTEOUSNESS We must keep short accounts and remain in RIGHTEOUSNESS Ezekiel 18:20b Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, What is Righteousness ... following God’s decrees, statutes and will For this we need the assistance of a helper, an advocate, a teacher, a guide The Holy Spirit is that guide ... Like this Blue and Silver ball – The Holy Spirit to be totally immersed in our life TESTIMONY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ... A/V Your Body is a Temple I Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit  who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? This theme of the Holy Spirit being in us – brings the Temple of God to an incredible dimension, People are everywhere in this world, and everywhere a Born again, Spirit filled believer is – the Temple of the God’s Holy Spirit is .. Keep your life in righteousness ... because God is in you. A/V The Temple of God is Holy – it is You 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?  V’s 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. Many critics of Christianity make inaccurate statements of “Christians being Exclusive” Nothing is further from the truth .. all, everyone, believers together, are a part of Temple of God When Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians : his emphasis is on the entire congregation, to be God’s temple – filled with the Holy Spirit, and empowered by his protection. Corinth was a city not unlike our current civilization: Quote ... Zondervan’s Full Life Study Bible .. “intellectually arrogant – materially affluent – morally corrupt – flourishing in sin” Humanistic thinking and sexual immorality and variations abounded, And here was the Temple of God – united in one cause .. Which is where we must be, always representing Him by being Holy. A/V 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NLT 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?  V’s 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. There is a strong warning here, in verse 17 ... anyone who destroys this temple God will destroy. The interpretation of this passage is that of a personal destruction. That is not coming from outside – but from within you. The battle for integrity and holiness is our own. We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Do not sabotage your own destiny by giving yourself over to sin. Remember the strongholds are broken A/V 1 Peter 2:5 NLT God is building his Temple : using us : he is joining us into an his plan for mankind. As the world gets darker, His Church becomes stronger. I was asked by a councillor this week, is the church diminishing in its effectiveness in the community. Definitely NOT was my answer. What are we : let’s read this statement together 1 Peter 2:5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. A/V 1 Peter 2:9 NLT (blue/light on powerpoint) V’s 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Coming Up : What are the pillars in your Temple ? How do we all play a part in seeing God’s Temple and Kingdom come on this Earth ?