B
beejay
Guest
Once upon a time, the presence of God was believed by the Israelites to be in the Ark, kept in the holy of holies and limited for priests only on special occasions.
The ark of God representing God’s presence was taken to the house of Obed-edom and it stayed there for three months. He was blessed because of the presence of God in his house. 2 Samuel 6:11.
Under the old covenant, according to Hebrews 9, in the tabernacle or temple, the presence of God was located in the ark placed in the holy of holies and was restricted from all except the high priest and the high priest could only enter once in a year.
The law prevented those who are deformed from entering into the temple which represents the presence of God.
Leviticus 21:18-21 “no man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.
There was little access to the place that symbolized the presence of God in the old covenant but Jesus ushered in the new covenant by his blood to solve the problem once and for all.
Hebrew 9:6-10 ““Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation”.
The question now is: why is the real temple not being taught today in our churches and emphasis is being laid on the physical structure than the real temple?
John 2:18,19
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”19, Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.
John 4:19-26 “19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one, speaking to you I am the one
The Samaritan woman told Jesus in the conversation above, that the Jews believe the place they can access God’s presence is in the temple in Jerusalem and the Samaritans believe the presence of God is right here on the mountain where their ancestors’ worshipped.
Jesus replied her and said to her that a time is coming and the time is here when we shall worship God in spirit and I truth.
Jesus told the Jews the temple will be destroyed and he will raise it again in three days. He was referring to his death and him resurrecting the third day. Jesus resurrected and actually fulfilled that scripture. He raised the temple just like he told the Samaritan woman, that the time is coming and the time is here when those that worship the lord will worship in spirit and in truth. We are the temple Jesus raised at his death and resurrection. The presence of God is now in us. We carry God’s presence. He is no longer in the ark. He is in us. That is why the bible states where two or there are gathered in his name, he is there in their midst. We are the temple of God according to 1 Corinthians 6:19
Our old man was regenerated the day we accepted Jesus. the Holy Spirit resides us. We now worship God with a regenerated spirit not with the spirit that was dead to sin… we are regenerated. God dwells in us. We are the temple of God. The presence of God is no longer restricted to building or structures and places. We carry God in us. Stop laying emphasis on the structure. Tell believers who they are, who they carry in them.. we make people idolize object at the detriment of who God has made them
No more limitation, his presence is always with us, in us around us 24/7.
Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5, Joshua 1:9.
Be conscious of God’s presence always, his presence assures you of success.
GOD lives in you…. You carry his presence….. you are his temple.
Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of your faith
It is all about Jesus….