The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Kings 6:1,38,
"In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he [Solomon] began to build the temple of the Lord... In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it."
These verses which comprise the first and last verse of chapter 6 in First Kings provides us with the time frame of the building of the first temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. To this point in Israel's history, the worship of the Lord in Israel was confined to the tabernacle, the tent built by Moses following the Israelite's exodus from Egypt.
It is the time frame that catches my notice this morning. This first temple, by all accounts a magnificently planned and executed structure, beautiful and well-appointed in every detail, took seven years to complete. We will read in Israel's history that about a half millennium later this temple would be destroyed and another, smaller one would be built as its replacement.
Seven years. Really a remarkable time frame for such a structure. This will be ground zero, the vortex of all things of a godly nature for some time to come. This is where God's people would go at the appointed times for the festivals and feasts in her religious calendar. This is where God's people went to bring their sacrifices and offerings, where they would go to meet with the priests that served in the temple worship, where they would go to pray and worship.
This structure of vital importance to God's covenant people took time to complete. Although the seven year time frame is amazing in itself, it nevertheless took time to build.
I am reminded of another temple - a temple the Lord is building himself. This temple is currently under construction yet today, requiring time to complete in its every aspect. This temple is the earthly temple the Lord occupies today, "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house..." - the temple of the Spirit of God!
This temple, likewise, takes time to build - and the Lord is actively building it. We read in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." We see the Lord, investing time in the building of his spiritual temple. He tarries as he awaits all who will embrace him in faith. He awaits until that very last soul that will comprise the completion of this temple is brought in.
"In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he [Solomon] began to build the temple of the Lord... In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it."
These verses which comprise the first and last verse of chapter 6 in First Kings provides us with the time frame of the building of the first temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. To this point in Israel's history, the worship of the Lord in Israel was confined to the tabernacle, the tent built by Moses following the Israelite's exodus from Egypt.
It is the time frame that catches my notice this morning. This first temple, by all accounts a magnificently planned and executed structure, beautiful and well-appointed in every detail, took seven years to complete. We will read in Israel's history that about a half millennium later this temple would be destroyed and another, smaller one would be built as its replacement.
Seven years. Really a remarkable time frame for such a structure. This will be ground zero, the vortex of all things of a godly nature for some time to come. This is where God's people would go at the appointed times for the festivals and feasts in her religious calendar. This is where God's people went to bring their sacrifices and offerings, where they would go to meet with the priests that served in the temple worship, where they would go to pray and worship.
This structure of vital importance to God's covenant people took time to complete. Although the seven year time frame is amazing in itself, it nevertheless took time to build.
I am reminded of another temple - a temple the Lord is building himself. This temple is currently under construction yet today, requiring time to complete in its every aspect. This temple is the earthly temple the Lord occupies today, "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house..." - the temple of the Spirit of God!
This temple, likewise, takes time to build - and the Lord is actively building it. We read in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." We see the Lord, investing time in the building of his spiritual temple. He tarries as he awaits all who will embrace him in faith. He awaits until that very last soul that will comprise the completion of this temple is brought in.
Those of us who are believers await our arrival in the resurrection. We can't wait for this age to come to a close so that we can enter into the next age, into the resurrection when we will live in God's very presence. While we wait, it is not for wait's sake. It is for the sake of the temple the Lord is building: his kingdom, his family, out of all those who embrace him in faith.
Until that very last soul is saved and brought into God's family, we are to wait patiently. We await our hope. We await our Savior. In the meantime we are called to be patient and we are called to endurance. The world hates those who belong to the Lord because the world hates the Lord. We experience the brunt of that (and, by the way, that will never change until this age comes to a close.) We are also called to endure as we abide in this lost and fallen world, vexed and distressed by the sin all about us, vexed by the rebellion, vexed by the unjust treatment this world dispenses. Just as Habakkuk, we look to the Lord to bring the sinful condition all about us to an end.
However, just as Solomon's temple took time to build, so the Lord is taking time to build the temple he abides in today. Be strong, be encouraged, because just as Solomon's temple was completed, so the temple the Lord is making of us will be completed and then the Lord comes for us!
How exciting is that?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment