Tag: Temple

Scripture for Saturday, September 3 (9/3)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 3, is 1st Kings 9:3 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“The Lord said to him, ‘I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.’ “

The New Testament builds spiritual concepts on the basic material patterns of the Old Testament. For example, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1st Corinthians 3:16). This is the temple God wants now, not the old material temple of the Old Testament.

Just as there was just one material temple of God in the Old Testament, God looks upon each Christian as though we are the only temple; for he is with us constantly and hears our every word, our every song, our every prayer.

Is your heart troubled today? Is your heart joyful today? Are you at peace with everything around you? Do you see conflicts that you do not know how to solve?

As God’s temple, God’s eyes and heart are with you. God sees and watches out for you in everything you do. He knows your cares, your heart’s desires, your joys, your worries. God’s eyes and heart are always with you, for you are God’s temple!

DISCUSSION QUESTION: ARE THERE ANY THINGS IN YOUR LIFE YOU WANT TO STOP DOING IN ORDER TO HONOR GOD’S TEMPLE, YOUR BODY?

#HolySpirit, #temple, #problems

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, Inspirational, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 22, is Ephesians 2:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Cover-KINDLE“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Another place in the New Testament, 2nd Corinthians 6:16, says we are the temple of God. A lot of things in worship under the Law of Moses were a literal version of what Christians some day would enjoy in a spiritual and deeper sense.

We have no need for the temple in Jerusalem, for now God dwells in Christians. We have no need for the altar of sacrifice at that temple because Jesus was our final sacrifice (Hebrews 10:4-12). We have no need for the cymbals, harps and lyres played in worship, because Christians play on the strings of their hearts (Ephesians 5:19). We have no need for the priestly system in the Law of Moses because all Christians are priests (1st Peter 2:5). And how do we serve as priests? Romans 12:1 explains it: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.”

What a concept! God does not dwell in temples or church buildings!
     He dwells in Christians.
          He lives and moves through Christians.
               What a privilege.
                    What a responsibility.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 30, is 1st Kings 6:30 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

CHANGES IN WORSHIP-COVER-KINDLE“He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.”

About 40 years ago it was figured that Solomon put $3 trillion worth of gold in the temple to line the ceiling, walls and floor. And that figure would probably be around $12 trillion today. Talk about streets of gold in heaven!

There are some people today asking for money to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Even if they accomplished it, what would it do for Christians? The book of Hebrews in the New Testament explains to the Hebrew (Jewish) Christians that they no longer need or want the temple. Why? Hebrews 8:13 says, “By calling this covenant (Testament) ‘new’ he has made the first one [Old Testament] obsolete.”

Let’s look at the temple in a spiritual sense through the eyes of a Christian ~ and of Jesus himself in Hebrews 9:

1Now the FIRST COVENANT [TESTAMENT] had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 7 Only the High Priest entered the inner room [Most Holy Place]…and never without blood.…. 11When Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle [temple] that is not man-made. 12. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood [He being the Lamb of God ~ John 1], having obtained eternal redemption. 24. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered HEAVEN ITSELF. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT [TESTAMENT].

So, who of us would want an imitation temple and holy of holies made with hands back in Jerusalem again, along with all the animal sacrifices on the altar, and priests who would have to be of the Tribe of Levi, and tithing and all the other over 600 laws of Moses? It makes no sense.

Thank God, we live in a more spiritual age ~ the age of Christ and the temple heaven itself.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 22, is Ephesians 2:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Header-Jesus' Hands In Clouds“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Another place in the New Testament, 2nd Corinthians 6:16, says we are the temple of God. A lot of things in worship under the Law of Moses were a literal version of what Christians some day would enjoy in a spiritual and deeper sense.

We have no need for the temple in Jerusalem, for now God dwells in Christians. We have no need for the altar of sacrifice at that temple because Jesus was our final sacrifice (Hebrews 10:4-12). We have no need for the cymbals, harps and lyres played in worship, because Christians play on the strings of their hearts (Ephesians 5:19). We have no need for the priestly system in the Law of Moses because all Christians are priests (1st Peter 2:5). And how do we serve as priests? Romans 12:1 explains it: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.”

What a concept! God does not dwell in temples or church buildings!
He dwells in Christians.
He lives and moves through Christians.
What a privilege.
What a responsibility.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 18 (12/18), is Hebrews 12:18ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

CHANGES IN WORSHIP-COVER-KINDLE“You have not come to a mountain [Sinai] that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storms; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.’ The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’ “

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.

You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a NEW COVENANT….”

The first paragraph refers to the mountain on which Moses received what was called the Law of Moses ~ not just 10 commandments, but over 600 ~ over a 40-day period. The second paragraph refers to a different mountain where the Temple was later built in Jerusalem.

Then it shows that Jesus took it beyond the physical so that the Christian Jerusalem is in heaven where angels and the living God dwell.

Why would anyone want to dip into the old Law of Moses to get justification to do showy things in worship? And why would anyone want to rebuild the old Temple in Jerusalem when the new Jerusalem is in heaven? Let us not think of what pleases us, but what pleases God.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment

Old Testament ScrollThe scripture for today, October 19 (10/19), is Hebrews 10:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus….”

The entire book of Hebrews explains in detail how the Jewish Old Testament Law of Moses with its 600 laws was replaced by the New Testament law of Jesus’ Grace, not just for Jews, but for every nation on earth.

The Jewish temple had two rooms, and no ordinary Jew was ever allowed to enter either. The main room in front was called the Holy Place. The smaller room in the back was called the Most Holy Place. Only Levites (male descendants of the Jewish tribe of Levi) were allowed to enter the Holy Place. Only the high priest, a Levite descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother) was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and even then only once a year on the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16 explains that on that Day, the high priest was to kill a goat and sprinkle its blood inside the Most Holy Place for the atonement (forgiveness) of the people.

The Jewish temple was destroyed shortly after the book of Hebrews was written. This book explains that we no longer need an earthly high priest and an earthly Most Holy Place. Jesus is our high priest (Hebrews 7:24-26) The Most Holy Place is heaven and open to all Christians throughout the world (Hebrews 9:24-26).

Hebrews 9:12-14 explains, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ ~ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God ~ cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

God created the pattern in the Old Testament, and the spiritual reality in the New Testament. How amazing!

The scripture for today, June 30 (6/30), is 1st Kings 6:30 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.”

It has been estimated that Solomon put over $12 trillion worth of gold in the Holy Place and Holy of Holies in the temple to line the ceiling, walls and floor.  Talk about streets of gold in heaven!

The book of Hebrews in the New Testament explains to the Hebrew (Jewish) Christians that they no longer need or want the temple. Why? Hebrews 8:13 says, “By calling this covenant (Testament) ‘new’ he has made the first one [Old Testament] obsolete.”

Let’s look at the temple in a spiritual sense through the eyes of a Christian ~ and of Jesus himself ~ in Hebrews 9:

1Now the FIRST COVENANT [TESTAMENT] had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 7 Only the High Priest entered the inner room [Most Holy Place]…and never without blood.…. 11When Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle [temple] that is not man-made. 12. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood [He being the Lamb of God ~ John 1], having obtained eternal redemption. 24. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered HEAVEN ITSELF. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT [TESTAMENT].

So, who of us would want an imitation temple and Holy of Holies made with hands back in Jerusalem again, along with all the animal sacrifices on the altar, and priests who would have to be of the Tribe of Levi, and tithing and all the other over 600 laws of Moses?  It makes no sense.

Thank God, we live in a more spiritual age ~ the age of Christ and the temple which is heaven itself.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 19 (6/19), is 1st Corinthians 6:19f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have received from God?  You are not your own.  You were bought with a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”

Our bodies are pretty valuable.  Jesus bought us with something very expensive ~ his blood.

This world’s temples are sometimes small and sometimes large.  Sometimes plain, sometimes fancy.  Sometimes there is complete silence in a temple.  And sometimes it echoes with song.  Sometimes it has many people, sometimes it stands alone.  People can usually figure out that each is a temple whether or not it has a sign.

Can people tell what you are without you having to tell them?  When your family and friends need a place of quiet and rest, can they come to you?  When people need a place of joy, can they come to you?  After you part company with someone, do they feel good about themselves and look forward to the next time they can be with you?

Today, allow your body to be seen as a temple.

 

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment