1 Kings 7; Psalms 87–88; Ezekiel 37; Ephesians 4
The temple built by Solomon is by human standards almost too incredible to describe. The Old Testament says it was large, solidly made of stone and cedar overlaid with bronze and gold. It depicts the dwelling place of God even though God’s presence is not confined to the finery of this beautiful building.
Instead, the NT says God’s temple is in the hearts of those who are redeemed by faith in Jesus Christ. In this verse, the ‘you’ is plural . . .
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Ezekiel describes a valley of dried bones, this time depicting God’s people as without life and yet brought to life with the promises God makes and the vision the prophet sees as the dead come to life and form a mighty army.
“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:11–14)
While the promises are made to Israel in this chapter, this vision points to a glorious people who were once dead and separated from God but who are now alive and serving Him; the church of Jesus Christ. The NT describes how God takes those dead in sin to life in Christ and places them in His kingdom. When that happens, we know that He is the Lord.
Reading these passages together points to another reality: the new temple of God is also a building yet adorned in an entirely different way than the OT version, just as glorious but not with the same building materials — “For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
Ephesians describes this glory as Christians who are called, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:2–6)
Unity is a glorious thing, particularly in a world of strife where individualism is praised and relativism prevails. This does not mean Christians are robotic clones who think and act alike. In this glorious unity there is diversity, particularly in our spiritual gifts and how God achieves His goals in individual lives.
Even so, His goal is the same for all: we are to be like Jesus, equipped by gifted leaders whom God gives . . .
“to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:12–16)
Also, we must not walk as others do, “in the futility of their minds, darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heat.” (Verse 18) Instead, God enables us to “put off our old self which belong to our former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Verses 22-25)
APPLY: The NT describes Christians as God’s army and like the ‘new temple’ that is richly adorned with glory that will last forever. Stone, brick, even precious metal may crumble but the people of God are given eternal life, a life lived in the full glory of God for eternity. As I interact and have fellowship with others in God’s family, I need to remember the last verse: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32) and keep His temple brightly shining!
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