5/18

1 Kings 8:27

²⁷"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

Indeed, how could the God that created space, time, and matter be confined to one location? Though God's manifest presence was over the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place that Solomon built, He was certainly not confined to that location. It was merely a focal point for the people of Israel. It was a picture of what we are to be to God.

There was the outer court where the people came to worship. That is like our body that comes in contact with the world. We present it as a living sacrifice. The bronze altar that received the offerings was in this outer court. There was also the basin for the priests to cleanse themselves before going into the Sanctuary. Our outer life is to be clean if we expect to come before God in service.

The Holy Place had the table of the Presence, and the lampstand as well as the altar of incense. These represent Jesus as the light of our soul. Our thoughts are to be illuminated by His word. Our mind is to be directed by our daily bread, which is the word of God. It is from here that we lift up our prayers like incense on the altar of incense.

Finally, there is the Most Holy Place, where the manifest presence of God dwelt over the Ark of the Covenant. It pictures the spirit within man that is indwelt by God if we know Jesus as our Savior. Yet, God is not confined there. He dwells in all who come to Him by faith. We make up the living Temple. As glorious as Solomon's temple was, God is making something even more glorious out of you and me.

Consider: The God who inhabits eternity lives in all who accept Jesus by faith!