The Building of the Temple of God

There are two aspects of our being made the Temple of God. The first aspect is that of our personal preparation for receiving the fullness of God into our personality. The second aspect is that of our becoming part of the Temple of God, the holy city, the new Jerusalem.

The corporate Temple of God will be assembled from individual "stones," each of which has been made perfect in advance. There will be no imperfect unit in the Temple of God. God is taking great care with each stone at this time so when the building comes together it will be perfect.

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: . . . . (Deuteronomy 32:4)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

The Temple of Solomon is a type of the corporate Temple of God. The stones were not shaped on site as they were being placed in the structure. Rather, they were prepared in advance before they were hauled to the building site. They had been formed so expertly that there was no sound of hammering while the Temple of Solomon was being erected. This extraordinary accomplishment was possible only because of the careful planning, skill, and effort that went into the stones prior to their being assembled into the Temple.

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. (I Kings 6:7)

Years of preparation preceded the construction of Solomon’s Temple. Before David died he gave to Solomon the plans for the Temple (I Chronicles 28:2-9), and precious metals and stones. Solomon, in his God-given wisdom, carried forward the work of preparation by contracting with Hiram, the King of Tyre, for cedar and fir lumber. In addition, Solomon obtained the stone blocks for the foundation of the Temple.

And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house. (I Kings 5:17,18)

So it is with the eternal Temple of God. God Almighty, the greatest King, is the designer and builder of it. Only eternity will reveal the amount of thought, time, and material that God has spent, is spending, and will yet spend on His holy dwelling place. It is a living temple; for the Temple of God is Christ—Head and Body.

There is no resource in the universe that will be withheld if its contribution is needed. In fact, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." His purpose is that we may be in the image of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and become one with Christ in God.

We, as individuals, must be fashioned into the image of Christ. If we are not in the image of Christ, God will not be able to find His rest in us (Psalms 68:18). All of the ministries of the Body of Christ work to the end that we may be created in the image of Christ and that Christ may be brought to fullness in us (Ephesians 4:7-13).

God will dwell only in Christ, and the more of Christ we have the more of God we will be able to receive. Each of us must allow God to finish, to perfect His work in us no matter how pleasant or unpleasant the process may become. Only as we become perfect in His sight will we be ready to be fitted into the corporate Temple of God that will rule all of God’s creation to the ages of ages (Revelation 22:5).

The Temple of God will be composed of each individual who has been made ready in advance by the Word of God, by the body and blood of Christ, and by the Holy Spirit. We must lay hold on the grace of God that has been freely given to us so God can fashion us into a perfect fit in the Temple.

In the mind of God there is an exact place in His temple for each of us, a position in the structure that each of us is to fill. God knows the exact place and what will be required of that part throughout eternity. God has foreknowledge and we have been predestined according to His foreknowledge (Romans 8:29).

It is possible for any of us to miss God’s plan for our life by not attending to the things of God as we should. But God will see to it that the construction of the Temple goes ahead on schedule. Someone else will take our place. Therefore, we behave wisely when we strive for God’s highest and best plan for our life.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:11,12)

It is clear, then, that since God will dwell only in Christ we must have Christ formed in us if we expect God to take up His abode in us. Having the promise of becoming an integral part of the eternal Temple of God (II Corinthians 6:16), we must "come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing" (II Corinthians 6:17). We must "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Corinthians 7:1).

If we continue laying hold on the Lord Jesus each day of our Christian life, and do not quit because of unbelief or because of some trial or temptation, we finally will be ready to be placed in our assigned location in the Temple of God. As we have stated, there is a certain place in the Temple of God reserved for each saint.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22)

The preceding passage from Ephesians reminds us of God’s declared intention to have an eternal dwelling place, as set forth in Exodus 25:8. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8)

The whole Body of Christ, the Temple of God, is built up by the gifts and ministries of all the Christian people.

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15,16)

Peter speaks of the living stones:

Ye also, as lively [living] stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (I Peter 2:5)

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