The Promise of the Restoration of Worship (Part II)
True Worship Connected to the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
When Solomon dedicated the Temple as recorded in 1 Kings Chapter 8, he prayed. It is clear that Solomon regarded the temple or desired the temple to be a locus of prayer as he enumerated all the reasons that the Israelites might wish to approach God there (more on that later). But in the initial part of the prayer acknowledging God's hand in the construction of the temple, Solomon makes a very important statement in that prayer [vs 27] ...
The Prayer of Dedication
22 Then (30) Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and (31) spread out his hands toward heaven.
23 He said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, (32) there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, (33) keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart,
24 who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You have promised him; indeed, You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day.
25 "Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, '(34) You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked.'
26 "Now therefore, O God of Israel, let Your word, I pray, be confirmed (35) which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, (36) heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!
28 "Yet have regard to the (37) prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; .........
The temple was a special place. God placed His great Name there. He honored the dedication of the Temple with His Presence, but even Solomon recognized that the Creator of EVERYTHING -- would not literally find repose or a "dwelling place" there.
A similar statement was also made by Isaiah the prophet in
Chap 66:1-2
Isaiah 66
Heaven Is God's Throne
1 Thus says the LORD,
"(1) Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where then is a (2) house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
2
"For (3) My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD.
"But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and (4) contrite of spirit, and who (5) trembles at My word.
Before Stephen was martyered, he spoke to the Jewish leaders (Acts chapter 7). His is one of the most eloquent and succinct recaps of the history of the Jewish people leading up to the appearance of Jesus Christ.
He is heard, until he brings up the pt mentioned above -- quoting Isaiah 66:
46 "(66) David found favor in God's sight, and (67) asked that he might find a dwelling place for the [2] God of Jacob.
47 "But it was (68) Solomon who built a house for Him.
48 "However, (69) the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
49
'(70) HEAVEN IS MY THRONE,
AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET;
WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord,
'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE?
50
'(71) WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'
51 "You men who are (72) stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.
52 "(73) Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of (74) the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers (75) you have now become;
53 you who received the law as (76) ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it."
Stephen is absolutely clear here: The implication is that the culmination of things in Jesus Christ was to make men a dwelling place of God's Spirit -- this was exactly the purpose that the Jews met together with the council rejected that day as they "resisted the Holy Spirit." They thought they -- being in the lineage of Abraham, having the prophets, ascribing importance to the physical place where they worshipped God -- that they HAD God. Stephen said that they did not because they hadn't received Christ and could not receive God's spirit.
gregor -- from the same passage 1 Peter 2 you alluded to -- royal priesthood -- backing up a few verses to verses 4 and 5
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been (8) rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 (9) you also, as living stones, are being built up as a (10) spiritual house for a holy (11) priesthood, to (12) offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The new temple -- the temple of His Body is forever. |
