Are You Still Building His Temple?

 

Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?

Haggai 1:4

 

What the Bible Says

God has always desired to live among us, not separate. From the Ark of the Covenant to His plan of redemption through Jesus, God has always been clear – If we will build and maintain His dwelling place, He will inhabit it. In 2 Corinthians (6:16), the apostle Paul reminds us that God has said, “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” He wants to be present with us so that He can lead us and protect us from harm, which is why maintaining His temple has always been of the utmost importance.

The destruction of Solomon’s Temple was not detrimental because the building itself was damaged, but because God’s dwelling place was lost. In the preincarnate Jesus era, this meant that the people were exiled from His presence, and it’s precisely why rebuilding the temple was to be the priority when the exiles returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. Unfortunately, as we know from Old Testament history, God’s people were slow to rebuild the temple. At times, the delay was due to opposition from groups who did not support the return or rebuilding. At others, the delay was due to their own complacency – they simply forgot that they needed Him. In all, from the time the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem, it took forty-six years to fully rebuild God’s physical residence on earth.

 

What Does This Mean For Me?

As Christians, we live our lives by New Testament grace rather than Old Testament law (Romans 6:14). We understand that our salvation comes through Christ alone, and there is one atonement for sin. As such, we relegate our need for understanding the Old Testament to alignment of prophecy within the New. Our minds are so content with one connection, that we forget that we can ask God to reveal more. We forget that we are still part of a chosen people that have repeatedly, continually been called to build and rebuild His house, and it’s imperative that we understand what that means in our New Testament life.

When the Jewish people became complacent in rebuilding the temple, the Lord asked, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4).  We can certainly interpret this verse as the physical church building. However, 1Corinthians (6:19) tells us that now our bodies are God’s temple, which means that the application is much more than brick and mortar. In today’s life, this verse is asking why we sit idly in our own comfort while the enemy destroys His people, His living temples.  

John 10:10 says, “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”  The devil’s only purpose is to tear down God’s dwelling place. When we refuse to pray for others, don’t attempt to live peacefully, and refuse to care for those in need, we become complicit in that destruction. Protecting God’s temple is more than fellowship dinners at your home church and bringing meals to those you already love. It’s reaching out to the surrounding community with the understanding that we are all called to be God’s dwelling place.

Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). The children of God have repeatedly been called to show their love for Him by building His temple, and New Testament grace doesn’t exempt us from maintaining His dwelling place. If anything, our personal responsibility has become greater.

Scripture tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That we are not our own (1Corinthians 6:19). We often use this verse to explain how and why we should take care of our own bodies. We use it to explain why habits such as eating well and exercise matter – If your body belongs to God, keep it healthy. Although there’s no argument against taking care of your physical health for the glorification of the Lord, that argument alone misses a greater call to obedience. We care for the internal workings of our body so that the external parts, our hands and feet, can do the work that God has called us to do.

Obedience to welcome strangers and care for those in need (Matthew 25:35) is required of all of us. We are all called to be good stewards of what He’s given us (1 Peter 4:10), regardless of how little it might seem. In the Old Testament, people brought precious resources to build God’s temple, and our New Testament life is no different. Importantly, our resources are more than money. We all have giftings and callings. We all have time - albeit some seasons allow for more freedom than others. We all have the gift of the Holy Spirit who will show us who needs what He’s placed within us.

 

Conclusion

Are you walking in obedience to use what He’s given you to protect the living temples that the enemy seeks to destroy? Are you waiting on your church’s call to action, or are you waiting on God’s? Are you willing to actively build and protect His temple, or are you complacent because your own home is in order? Have you chosen to be a good steward of His grace?