What
does the temple matter to you? Does God now live in the temple?
Where is the temple now? Have you asked these questions? Can you
answer these questions? Maybe yes? Maybe No? Let's investigate and
go on a discovery trail for the golden nuggets of God.
The
first habitation that God had on earth was a tent that Moses had
built by the children of Israel. The tent was designed by
a pattern that God gave unto Moses, a sort of blueprint to go by.
When
God's power came down on the tent it was physically visible and
he resided in the Midst of the people and they did not move from
the spot until God moved. Exodus 40:34-38 Then a cloud covered
the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the
tabernacle. {35} And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of
the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory
of the LORD filled the tabernacle. {36} And when the cloud was taken
up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward
in all their journeys: {37} But if the cloud were not taken up,
then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. {38}
For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire
was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout
all their journeys.
In
this temple the Priest had to be physically clean even the body
had to be shaved. If all the rules were not obeyed as to the service
in Holy of Holies then the one who went in would die. They tied
a rope around the waist of the person going in and he had bells
upon the hem of his robe. If the sound of the bells stopped, the
rope was pulled to pull him out for God had killed him for being
unclean.
We
are the instruments that God is using in this day and time in the
same way as He has used prophets back through time and He has used
natural forces that were at the disposal of His chosen ones to mete
out judgment and He is not changed in His purposes and since we
must look to the past to see our future we are the ones chosen to
speak, and pray, and intercede, on behalf of our fellow saints and
to bring about what has been prophesied to happen in our day and
time.
It
is not an accident that you have been placed here and the power
of life and death is in your hands literally. If you allow God to
lead and direct your prayer life then there is a purpose for your
existence and a powerful enemy to Satan.
If
you have no knowledge of the power that exists inside of you, then
you will not let it out to do its work.
How
do we find God's habitation today? By being led by the spirit. Exodus
15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou
hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy
habitation.
We
are born with a missing ingredient. A part of our soul that is not
complete until God has moved in and filled us up. This is a yearning
for usually an unnamed something that others can tell you about
but it takes God to reveal this into you. You alone will have this
moment of truth in your own life at your own time and another can't
hurry this for the timing is in God. You will know beyond a shadow
of a doubt when you become complete and as one with God. When this
is done, He is the master of your life and you have become the bride
of Christ.
This
name "bride" is symbolic of this union or marriage of
the Lamb. Although He is returned as a reigning King or Lion or
the Great Judge of mankind. Did you know that as children of God
you face no judgment for you have been forgiven of your sins and
therefore your past will never be raised up to you again. Therefore
the wrath of God does not pertain to you. Deuteronomy 12:5 But
unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your
tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye
seek, and thither thou shalt come:
David
loved his close relationship with God and before God he was laid
bare and the beauty of his soul shown forth as a light unto us who
would come after. Psalms 26:8 LORD, I have loved the habitation
of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
How
does God change and prepare his habitation within man? Psalms 89:14
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy
and truth shall go before thy face. When God inhabits the temple
your outlook on life and the people around you changes, because
you judge from the spirit and not from the flesh and mercy and truth
go before you in other words, before you walk there, the way is
prepared for you to have favor in what he's sent you to do.
Proverbs
3:33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but
he blesseth the habitation of the just. The curse of the Lord
is upon the wicked but see your blessings.
Isaiah
32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and
in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; The quiet and
peace is within your spirit
Isaiah
33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes
shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall
not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed,
neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. This points
to Zion or Holy Jerusalem as will not be taken down, or the stakes
removed or any cords broken. This is an everlasting city where God
dwells.
Jesus
ushered in the age of the Spirit. Until He came and fulfilled all
the prophecies we were in the age of the prophets and the patriarchs
and we were born into the spirit.
Zechariah
6:12-13 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of
hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall
grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
{13} Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear
the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall
be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between
them both. This bears out that the builder of the temple is
Jesus for He is the branch and Jesus confirms this.
Malachi
3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the
way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to
his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight
in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. The Lord,
whom ye seek, shall come suddenly to His temple of which you are.
Mark
14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made
with hands, and within three days I will build another made without
hands. This temple was made back in three days without hands,
meaning by the Spirit of God.
Mark
15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top
to the bottom. The veil of the temple was rent. Are we not covered
by a veil to keep us from seeing in the spirit.
John
2:19-22 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it up. {20} Then said the Jews, Forty
and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it
up in three days? {21} But he spake of the temple of his body. {22}
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered
that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture,
and the word which Jesus had said. This explains that He is
talking about the body being a temple.
1
Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? {17} If any man defile
the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God
is holy, which temple ye are. We are now a temple and have been
ever since the Holy Spirit baptized us with His presence. We have
been so baptized since the day of Pentecost.
1
Corinthians 9:13 Do ye not know that they which minister about
holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait
at the altar are partakers with the altar? We are fed by the
spirit and sharers at the altar of salvation.
2
Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. If God walks around in us, we are
not letting Him rise up and bless His temple.
Ephesians
2:21-22 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord: {22} In whom ye also are builded
together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Temple
and habitation are one and the same.
All
of Revelation is in symbols and it tells you that at the beginning
of it. It is not something to be afraid of because it is telling
you that you are blessed and none of these bad things are coming
on you but, because of your obedience, judgment will pour out upon
the world. Do not worry about what comes out of your mouth when
God speaks from the temple but worry more about what does not come
out of your mouth when you do not obey His directive.
Revelation
11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was
seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings,
and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation
14:14-18 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the
cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden
crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. {15} And another angel came
out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the
cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for
thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. {16} And he
that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the
earth was reaped. {17} And another angel came out of the temple
which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. {18} And another
angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried
with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust
in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the
earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Revelation
15:5-6 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the
tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: {6} And the seven
angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed
in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden
girdles.
Revelation
16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the
seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath
of God upon the earth.
Revelation
16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air;
and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
throne, saying, It is done.
Revelation
21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty
and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation
3:12 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. The knowledge of God, the knowing
Him personally is written in our foreheads (uppermost in our minds)
Revelation 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on
the throne shall dwell among them. God shall dwell among them.
As
you go on into God there will be no temple, only God Almighty and
the Lamb are the temple of it. Now if we are inhabited by God the
Creator of the universe, why are we not letting Him out? Why are
we not seeing miracles? Because we are not letting Him go. Let Him
out and quit boxing Him in. Unleash the power and hold on for the
ride.
