God’s Story Is Our Story: From Genesis To Jesusনমুনা

Reflecting on the last week: It is tempting to think of the Temple as a special place for Israel (and Israel alone) to enter into God’s presence and enjoy God’s blessings. Solomon’s prayer of dedication makes it clear that this is not the case (1 Ki. 8:41-43). God’s special presence in the Temple would certainly bring blessings to Israel, but not for Israel’s sake. Solomon’s hope was that as the nations witnessed life flourishing in Israel, they would recognize the reality of Israel’s God. Ultimately, the Temple was a picture of God’s intention for the whole earth. One day, God planned to fill all creation with the same glory that filled his Temple (1 Ki. 8:11; Ps. 72:19; Is. 24:14-16), because no manmade Temple could possibly hope to house so great a God (1 Ki. 8:27). This is why the prophets foretell a day when every nation on earth would join the Israelites at their Temple to worship (Is. 11:9; Hab. 2:14; Zeph. 3:9-11). Thus, Israel’s Temple was a staging ground for God’s cosmic restoration project. It was the place where Israel worshipped (through sacrifice and song) and God shaped their lives together—all for the sake of the watching nations (imagine singing Psalms 67:1-2 and 148 there). 950 years later, Jesus called himself God’s temple (Jn. 2:19-22). The apostles pressed the picture further, calling the people of Jesus, the church, his temple (Eph. 2:11-22). We should therefore not be surprised that we are called to the same purpose as Israel’s Temple: sharing the knowledge of God to an ethnically diverse people (Eph. 2:11-22), exemplifying God’s holiness winsomely (1 Cor. 6:19), and brokering reconciliation between God and all creation (2 Cor. 5:17-19). Through our faithfulness, and ultimately through Christ’s return, God will bring about the Temple’s great mission: the healing of all the nations and all creation (Rev. 22:2).