Real Hope: The TempleSýnishorn

God’s Presence

The temple in the Bible is something that now seems so foreign to us. We can’t imagine its size, grandeur, and significance to a people who had been wandering in the wilderness for decades. The book of Leviticus is all about God making His presence possible for Israel. Though they rebel and repeatedly disobey God, He makes a way for them to be with Him in the temple. But if you read the whole of Leviticus you see that there are strict laws for how and when and who can approach God because He is a holy God. They were given a way to be in God’s presence and enjoy a relationship with Him again, but it came at a cost.

The same is true for us. We are given a way to be in a relationship with God and to enjoy His presence, but it has come at a great cost. I’m not speaking of the price of the building we gather in, but the cost of where God dwells now—in us! He walks with us. He is our God and we are His people, but He no longer requires us to enter a tent after offering sacrifices and performing cleansing rituals. God dwells within all of us by His Holy Spirit, through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Israel needed to travel to the temple, but we need only to sit. Israel needed to offer sacrifices to be acceptable, but our sacrifice has been made once and for all. God’s presence was found in a building, but it is now in us. We have the great privilege of being the temple of God and, as we gather together, to share in this great gift. However, it is no less true when we are on our own. 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) says, ‘Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?’ Praise God that He does.

Written by KATIE SMITH