17/01/2024
DATE : 14 JANUARY 2024
TEMPLE OF GOD
SCRIPTURE : 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
[16]Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
[17]If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Avoid Worldly Wisdom.
This is the first letter that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth reminding them of who they are, because as human beings we tend to forget easily. Sometimes God doesn't release what belong to us because we are quick to forget. Here Paul ask them "Don't you know you are the temple of God?".
WHAT EXACTLY IS A TEMPLE?
A temple is a Holy place that God dwell in or a palace of God. The first temple was introduced/builded in that time of Solomon's reign and built by him. Before Solomon build a temple God only had a tabernacle. A tabernacle is a tent which God used to dwell in, it was introduced in those times of Israelite coming out of Egypt. The Bible says that when David realizes that he is now settled in life, that when he decides that God will no longer dwell inside the tent(tabernacle), he now decides to build a permanent place where God will dwell in and it will be called a temple of God. And God said " because you David fought alot and you have alot of blood in your hands, you will not build it yourself but your son will build ".
Then it came a time where the Israelite were taken and turned into slaves, the temple of God was demolished. [Haggai 1:2
[2]The Lord Almighty said to Haggai, “These people say that this is not the right time to rebuild the Temple.”]
The Israelite continued living like nothing has happened as they say" the time to build a temple of God has not yet come". God was concerned even when though who benefits more from the temple were them and not Him. God is concerned about everything that has anything to do with the temple. When we neglect the temple of God that's when we suffer from things we were not supposed to suffer from.
So they were preaching without caring about the temple, eating without thinking of the temple , building without caring about the temple, that's when God decides that they will suffer continuously. We must always be concerned about the temple.
In the book of [Malachi 3:10
[10]Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there. Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things.] when God speaks about tithes , His concerned was that in the temple of God there must be food. Open your mind and be spiritual minded in order to understand how important is the temple of God before God. When He speaks about tithes it is because He is concerned about the temple, it is not about someone becoming rich with tithes that comes in the church but it is because God is concerned about the Temple. Keep in mind that the temple is the Pillar of truth in the community.
As times goes God said that He no longer desire to dwell in the temple build by a human being. So God progressed from tabernacle to the temple build by brick and He is still concerned as He no longer desires to dwell in the temple build by a human being.
[John 2:19
[19]Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will build it again.”]. In the above verse Jesus was not talking about the temple built of bricks and mortar as the Jewish were thinking, He was talking about His physical body. This shows the body became a temple of God , that's why Paul asked them and said" Don't you know that you are the temple of God ". God now no longer dwell in the temple builded by human hands but the one builded by Him Himself which is human body. Now God dwell within us. But that hasn't changed the way He was concerned about the temple.
God's not happy with someone who neglect the temple of God. Those who neglect the Temple keep suffering as they're neglecting God's temple.
Remember that the Temple is our bodies. Yes it is our own body but the phrase of "I do what I want because it's my own body " doesn't work, because WHEN GOD LOOK AT YOUR BODY ,HE SEES A DWELLING PLACE(TEMPLE)
CONCLUSION
1 Corinthians 3:17
[17]So if anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple]. No matter how you justify it, as long as you still living the shameful life claiming you have right over your body. God will always be concerned and He will destroy that person. Whatever evil activities you do in the name of it is my own body you should know you're starting a war against God Himself. If you want to please God, if you want to be uplifted by Him, respect the temple of God which is your body.
Let us live a life of pleasing God and keep His temple clean .
I know that as the year begins we have a lot of desires, some we want our business to grow, some we are looking for jobs,some we're looking for admission in tertiary institutions , but in the process let us not neglect building the temple of God. When God's pleased He will surely bless us. We can even build it by prayer, fasting , reading the word, showing love to one another and persevering. God will give you healthy life because He will be happy.
Shalom
