Unlimited: Jesus is the True Temple
Mar 3, 2020 1523
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1; NASB).
Sometimes, the building in which Christians meet is called their “church,” the “house of the Lord,” the “sanctuary,” or even the “temple.”
The Old Testament is full of expressions that point to how good it is to be in the “house of the Lord.” However, this expression only ever refers to the Jewish temple in the city of Jerusalem. This, and everything associated with it, are called “shadows of things to come” (Colossians 2:17.)
One of the very first things that Jesus did in his earthly ministry was to stand right in the middle of the Jewish temple and announce that he himself was the true temple (John 2). The temple only ever pointed to him. Every temple concept in the Bible, whether on earth or in heaven, always ultimately points to Jesus and his ministry.
Jesus announces that salvation, safety, and blessings are found only in him, in whom the fullness of the glory of God dwells (Colossians 1:19). Jesus is himself now the true “house of the Lord,” and through Jesus, his people can be God’s house as well (1 Corinthians 3:16).
The Bible tells us that one day soon there will be no more temple – not in heaven, and certainly not on earth – because the Lamb of God is revealed as the True Temple. (Revelation 21:22).
– Eliezer Gonzalez
Eli’s Reflection: Spend some time meditating and praying about the reality and meaning of Jesus as the truest temple for you. What does the Lord reveal to you about the blessings that will come from this New Testament teaching?
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