Solomon was greatly blessed to
be chosen to build the earthly temple, even though David was
denied that privilege. We understand that such an earthly
temple was intended by the Lord to be temporary, and its destruction
was ordained before the first stone was ever laid. Though it
took Solomon seven years to build that temple, its valuable contents
were pillaged by Nebuchadnezzar about 350 years later, and its
riches taken by him to Babylon in less than a year. There are
lessons to be learned from the construction and glory of this
temple, even as there are lessons to be learned from its utter
destruction. The one true and living God does
not need any temples or edifices of religion fashioned by the
hands of men, since He alone is the one who is eternal and
the author of all that is made. He inhabits eternity and cannot
in any wise be made the servant of men. The gods of man's imagination
have many needs, not the least of which is a place to reside.
The men of this world seek to build great temples and edifices
for those gods which they choose, even the supposed god which bows
before the free will of men, hoping that some folks will worship
him and let him bless them. The god of this age resides in
religious Babylon and goes by many names and has followers
and prophets of many stripes. He is a God who constantly stands
in need of man's money, time, talents, and service. Many are
those who are constantly about the business of enlisting men
to come to His aid in one fashion or another. They sometimes tell
us that He has no hands but ours and no feet but ours either.
Such a God is only fit for a wheelchair or the place of an impotent invalid.
This is not the God who inhabiteth eternity and rules the heavens
and the earth. It is impossible that men could
in any wise aid him who needs no assistance or assist him who
needs no aid. Solomon's temple was not built
to satisfy the needs of God, but rather the Lord condescended
to allow Solomon to build it so that he might demonstrate
the true nature of his kingdom and the glory of his own habitation. Therefore, it was necessary that
it be temporary, that men might be assured that he is not affected
by the things which men do, however marvelous they may appear in
the eyes of men. This grandiose edifice was returned
to the dust from which it was made, even as the flesh of all
men shall be brought to the same. The sons of God confess that
they have here no continuing city. but that they seek a kingdom
which is from above, a temple not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens. This is a kingdom of grace, wherein
the right to dwell in it must be bestowed upon every inhabitant
that is unable to enter therein. For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. This is a kingdom of faith, Faith
is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Faith
is the currency of this kingdom, and none shall enter into it
without it. This is a kingdom of love, for
it is by the manifestation of this love that this temple, not
made with hands, is constructed of lively stones, those whose
redemption is purchased by the blood of the Lamb without spot
or blemish. For while he inhabits eternity,
he is also pleased to dwell with those of a contrite and humble
spirit. No greater love has been or could
be demonstrated than that of Christ. He, having loved his
people from before the foundation of the world, did bleed and die
in the plain sight of men, pouring out his very life that they,
as sinners, might be justified by the same law which would have
condemned them otherwise. This is a kingdom of good works,
for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of
his good pleasure. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good. He is our Performer and our King. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthefour at windstream.net.