Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16
One of the most impressive structures of the ancient world was the magnificent temple – the Beit haMikdash – that Solomon had built in Jerusalem. Herod’s temple, built before and during the time of Christ, probably came little short of the original. This majestic structure was the focal point of all that was Jewish in religion and knowledge. Everything that the Jews did had something to do with the temple and all of the events and activities that occurred there. As a lad, the Lord Jesus made it a point to begin His Father’s business in the temple. He also purged the temple of moneychangers and livestock marketers, declaring the place to be His Father’s house. If we were to enter and examine the temple back in those days (we wouldn’t be allowed to, actually, being Gentiles), we would find three major divisions. First, was the outer court, where all Jewish people could enter and participate in the various activities and external religious services that were performed. Next was the Holy Place, accessible only to the priests, where they performed the various functions of their office, including those things associated with the offerings and incense, the shewbread, etc. Then there was the third place, separated from the others by an ornate and awesome veil, the Holy of Holies, into which only the High Priest could venture for a few moments once a year. All of these three parts of the temple have a counterpart in the temple that is the Christian.
Our text declares that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. That means He dwells in our outer court. Our outer court is that part of us that is visible to the world around us and to other Christians. The outer court is our testimony for Christ. The outer court is where we display a Christ-like attitude to those around us, where we display our love for lost souls, our care and interest in the Lord’s people, our honesty and fairness as God’s holy people. If we allow the Holy Spirit to be in charge of our outer court, our testimony will be honouring to our Lord.
Next, we find the Holy Place of the temple reflected in the spiritual aspects of our lives as Christians. In the Holy Place we have the gatherings of the Lord’s people, with the singing, the ministry, the prayers, and the fellowship. We also have the family altar, the teaching of the children, the study of the Word of God, and our prayers. In the Holy Place we grow into and display the maturity of a child of God.
The Holy of Holies, accessible so rarely in the Old Testament, is now available to the believer, because the veil has been removed. Into this secret and dread place, we venture, not with service as in the outer court and Holy Place, but with worship. Unknown and unavailable to the outside world, here we find our meditations on the character and person of our Lord, as well as our weekly remembrance of Himself. Here we appreciate our God and do Him homage and reverence.
The knowledge that the Spirit of God dwells in us places a high responsibility on us to be a temple that pleases Him. -Jim MacIntosh