480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in Egypt, Solomon began the construction of the temple. This was probably the greatest achievement during his reign. This process entailed 153,000 workers, 8,000 quarriers, 70,000 loadbearers and 3,300 overseers, spanning 7 years! Quite an endeavor!
After Solomon completed the temple, he gathered all Israel, along with the priests, Levites and leaders to bring the ark of the covenant to the Lord’s house. (I Kings 8:1-9) On that day God displayed His glory among His people. I can only imagine what it would have been like to witness this spectacular display of God’s glory. Normally, God dwelled in the thick darkness (8:12), in a place where no one could see Him. But now, God had come down to be with His people in the place built for His Name and presence. God was so near and real that day that even the priests had to stop what they were doing.
On that day, Israel received the blessing of God Himself. This is the greatest blessing that God can give to His people---His presence. In fact, we see all through the Bible that God’s intention has always been to dwell among His people.
We can imagine how the Israelites must have felt and the emotions that were involved in seeing God’s glory fill the temple. The sight of the finished temple would not only have drawn their attention and affections towards God, but seeing God’s indwelling would have added to that experience resulting in genuine worship.
Fast forward to today, 2019. The same should be true of Christians today as well. As Christians, we are now the temple of God on earth. God indwells us and fills us as His missional people. God calls us and chose us for the purpose of representing Him on the earth. No matter the place, be it in prayer on the bedroom floor or sitting in the pew at church listening to a sermon, we should expect and anticipate God’s presence and glory to manifest in our lives. I think it is amazing to imagine that very majesty indwelling in me! Humbling to say the least!
2 Corinthians 6:16 “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”