2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13 ESV, John 11:55-12:19 ESV, Psalm 118:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 15:24-26 ESV
Daily Verse: “They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” (John 11:56 ESV)
HIERON (2411): “The neuter of the adjective hieros, “sacred,” is used as a noun denoting “a sacred place, a temple.” The Temple mentioned in the Gospels, and Acts was begun by Herod in 20 B.C. and destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.”[i]
Scared place.
To participate in the feast at God’s temple, people had to undergo a ceremonial cleansing, which took seven days. Waiting at the Holy Temple, the Jews couldn’t imagine Jesus wouldn’t show up. Because of the increasing hostility from the Jewish people, Jesus withdrew from Jerusalem. Six days before Passover, Jesus goes to Bethany to visit Lazarus instead of heading to the Temple for His ceremonial cleansing.
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV)
Since Jesus’ death and resurrection, the location of the Temple changed. When we place our faith in Jesus, His Spirit takes up residence inside of us, making our bodies God’s temple. As divine creations, adopted into God’s family through faith, you see God’s sacred place in the reflection when you look in the mirror.
Living temples.
Christ-followers live with God’s Spirit inside of them. Everywhere we go, Jesus goes with us. No longer do we have to endure ceremonial cleansings to enter the temple. But we must keep a soft heart to Jesus’ voice, especially when we don’t have answers to all our questions.
The Jews didn’t understand Jesus, and they became mad at Him. Their anger kept Jesus away from the temple. Our anger and frustration can separate us from God. Christ doesn’t leave us, but we metaphorically leave Him, angry because Jesus doesn’t do what we want.
Submission to Christ means accepting His will for our lives. Jesus’s plan often differs from ours. As living temples, the sacrifice of our desires to align our hearts with God shines His light to the world.
Honor God’s temple today, knowing His Spirit resides in you. Let God’s light shine brightly in your life as you embrace His grace and mercy.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 120) Thomas Nelson
