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Day 79: Mobile Temples, Living Stones 2 (SoS 1:17)

“The beams of our houses are cedar, And our rafters of fir.”
Song of Songs 1:17

In the previous lesson, we said Jesus was the first mobile temple of God and we in turn now as His ambassadors on earth are temples of God.

When we read about the building of the temple from 1 Kings 5-7, we'll see that the temple was not built with cypress and cedar alone. The temple was built with costly stones hewn to size at a quarry. Its foundation, floor, and walls were made with stones.

When we read through the New Testament, especially the epistles, there are many references to rock and stone mentioned to symbolize the church as the temple of God's Spirit.

  • According to Matthew 16:16-18 Jesus Himself is the rock upon which the church is built. This refers to Christ as the building location not the material for the building. The church and every individual Christian are built on Christ.
  • 1 Peter 2:4-5 says Jesus was the first living stone (the first mobile temple) and now we also are being built up into a spiritual house.
  • Ephesians 2:19-22 says Jesus is the cornerstone. The cornerstone is the most important stone in a building. Every other stone in the building takes its reference from the cornerstone: it determines where every other stone is laid.
  • Ephesians 2:19-22 also says the Apostles are the foundation stones on which we all (the rest of the body) are laid. Now, this differs from Matthew 16. This refers to the first set of stones laid after the ground for the building has been dug deep, and the cornerstone laid. We are being built on the foundation of the Apostles.
So, Jesus is the location and cornerstone: the rock the church is founded upon and the first and most important stone. The early Apostles are the foundation stones: they pioneered the church. We believers are the building stones with which God continues to build His sanctuary.

We are not mere stones however, just like Solomon's temple was built with costly stones, each one of us is of great price and value before God. We are each worth Jesus and His shed blood.

According to 1 Peter 2:5, we are living stones built up, cut to size, and shaped to fit into God's sanctuary. The stone represents the inner man seen by God alone. The inner man He continuously works on and refines.

Furthermore, 1 Kings 6:14-18 mentioned that the interior of the temple after construction with expensive stones was floored with cypress and the walls paneled with cedar.

As stated in the previous lesson, Bible scholars say the wood in the temple represents humanity as gold represents divinity.  For Jesus, cypress represents his death, and cedar His nobility and greatness as shown in His deeds, acts and body uncorrupted by sin, so also it is with us.

Paul said in Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

As the temple was floored with cypress, according to Galatians 5:24, we show our identification with Christ's crucifixion by putting to death the desires and lusts of our flesh. As Christ died for us, we must die daily for Him. 

As cedars were panels for the walls of the temple, we must live above the standards of the world. We must be consecrated to God alone. As cedars are stately, tall, and not easily corrupted, we must as Paul said in I Thessalonians 4:4 possess our bodies in sanctification and honor. We must flee from whatever seeks to corrupt the temple of God. We must glorify God in our bodies: by our speech and actions.

Putting both together in simple terms I'll say: death to self is the ground for consecration and godly character. 

As our text states cedar and cypress are the beams and rafters of our houses (God's house), our death to self and consecration are the strong supports for God's sanctuary. 

In conclusion, our lives as mobile temples of God are only as strong and beautiful as our commitment to dying daily and living as vessels of honor free of corruption.

PRAY WITH ME:
Father God, thank you again for the privilege and honor to be your temple. Help me Holy Spirit, to daily put to death the lusts of the flesh that I may be sanctified a vessel of honor. Amen.

REFLECT & ACT:
  • What does it mean to you to die to yourself and for Christ daily?
  • Read Paul's words in 1Thessalonians 4:3-8, 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20 and 2 Timothy 2:20-26. 
  • From these scriptures, pick out principles of living as a sanctified vessel.

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