Nougat 23

Hello

How do we understand ‘church’ the building and ‘church’ the Body of Christ? And more critically, how do we treat the place where God resides? Hmmm. A fitting question in taking today’s Holy Nougat seriously.

“But he was speaking about the temple of his body.” John 2:21 LEB

A reasonable misunderstanding. Hardly anyone referenced the human body in that way prior. It was a spiritual paradigm shift. And, with many of us using ‘church’ as the term for temple these days … (remember that conversation about traditions and biblical) the reference might also have been lost on us.

But let’s imagine for a few. For the worshippers then the temple was accorded great respect and reverence. It wasn’t the Object of Worship, in fact it wasn’t the subject of Worship; but that it Housed the One worshipped meant that it was also set apart from common use – that is; it was a Holy place.

To ensure that persons were positioned to grasp the holiness of the temple, only the Best material was used in its construction. No inferior goods; no shoddy workmanship! And even that which was selected for use in and on the temple was Dedicated solely for the temple.

Anyone who worked on or in the temple had to undergo a ritual Cleansing. That included the tradespeople! There was an ENTIRE TRIBE responsible for Temple Maintenance. Only the Children of Levi and a few others (over the years). And within the tribe, each clan had specific duties. And for Entering the Most Holy Place, only the High Priest has access; for it was understood that he (now there are women priests/rabbis who serve in some temples) was going to meet with God there. In that Meeting Place, they communes and communicated about matters for an Entire Nation. Thus the Most Holy Space (the Holy of Holies) was physically decorated to remind the priest of the Tangible Presence of the Divine in the people’s midst. That included Cherubim (angels who guarded the Temple, not the ‘cute’ as a button valentine cards creatures), the Ark of the Covenant containing ‘manna’, the Law and the Budded Staff. Those were symbols of God’s Provision, God’s Expectation and Promises as well as God’s personal Selection/Anointing of the Aaronic line as High Priestly candidates.

Many Israelites were a little scared of the Temple. A few saw it as an economic venture. Almost ALL treated it with the holy respect it was due. I guess the reverence accorded was aligned to their hearts’ relationship with God.

When Jesus thus referenced his body (and by virtue thereof himself) as God’s Temple – when there was only One formal space of worship in the land (see John 4); it was outside of most persons’ comprehension. For he was suggesting that He, Jesus Christ, was Holy, Dedication for sacrifice, Ritually Clean, possesses the rank and symbols of the Holy of Holies within – thus the very Presence of the Most High God dwelled IN Him, Jesus Christ. And, since His Temple was a physical body; then Jesus was also saying that He was God’s special High Priest, the Embodiment AND Fulfillment of God’s Provision, God’s Covenant (Promises & Expectations) AS WELL AS saying that He, Jesus, was the Anointed One – that is Y’shua, the Messiah!

Perhaps we ought to revisit our approach to God. At the very least, we ought to revise our view of ourselves. For, while the Holy Spirit makes that connection in our Most Holy Place (our hearts); it means that when Our Bodies have been selected By God as the place where God dwells … we ought also be accorded the holiness ascribed to God’s material temple. (Please refer to the aforementioned details and to Leviticus/Deuteronomy for reminders as time and space does not permit a review once more.)

How do we treat with the Lord’s Holy Temple?

In Christ’s love and grace . . .