Tues.’s Devo - The Glorious Temple

Read: 2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23 Solomon had the bronze altar made which is a picture of the cross. All of the sacrifices would be done on it. The Sea was a huge bowl set on 270 oxen where the priests would wash their hands. This was the picture of sanctification from our sins and baptism. He made 10 other bowls for washing the utensil used in the sacrifices. Then he had 10 gold lamp stands (menorahs) made and placed 5 of them at the south entrance and 5 at the north to illuminate the room. They stand for the 7 spirits of God (Isaiah 11:2) which guide our spiritual man. Ten tables were placed: 5 along the south wall and 5 along the north wall. On these the shewbread would be placed for the daily bread - the Word of God. One hundred basins were made for the people to wash their hands and be cleansed. Everything was made of or overlaid with pure gold to represent the glory of God. The Temple was dedicated on the Feast of Tabernacles. It was a foretaste of when God will set up his Temple on earth and reign on the earth in the New Earth. On that day, Solomon gathered the entire community of Israel and they sacrificed so many sacrifices they couldn’t count them. God’s covenant was brought into the inner sanctuary and placed in the Most Holy Place in the Ark. That will be when Jesus, the Word of God is placed upon his throne to reign. The priests and musicians all dressed in fine linen robes sang, played their instruments and led the people in praise and worship to God. God responded with his presence in a thick cloud that filled the Temple. It was so glorious that the priests couldn’t continue. Solomon blessed the Lord and the people. It was a glorious and powerful day! In Romans, Paul explains that we are first married to the law, God’s Covenant to Moses which points out our sin. We have to let that die to be remarried to grace - the New Covenant. It is the power over sin. The New Covenant is God’s laws written on our hearts and the power to obey them out of our hearts and not out of our will-power. Grace is the power to live righteously and it ends in life. Lord, may your temple inside us glorify your name.