“For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15 NKJV
Reflection: why is the earth filled with large, impressive cathedrals and church buildings for the Lord?
One of the first congregations we attended in Boise met on Sunday mornings in their school’s gym. I remember thinking when we first started going there that this facility, a gym where they had basketball games on Saturday, converted to a church service on Sunday, in a way didn’t seem worthy of a place to worship the Lord. I had grown up “in the church”, with buildings that were dedicated only to church functions. I had also had the privilege to travel to cities like Rome, London, Paris, and Barcelona, seeing some of the most spectacular cathedrals in the world. So the contrast of our humble school gym with stackable chairs, and the impressive cathedrals, was pretty extreme in my mind. But, does it matter to God? Is He more impressed by one or the other?
The idea of building a structure, a dwelling place for the Lord, goes way back to the Old Testament, where Moses and the Israelites were instructed by God, to “….let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8 NKJV. The temple served not only as a place where the Spirit of the Lord resided, but a place with an altar to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, to worship the Lord. This was initially a temporary structure, a tent really, as they were moving around in the desert. Later, the Lord instructed them to build a permanent structure, a temple to the Lord, on His holy mountain in Jerusalem. The first permanent temple was completed by king Solomon around 1000 BC, but destroyed around 586 BC, part of the Babylonian siege. The second temple was built about 70 years later, upon the return of (some of) the Israelites to the land, ordered by Cyrus (the Persian king). It took them about 40 years to build the second temple. And it was this second temple that existed at the time of Jesus.
It was about this temple Jesus spoke, and we read the following exchange, “Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”” Luke 21:5-6 NKJV. This temple was destroyed in around 70AD. So, does the temple have a function any longer? There is a parallel here, of our bodies being temples for the Holy Spirit, that Jesus talked about. “Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.” John 2:19-21 NKJV. Now, we know what happened when Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself, establishing a new covenant in His blood, there is no more sacrifice or bloodshed needed. Therefore no more alter needed. The veil was torn, making Jesus the access, the way to the Father. Through His perfect sacrifice, the Father is well pleased. And, He has given His Spirit to dwell in us, not in a structure of a temple or cathedral.
We are the temples of His Spirit.
We finally get to the focus verses today, where we see that this was His plan all along. He desires to live in us and among us, among His people. But we also learn of His heart here, where He says “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,” Isaiah 57:15b NKJV. He says those who are broken, empty in themselves, He can be with. That is the temple He desires to fill with His Spirit “To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15 NKJV. This aligns very well with what Jesus spoke about in the beatitudes, ““Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” Matthew 5:3-8 NKJV. Jesus spoke these truths not in a church building, but out in the open, to the hearts of men.
There are many who still want to build large, impressive church buildings, cathedrals, and even temples, asking for money to do so. But we have to wonder why, what their motivation truly is? Clearly, as a practical matter, we need places to meet together, whether it is in the open air, in a school gym, or in some other building. But we have to remember that “church”, the temple of the Lord, is His people, not any building made by man.
