The Old Testament and the New Covenant Part 23
“Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, ‘Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting’ “ (II Chronicles 7:1-3).
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16).
“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one” (John 17:22).
On the day that Solomon dedicated the newly constructed temple, the glory of the Lord came with power and filled the temple with His presence. Fast forward 1000 years. On the day of Pentecost, following Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit came with power and filled God’s new temple, His believers.
In the Old Testament, God dwelt in holy places; the holy land, the holy city, the holy temple, the Holy of Holies in the temple. God dwelt in holy places.
Under the new covenant, God continues to dwell in holy places. But they are no longer geographic locations. They are holy people; you and me, children of God. You are now God’s temple. If you have studied the New Testament, you are aware of this picture that we are now God’s temple.
But did you know that God is still filling His temple with His glory? The dedication by Solomon of God’s earthly temple was accompanied by an incredible display of God’s glory. And as God’s temple today, you are an incredible display of God’s glory. Jesus said it, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22).
It is a false humility to call yourself anything less than glorious. To do so is to make Jesus a liar. You are glorious based on the promise of Jesus. Believe it. You and I, by the declaration of Jesus, are glorious. And there is no room for pride in that statement; only gratitude.
The glory of Jesus, now present in you, was present in His holy temple, because Jesus was there from the beginning!