Weekly passages: Exodus 38:21-40:38; 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; Hebrews 1:1-14.

This week's passages tell of two very special events in Israel's history: the finishing of the Tabernacle in the desert (under Moses' leadership) and the completion of the Temple in Jerusalem (under Solomon's).

Both passages give detailed accounts of the materials, procedures and skilled work that went into the building of God's holy sanctuary. Enormous effort was put into carrying out the Lord's instructions to the letter, making sure that everything was in exact accordance with his divine specification. A sense of community also shines through; each building project was the result of the labour, talents, skills and co-operation of a multitude of people - some named and some anonymous, but each with a specific role to play - from contributing precious metals to weaving linen, from crafting the priestly garments to fashioning the altar and its sacred furnishings.

At the very end of both of these accounts, something remarkable happens. As the humans stand back to admire their handiwork, so the Lord of Glory descends and fills His new dwelling-place with the thick cloud of His holy Presence. In Exodus, the majesty and splendour of the Lord was such that even Moses could not draw near. Similarly, in 1 Kings we are told that the priests were unable to carry out their priestly duties because of the strength of the Lord's glory.

Suddenly, the buildings fashioned by human hands became sacred: a tent became the Tabernacle, a building became the Temple.

We Are God's Temple

Everyone who believes in Christ as Lord and Saviour is given the incredible privilege of becoming a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16) – and you can be sure that God puts a great deal of effort into building and crafting each one of us, exactly according to His divine specifications. Ephesians 2:10 says that the new lives we are given in Christ are examples of God's own handiwork (other translations use the term 'workmanship').

Just as the Israelites contributed materials and skills to the building of God's earthly house, however, so we also get to be involved in this temple-building project. Scripture encourages us to adorn our lives with all goodness and holiness and, as God's dwelling-place, to not defile ourselves with sin (e.g. 2 Cor 6:16). Peter says "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love" (2 Pet 1:5-7), that we might "participate in the divine nature" and be productive in our walks with Christ.

But importantly, these Old Testament accounts tell us that all our efforts to invest in our own holiness remain nothing if they are not filled with the presence and power of the Lord. We may clothe ourselves with compassion and furnish our day-to-day lives with good deeds that are crafted lovingly, skilfully, cost-fully and obediently – but in and of themselves, they do not make us holy. They have no power. For no tent, no matter how beautifully decorated, is holy without the presence of God.

Humility Vital

Does that mean that good deeds and right living are not worth pursuing? Does God not care about our meagre attempts to please Him? Absolutely not! He does care, and we should pursue these things to the very letter of Scripture - out of obedience to and love for the One who commands us.

But we should never lose sight of the fact that without the presence of God, without His enabling and life-giving Holy Spirit, all of our efforts are ultimately just outward expressions. They cannot be an inward reality without Divine intervention. Unless the Lord fills our 'jars of clay' with His treasure, we remain empty vessels (2 Cor 4:7); the noise we make is merely that of "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Cor 13:1).

This should keep us very humble, knowing that day by day we must walk in complete dependence on the Lord if our faith is to bear any fruit whatsoever. Conversely, if we pursue holiness without remaining constantly aware of our need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we risk sliding into arrogant 'religious' performance.

Christ Our Cornerstone

Consequently, you are...members of [God's] household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Eph 2:19-22)

It is the Lord's desire to craft us lovingly into beautiful temples of His Holy Spirit – fit dwelling-places for the Lord Himself, with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone. This upward calling also has an outward effect: as we are filled to overflowing with the glory and splendour of the Lord, so those around us are given the opportunity to encounter Him, fear Him and trust Him as they spend time with us.

While the Israelites stood back to admire their 'finished' handiwork, God knew that it was incomplete until He Himself came down and filled it. When He did, the combination of His majesty and splendour with their devoted obedience – within the framework of their human weakness and imperfection - made for astounding results. Let us never, ever forget our need of Him. If our earthly 'tents' (as Paul terms our bodies) are to become sacred Tabernacles to the Lord, if we are to help build the Kingdom of God in any measure, the all-surpassing power we need comes from Him, not from us!

Author: Frances Rabbitts