Check out the progression of the "Temple" or "Tabernacle" language in the Bible and how the place changes over time. What does this teach us about God? About his love? About sin? About ourselves?
1. The first Temple - the Tabernacle set up during the desert wanderings (Exodus chs. 25-26)
2. Solomon's Temple - an ornate and magnificent dwelling place for God (1 Kings chs. 6-8)
3. God allows the Temple to be destroyed because of the continual and unrepentant sins of his people (2 Kings 25:8-12)
4. Ezekiel prophesies the Temple will be rebuilt and God's glorious presence will return to it (Ezekiel chs. 40-43 - especially 43:1-4)
5. Nehemiah leads a group in rebuilding the Temple (Ezra chs. 3-6)
6. God's presence does not return to the rebuilt Temple (No mention of it in the Bible). What are we to make of this in light of Ezekiel's prophecy?
7. God becomes a man and "tabernacles" among us (John 1:14)
8. Jesus says of his own body, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19)
9. Jesus is killed via crucifixion. He rises from the dead three days later.
10. Our bodies are referred to as "Temples" of God the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19)
11. In the new heaven and new earth God will "tabernacle" with us (Rev. 21:3)
12. "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb." (Rev. 21:22)
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