1 Kings 8:41-42 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple,”
This is just a sentence fragment, but it contains two elements that strike me. The first is favorable, the second, not. I like it that Solomon opens the door to Gentiles here. After all, the design of the temple specifically included “the Court of the Gentiles,” which was the area overrun by merchants in the 2nd temple of Jesus’ day. What doesn’t turn me on is the focus on physical location. For Solomon that was an advantage, because it helped consolidate his political power. However, that was wiped out in the early Church after Pentecost, because believers gathered, but they didn’t have dedicated buildings for their gatherings. After Constantine Christianity became the state religion, and focus again came on dedicated houses of worship. It’s not that such houses are bad as such, but rather that when we place our focus on the physical location and structure, we tend to forget that God is everywhere, and we are to walk humbly before Him whatever our environment. We forget that in both Hebrew and Greek, the word translated “church” actually means “gathering,” or “congregation” (which also means gathering, but we don’t think about that). Special places can be very nice, certainly convenient, and even deeply meaningful, but if we let them take priority over the One whom we say we worship, then they become idols in themselves. Solomon had no idol to draw people to, so he used the temple instead!
This is an issue I have been aware of for much of my life. In the 40-year history of this church we have met in various locations, but for the past 25 years we have had a dedicated church building, that also includes our residence. I try to be specific when I am talking about the church building, but even I get lazy and just say “church” far too much of the time. I desire that every believer realize that they are “God’s temple,” (1 Corinthians 3:16), acting as good stewards of the building but not fixating on it. I also want each one to realize that their own body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:19) and rejoice to carry His presence with them everywhere they go. I want us all to expand our awareness of God and realize that He “fills everything in every way,” (Ephesians 1:23) and so live lives of worship in every circumstance.
Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me not be legalistic about it, but rather share Your truth in grace and love, so that many will be set free from the deceptions of the enemy, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!
