“In the Temple: The Glorious & Forgiving God” | 1 Kings 8
The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference 2012
Session #2 | Paige Benton Brown
link to official website
>>I AM lovingly promises “I’m in.” But how in is He?<<
He is the inhabitant God in the building.
-The temple is an absolute, unique place where His presence is–in the cloud. The cloud reveals and conceals His glory. It reminds them who He is to them, but doesn’t change who He is to them.
-The shakinah glory doesn’t come in with the gold, furnishings, or the king, but with the ark. It’s about the covenant, not the cloud.
-What’s in the ark? The handwritten code of His will for us. He comes in with His words, not theirs. Those tablets are covered with the mercy seat. We can’t meet Him at the ark, we have to meet Him at the altar.
-Where God comes in: Indescribable splendor and gore.
-A celebration of the FULFILLED promises of God. (vs. 23, 26) You’ve kept Your promises, so keep Your promises.
-Their proclamation leads to petition (vs. 28). YET. The Gospel is never “so that” or “therefore.” It is always “yet” or “but.” The grammar of grace is not causitive, but always contradictory.
-He has to meet the need (forgiveness) to move to the purpose (relationship).
-The Temple is not so much a place for them to see, it is a place for them to be seen by His glory.
-Exclusiveness (vs. 53- We’re Your favorite.) “Israel: Last in importance, obedience, and loyalty. First in the heart of God.”
-The Temple is a bridge, not a barrier. He sees them through the atoning blood.
-The glory of God eclipsed the temple, but soon–the glory of God was eclipsed by the temple. They dedicated it, then desecrated it. But as He’s leaving the temple, He’s making promises over His shoulder…bigger and better ones!
He’s no longer an inhabitant God in a building, but an incarnate God in a body. He’s in!
-The Temple in a Person (John 1:14) He was evicted from the temple. (Matthew 21- Cleansing His house, the architectural temple.)
-God does not forgive sin. He can’t. He forgives sinners, but sin has to be paid for.
-Because I have taken glory that is not mine, He has taken a place that is not His.
-The temple is over when He says, “It is finished.”
♪Well may the accuser roar of sins that I have done. I know them all and thousands more, Jehovah knoweth none.♪
Beyond the best, there’s a better. (John 16) He goes again, once again making better and bigger promises.
Now, He becomes the indwelling God in our bodies!
-He comes visibly just like He has every other time, meaning “I’m in!” (Acts 2)
-That makes US temples of the living God. The glory was not in the room, but in THEM.
-Indwelling is what changes us.
-The temple isn’t a picture of us. It IS us! The facets of our templeness? Glory, Word, living sacrifices, prayer.
-We have the fullness of Him. He should have the fullness of us.
-We are filled. There ain’t no room for anything else. (2 Corinthians 6- We ARE, so BE.)
-Does _____ square with my templeness?
-Titus 1…claim to know God, but by their lives deny Him.
-None of it is up to me because He is in me. He fills ALL of me. We are Spirit-filled; not in the flesh. (Romans 8)
-If He can overcome my death, He can overcome my habits!
He becomes the inviting God, asking us to come in.
-He comes for us and says, “You’re in!”
-He is coming so that “Where I am, you will be also–forever with Him in glory.”
Sarah Caroline 