"1 Kings 6:1-7:22
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit prefigured with symbolic typology
Have you ever wondered whether God is really interested in the details of your life? As we read the precise instructions for the building of the temple, we see how carefully God prepared, anticipated and prefigured the far greater temple that is unveiled in the New Testament. As Joyce Meyer writes, ‘He is even more concerned about the particulars of your life. If something matters to you, it matters to Him!’
Typology is about symbolic representation. It is a key part of our understanding of the Old Testament as Christians. Some of the great New Testament truths are anticipated in the Old Testament history of salvation. For example, Adam is described as a type of Christ (Romans 5:14, NASB).
The temple in the Old Testament can be seen as ‘a type’ of the temple in the New Testament (the people of God). In this passage, we have a description of the temple, which Solomon spent seven years building (1 Kings 6:38). It was designed to be the dwelling place for the presence of God on earth: ‘I’ll personally take up my residence’ (v.13, MSG).
Hence, excellence was of the upmost importance because it was the place of God’s presence. God’s name was at stake. They did everything as well as they possibly could. It was ‘dazzling’ (v.22, MSG) and ‘no expense was spared’ (7:9, MSG). If excellence was a high value for them, it should be an even higher value for us now that God’s presence is in us.
The temple in the Old Testament points forward to the people of God. We are God’s house. God lives in us individually. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The church today is the holy temple of the Lord in which God lives by his Spirit (Ephesians 2:21–22). This is God’s ‘house’ today.
Lord, thank you for the inexhaustible treasures of the Bible. Help me to understand it better. Help me to interpret it faithfully. Open my eyes to see the wonderful things in your word. Help me to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the truth of the Bible expressed in all its different languages and images. Above all, help me to see Jesus, crucified and risen from the dead – the one whom the whole Bible is about."
1. Thank You for the Bible for it gives only what is true and good.
2. Thank You for giving me joy in teaching.
3. Thank You for surrounding me with great people.
