Where Is God’s “Temple” Today,
And How Is He Filling That “Temple”?
By
J. Owen Allen, Ph.D.
It’s interesting that Isaiah, chapter 6, verses 1 to 4, in the Old Testament, has been one of my favorite Scriptures for many years. So let’s read those verses now.
“In the year that King Uzziah (“uh-zee-yaah'”) died, I saw the Lord seated
on a throne, high and exalted. And the train of His robe filled the temple.
Above Him were seraphs (“sair’-ifs”), each with six wings. With two wings
they covered their faces. With two they covered their feet. And with two
they were flying. And they were calling to one another, ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is full of His glory!’ And at the
sound of their voices, the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple
was filled with smoke.”
By the way, I’ve always liked the little chorus that came from these verses. I don’t know if any of you know it. I can’t sing, but it goes something like this –
“I see the Lord, I see the Lord,
He is high and lifted up,
and His train fills the temple.
He is high and lifted up,
and His train fills the temple.
The angels cry ‘Holy,’
the angels cry ‘Holy,’
the angels cry, ‘Holy is the Lord’!”[2. To hear this chorus sung by a small group, click the “Small Groups” link in the Side Bar of this blog; then click the “Small Group Singing” link. This chorus is #5 on the song list.]
Now – as we know – the Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament. So what verses in the New Testament are these ancient Isaiah verses foreshadowing?
And more importantly – what do these ancient Isaiah verses mean to Christians today?
For example, we know that Isaiah was talking about the Jewish temple in Jerusalem when he wrote these verses. But the Roman army destroyed that temple in 70 AD, and didn’t leave one stone on top of another!
So where is God’s “temple” today? Or, to ask that question a different way: What “temple” is the Lord’s “train” filling today?
Centuries after Isaiah, the apostle Paul answered that question in a letter to the Christians in the city of Corinth, Greece. Let’s look at Paul’s answer now. It’s in First Corinthians. Here’s what Paul said –
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple … and that God’s
Spirit lives in you? God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple! Don’t
you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit … Who’s in you …
and Who you received from God?”[3. Adapted from First Corinthians, chapter 3, verses 16 and 17; and chapter 6, verse 19.]
Now, sometimes I ask people what the only difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is. Because I don’t think you can tell Christians from non-Christians by their clothes, cars, careers, income, or any other worldly measure.
Instead, I think the only difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is a Spiritual one. I think it’s that –
a non-Christian isn’t.
Now, let’s apply Paul’s Spiritual principle to the Old Testament verses in Isaiah that we’ve been reading! The first half of verse 1 says –
Notice that Isaiah says “A” throne. Not “the” throne, or “His” throne. But “A” throne. I’ve always thought this was an Old Testament foreshadowing of the New Testament miracle of indwelling.
Remember that in First Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 17, Paul says that when the Holy Spirit indwells us, He “glues” Himself to our inner spirits – and that’s what makes us Christians![5. Paul used the First Century Greek verb kollao (“cuh-laa’-oh”) in this verse, meaning “to join something together,” or “to glue something together,” in the sense of making the joining permanent.]
But, indwelling is only the first half of God’s plan for us. Millions of Christians are indwelled by the Holy Spirit – but many of them don’t have much Spiritual power. Have you ever noticed that?
So I think the second half of God’s plan for us is in the second half of verse 1, where it says –
Now, the Hebrew word for “train” in this verse refers to the hem of a High Priest’s robe.[7. Isaiah used the Old Testament Hebrew noun shuwl (“shoo’-ull”) in this verse, referring to “the bottom edge of the High Priest’s garment,” or “the hem of the High Priest’s robe.”] So, how can the “hem of a High Priest’s robe” fill our temples (our bodies) today?
I’ve always thought this was a foreshadowing of Spirit-filling. Because, if our bodies are God’s “temples” today … then we need the “train” of the High Priest’s robe to blossom inside us and fill us, don’t we?
And, after all, who’s our High Priest today? It’s Jesus, right? He’s the one who’s indwelling us with the power of the Holy Spirit, right? So when we’re Spirit-filled, the Holy Spirit spreads the “hem of the High Priest’s robe” inside us and fills us with supernatural power!
That always reminds me of the little Campus Crusade for Christ tract years ago that was titled, The Four Spiritual Laws. Does anyone remember it? It showed a little chair, with a little cross on the floor beside it. And it said that God needed to be “seated” on the “throne” of our lives. Then it showed the little cross up off the floor and sitting in the little chair.
I think that’s exactly what happens when we’re Spirit-filled, and the High Priest’s “robe” fills us with supernatural power! Jesus’s “robe” fills our “temple” with Spiritual power.
Now, exactly what happens when the Holy Spirit fills us with supernatural power? I think verse 3 in the Isaiah Scripture foreshadows what happens, when it says –
I think that when Christians are Spirit-filled, they are: Holy, holy, holy, and filled with His glory! Can you image what it would be like if we, and all of our friends and neighbors, were Holy, holy, holy, and filled with glory?
But of course, that’s God’s will for us, isn’t it? Because in First Thessalonians, the apostle Paul said –
“It’s God’s will that you be holy. God didn’t call us to be impure … but to
live a holy life!”[9. Adapted from First Thessalonians, chapter 4, verses 3 and 7.]
So to summarize, what all of this means is that the sign – or mark – that proves that God’s “train” is filling our “temple” (that proves we’re Spirit-filled) is when we’re living a life of purity, righteousness, and morality. Right?
Think about this. In the Isaiah Scripture, where the Seraphim (“sara’-fim”) are flying over the throne, they aren’t crying out, “Smart, smart, smart, is the Lord.” Or they aren’t crying out, “Creative, creative, creative, is the Lord.” No, instead they’re crying out –
Now, when the Lord’s “train” fills our “temple” – it will make us smarter. And it will make us more creative. But above all else, it will make us holy and it will fill us with glory.
So here’s our last point. I think we’re only effective as Christians in the proportion to which – or in the extent to which – God’s “train” is filling our “temple”!
Whatever we’re doing as Christians: It could be leading a youth group … or singing in a choir … or serving as an elder … or playing a musical instrument … or serving as a pastor … or simply attending a worship service … we’ll only be effective in the degree to which God’s “train” is filling our “temple”!
So why don’t we close by praying for that. Let’s pray that – as Christians – our inner spirits will be filled with the “power and the smoke” of Spirit-filling. And that all of us will be more holy in our daily lives! Let’s pray that right now –
“Lord God in heaven, we pray right now for the peace, hope, and purpose
that the first Christians had in the First Century. We pray to be Spirit-
filled, and we pray to be holy. Lord, we pray for your ‘train’ to fill our
‘temple.’ We pray for the ‘smoke’ of your supernatural power to shake
the ‘doorposts’ of our lives, and that you make us more effective Christians
through your indwelling power within us. Grant this prayer to us this
very day we pray! Amen, and amen!”
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