by Ken Thomas
In Acts 17 Paul declared that the maker of heaven and earth "dwelleth not in temples made with hands," but He is not far from us ( Acts 17:24 Acts 17:27). King Solomon in dedicating the temple of Israel knew that his people would pray facing the temple ( 1 Kings 8:29-30). He also implied that if they were away from the city of Jerusalem that they would pray facing the holy city and land ( 1 Kings 8:44, I Kings 8:48). ( Daniel 6:10 is an example of this).
But Solomon knew that God cannot be contained in a house, even as magnificent as the temple was. Therefore he asked God to "hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling place, and when thou hearest, forgive" ( 1 Kings 8:30). Take your Bible and mark all the references in chapter 8 that beseech God to "hear in heaven."
Where is God's temple now? "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" ( 1 Corinthians 3:16-17). "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" ( 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Unquestionably God dwells in heaven, but he also dwells in his people (Christians). Are we living as a holy dwelling of God, or are we "unfit for habitation?" Think about it!