Eroding the Temple of God

In all cultures, the building of temples are an imitation of a heavenly temple. In the beginning of Genesis God is making the earth his temple. Genesis 1 uses temple dedication language to talk about God making the earth. http://www.asa3.org/ASA/topics/bible-science/6-02watts.html http://www.amazon.com/Lost-World-Genesis-One-Cosmology/dp/0830837043 As the story of Adam and Eve progresses, we observe language and features that are later used when God instructs Moses to build the tabernacle in the dessert. These same forms are reiterated again in John's vision of heaven in Revelations. http://www.askelm.com/temple/t040301.htm

In the Old Testament, the temple had several section: the courtyard of the gentiles, an inner courtyard for Israelites, the holy place that only priests could enter, and the holy of holies that only the high priest on the day of atonement could enter. The world in the beginning of Genesis was divided similarly: the earth in general was the land of Nod or wandering, the land of Eden where Cain and Able lived, the garden of Eden where Adam and Eve originally lived, and the midst of the garden where there was the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam and Eve's sin forced them out of the holy parts of God's temple. Cain's sin forced him out of the main temple area. But God invites us back into his presence through the sacrifice of his son. He re-ordains us to become priests of his temple.

In the Old Testament, the Jews are the mediators between God and the rest of the world. In the New Testament, those who follow Jesus, the priest of priests, are the mediators to the world. In the New Testament we see a shift away from the formal laws that define worship in the man made temple to the transcendent laws that are written on our hearts. (Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10) In the Old Testament, the ark was where the laws were kept. The ark was placed under the mercy seat or footstool of God. Isaiah refers to the earth as the footstool of God. (Is 66:1) Our hearts are the ark for God's laws.

Food was a central part of temple worship. In all cultures food was offered to their gods. In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed to God and bread, oil and wine were also offered. In the New Testament Jesus institutes the Eucharist. Pagans believed that proper worship of gods helped to guarantee success of crops. Fertility rites were an integral part of their temple worship. Prostitution was often part of the fertility rites.

God does not want us to go through rituals to try and manipulate him into providing for us. He does not want us to prostitute ourselves. He wants us to trust him and the provision he has already given us through creation. He puts his Spirit in our hearts to guide us in how we care for creation. Our bodies become the temple of the Lord or in other words God's holy of holies. (1 Cor 6:12-20) The holy of holies resides within the holy space. Our bodies live in homes and churches. Our homes and churches live in countries. Our counties reside on the earth. The earth is the foundation for the physical temple of God.

Jesus told a parable of the wise man and the foolish man. (Mt 7:24-27, Lk 6: 46-49) One built his house on the rock, the other on sand. Jesus said that if we followed his teachings we were building on a firm foundation like the wise man. Jesus teachings were for us to love. He showed us a spirit which will lay down its life for others. When we love others and we love the earth, we are building a firm foundation. When we hurt others and destroy the earth, we are destroying the foundations of the temple of God. We become like the foolish man and when disaster strikes we will be swept away.