{"id":764,"date":"2009-05-15T04:01:52","date_gmt":"2009-05-15T04:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/05\/the-temple-as-a-thin-place.html"},"modified":"2009-05-15T04:01:52","modified_gmt":"2009-05-15T04:01:52","slug":"the-temple-as-a-thin-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/05\/the-temple-as-a-thin-place.html","title":{"rendered":"The Temple as a Thin Place"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 5 of series: Thin Places
\n<\/em>Permalink for this post<\/a> \/ Permalink for this series<\/a>
\nAfter God established the Tabernacle as \u201csanctuary\u201d for the Israelites so that he might \u201cdwell in their midst\u201d (Exod 25:8), he continued to \u201ccamp\u201d among his people in a temporary, portable dwelling. Many generations passed, until David became the king of God\u2019s people and centered his kingdom in Jerusalem. One day it dawned on David that he lived in a luxurious palace while the Lord only had a tent. So David resolved to build a permanent \u201chouse\u201d for the Lord, a temple in Jerusalem.
\nAt first, God did not seem too keen on the idea:<\/p>\n

I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, \u201cWhy have you not built me a house of cedar?\u201d (2 Sam 7:6-7)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nevertheless, the Lord choose, not David, but his son Solomon to \u201cbuild a house for my name\u201d (2 Sam 7:13).
\nThis \u201chouse,\u201d the Temple built in Jerusalem, was often referred to as God\u2019s house, the place where he lived. For example:<\/p>\n

For the LORD has chosen Zion;
\nhe has desired it for his habitation:
\n\u201cThis is my resting place forever;
\nhere I will reside, for I have desired it.\u201d (Ps 132:13)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yet the Jewish people understood that the Lord did not literally live in the Temple. At its dedication, when the glory of the Lord filled the temple, Solomon said, \u201cThe LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever\u201d (1 Kings 8:12-13). But then, several verses later, Solomon adds, \u201cBut will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! . . . Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive (1 Kings 8:27, 30). (Photo: A model of the Temple, now at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.)
\nFor Jews, the Temple represented God\u2019s presence with them. Going to the Temple was a solemn occasion for prayer and sacrifices, but also a joyous occasion for celebration and feasting. Of course, only priests were able to enter the actual sanctuary, with its Holy Place and Most Holy Place (literally translated from Hebrew as \u201choly of holies\u201d). In fact, the high priest alone was able to enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement.
\nThe Temple represented the Lord\u2019s unique covenant relationship with Israel. He was their God and they were his people. By the time of Jesus, the Temple in Jerusalem, built by King Herod the Great, included several outer courts. The furthest out was the Court of the Gentiles. They were included, but kept out of the courts reserved only for Jews, including the inner sanctuary.
\nYet, certain prophetic passages envision a time when the Gentiles would come to the Temple:<\/p>\n

In days to come
\nthe mountain of the LORD\u2019S house
\nshall be established as the highest of the mountains,
\nand shall be raised up above the hills.
\nPeoples shall stream to it,
\nand many nations shall come and say:
\n\u201cCome, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
\nto the house of the God of Jacob;
\nthat he may teach us his ways
\nand that we may walk in his paths.\u201d
\nFor out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
\nand the word\u00a0 of the LORD from Jerusalem\u201d (Micah 4:1-2).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Other prophetic texts shows that this is not just something the Gentiles desire, but something willed by the Lord himself:<\/p>\n

And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
\nto minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
\nand to be his servants,
\nall who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,
\nand hold fast my covenant\u2014
\nthese I will bring to my holy mountain,
\nand make them joyful in my house of prayer;
\ntheir burnt offerings and their sacrifices
\nwill be accepted on my altar;
\nfor my house shall be called a house of prayer
\nfor all peoples.
\n(Isa 56:6-7)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thus Jewish eschatology envisioned a day when all peoples, not just the Jews, would come to the Temple for prayer, sacrifices, instruction, and celebration.
\nReflections on the Temple as a Thin Place<\/strong>
\nIn Exodus, the possible thin places always seemed to be lacking something. Mt. Sinai was a very thin place, but only in unusual revelatory moments. The Pillars of Cloud and Fire and the Tabernacle were astounding space-time signs of God\u2019s presence, but they weren\u2019t places in the ordinary sense since they were intentionally portable.
\nThe Temple in Jerusalem is a closer analogy to a thin place. It was one place and it didn\u2019t move. This place was said to be God\u2019s own house, though it was understood that God didn\u2019t actually live there. The Temple helped people get right with God (through sacrifices) and be directed by God (through teaching) and communicate with God (through prayer) and enjoy God (through celebrations).
\nThe Temple was not, however, a place of worship like a synagogue or church sanctuary. Nor was it a quiet place for retreat, at least not in the courts where ordinary folk were welcome. The Temple, by its very design, kept people away from its holiest places, the places where God was said to dwell and where priests alone could enter. Yet common people surely experienced God\u2019s presence in the Temple courts, and in this sense they constituted a thin place. Thus people looked forward to coming to the Temple, as Psalm 84 reminds us:<\/p>\n

How lovely is your dwelling place,
\nO LORD of hosts!
\nMy soul longs, indeed it faints
\nfor the courts of the LORD;
\nmy heart and my flesh sing for joy
\nto the living God. . . .
\nFor a day in your courts is better
\nthan a thousand elsewhere.
\nI would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
\nthan live in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:1-2, 10)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The existence of the Temple shows that God can and does, at times, identify closely with a certain place, making his presence known there in a powerful way. But this truth is reshaped in light of Christ. I\u2019ll explain further in my next post in this series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 5 of series: Thin Places Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series After God established the Tabernacle as \u201csanctuary\u201d for the Israelites so that he might \u201cdwell in their midst\u201d (Exod 25:8), he continued to \u201ccamp\u201d among his people in a temporary, portable dwelling. Many generations passed, until David became the king…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-thin-places"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Temple as a Thin Place - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}