HGTV is one of my favorite stations. One of my favorite programs is, Divine Design with Candice Olsen. Candice is an interior designer who can take a home from blah and boring to wow and wonderful. The creativity she has and how she can see the finished product before she's even started, amazes me. Sometimes the room she has to work with has much to be desired. I love decorating too, but to be able to be creative on so many levels is truly a gift.
In the chapters 2-4 of 2 Chronicles, I would say is truly Divine Design. The passages talk about Solomon building God's temple in Jerusalem. As we have read, David wanted so much to build a place for God's presence to dwell, but God told David it was for his son to build. Partly because Israel was still fighting with some of the inhabitants of the land and they needed every man for battle. It took 70,000 men to be carriers and 80,000 men to be stone cutters and 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working. Imagine that construction project. They didn't even have Home Depot or Lowes to help.
In 2 Chronicles 2:5 &6 Solomon says, "The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. 6 But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?" Solomon went all out for the Lord. The decor inside the temple was more spectacular than anyone could have ever imagined. Solomon had cedar brought in from Lebanon. The colors and precious metals of gold, silver and bronze were carefully selected. In the 21st Century when a 2,000 square foot house costs almost a million dollars, imagine what the market value on this grand temple would have been then. Just a few miles from where I live is one of the most expensive house in the U.S. It's located in Corona Del Mar and the house even has a name. Its called the Portabello because its roof looks like a mushroom cap, yet its built into the side of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. God's temple overlooked the whole city of Jerusalem.
A short time after this temple was built, it was destroyed. All that work and to lose it must have been devastating to Israel. Later it was rebuilt by Herod and even bigger this time. All in all, God only wants the best for His presence.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, we became the new dwelling place for God's Spirit. First Corinthians 6:19, Paul tells us that we now are God's temple and the place where His spirit dwells. Think about the work that it goes into building this temple. It all begins as Psalm 139:13-14 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are a wonder, I know that full well." He did his best work of design on mankind. The intricate detail that He put into us is amazing. With all the artificial organs and even cloning, I don't think man could ever have designed mankind the way God has. His plan was for us to live in a place of praise and wonderment of His glory.
Like the two temples that were built, we can destroy our bodies, not only physically, but with negative words, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and evil talk. Especially what we as the Body of Christ can do to each other. I have to remember this is God's dwelling place and whatever I have or have done in my life that isn't pleasing to Him, I have to remove. Even in all of Solomon's splendor, nothing can compare to the beauty of the Lord. Solomon may have been a gifted designer, but God is truly the "Divine Designer."
