The temple was all very precise. It was done according to pattern. We see both pattern and uniqueness all throughout God’s creation.

There are patterns in nature, for instance, how a tree branches out over and over again.

There are patterns certainly of life and death and of reproduction and new life.

Humans develop all following the same pattern, but they are all unique as well, even identical ones.

There’s a pattern to spiritual life as well, death and new birth and then growth that involves more death to produce more life.

We all go through the pattern in our own unique way, but God set up His patterns to be followed.

We don’t get to skip steps in the pattern. When people try to grow without dying, it doesn’t end well. There will have to be a death of some kind. If they won’t let self die to allow for the Spirit-life to grow, then the Spirit-life will have to die.

There’s a pattern that must be followed.

I do have questions reading this chapter. Why the palm trees and the two-faced lion cherubs. Why is that the choice of decoration? And why go through measuring?

Why does God measure our work?

God set the dimensions for the temple and then He measures to see if it meets specifications.

We are God’s temple, each individually, and us collectively. Do we measure up? Are we meeting the specifications He set forth?

Be perfect Jesus said. Paul says the work of the church goes on until we come to a “perfect man,” the full measure of Christ (Eph 4:11-13).