In First Kings 6 we get a description of how the temple was constructed. We know its materials, its measurements, its decorations.

I don’t know all the significance of all those pieces. The cherubim are guarding the Lord’s presence, just as they were set as guards in the Garden of Eden.

Sin separates from God. God’s holiness must remain intact. He has guards. He will be set apart.

Our coming boldly into God’s presence is because we walk in holiness, not just because we’re forgiven but because we live righteously in all God’s shown us by the power of God’s Spirit in us.

Look at part of verses 13 and 14, where God is speaking to Solomon.  “If you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then…I will dwell among the children of Israel.”

He dwells among His people who walk in obedience.

Our salvation isn’t just in forgiveness; it’s in the power to overcome sin, by God’s cleansing work in our lives, not just covering sins but removing them from our lives.

We as individual believers are temples of the Holy Spirit and collectively, we, as the Body of Christ, are the temple of God.

We guard God’s presence by responding to His promptings to remove sin and other loves and falsehoods from our lives as He shows them to us. He does the work of cleansing. We do the work of just choosing to love Him, putting Him as most important above all.

It took Solomon 7 years to build the house.

It will take a few thousand years for God to fully build His temple of the Body of Christ.

What about you? Are you already a temple, a holy dwelling place? Don’t let it take seven years to remove the sin to make Him welcome.

When He shows you sin, confess and repent. Get it out. Keep the Lord’s presence close in fellowship.

Your inner parts should be all gold, holy, set apart, a welcome place for our Lord.