Former Glory? A Haunt or a Haven?

    Ever revisited an old haunt? Ever stumbled into the past?

     Thats exactly what happened to the Jews returning from their years of exile. They returned to the City of David, the citadel of Jerusalem..... and it was in ruins. The home of their childhood was rubble. It had no walls, no gates and no temple- no protection from their enemies and no place to worship their God.

"But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid"

    The younger generation were rejoicing- they had a land of their own, a city and even a Temple to worship their God! Why wouldn't they rejoice? But the older men, those who remembered the olden days, the days when Solomon's Temple stood in all its glory over Zion, they were not rejoicing. This temple was but a shadow of the older one. Why should they rejoice?
     Who was right?!
     Its easy to side with the oldies- this temple was nothing on the old one. Solomon's Temple proclaimed the Lord's Glory to the surrounding nations, they looked at Jerusalem and feared Israel's God.
     But were they missing the point? The Temple was the dwelling place of God, it was where the Lord met his people and where they went to offer sacrifices for atonement of sins. They thought that the size and magnificent construction of the building honoured God. They were mistaken. The new Temple might be a small one- but they had a big God!
    Years before, King David decided to honour God by building him a 'house'. But God had other plans, David would not honour Him, rather He would honour David.

Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 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 for my dwelling...

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.  

David said "I'm gunna build a house for the Lord." God says "No, I'm going to make a house for you, David."

    The Temple was not a place built to honour God, rather it was the place where God dwelt amongst His people. Now we can meet with God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the atonement for sins He provided on the cross!

    A few days ago I visited a place where my friends and I used to spend loads of our spare time: the base.
    Setting out on our bikes we took hammers, nails, rope, wood, trellis panels and stepladders and we headed down the hill to a woods. There we built an amazing camp! We hollowed out the inside or a thorn bush, utilised a number of felled trees and constructed a two-storey house! Rustic log floors and a beautiful courtyard area added to the aesthetic of our base. Every possible holiday we congregated there with our packed lunches and bikes!
    That was years ago, and I hadn't seen the base for at least 1, if not 2, years. A dull green layer covered the entire plot, much of the walls had shriveled up and composted. The rope was fraying and the stepladder wonky. I attempted to climb partway up our log-ladder before the rotting tree broke under my weight. Leaves and dead foliage obscured the ground and the roof was caving in.
    The Glory days of the base have long gone. It has little of its former glory or (relative) splendour. No longer can we wile away hour upon hour working on the 'garden', or reinforcing the ceiling. It is a shadow of what it once was.

    Strange isn't it? How we build up our own 'nests'. As children we build camps or dens. We hide under our beds or nestle in our wardrobes. Adults do it too, you know. They build up pension plans and 'invest in the future'. Financial 'Safety nets' are created and social circles, which hold little attraction other than in 'acquiring contacts' are frequented.
    As children and as adults, we build safe and secure environments for ourselves. How foolish. None of it will last. One day our souls will be required of us and our 'camps' and homes will offer no security. Only Christ can offer us lasting safety and a rest from fear.

    I'm trying to learn Psalm 27 at the moment. Verse 4 is one of my favourite verses in the whole Bible, it sums up the desire of the Christian- to rest in Christ.

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.