Temples of Gold

I've been reading Exodus lately and I use to think it a boring book with so many facts, but this time around the details of the incredible artistry and craftsmenship that went into the making of the ark of the covenant, the lampstands, the tapestries, the priestly garments, the curtains, and on and on is breathtaking. Since I'm reading about it in an Archeological Study Bible, I'm learning a lot of historical information such as the amazing amount of gold and silver and precious stones used. It's estimated that over a ton of gold and 3 tons of silver went into the creation of the sanctuary.Those are staggering figures considering gold sells for almost $1,000 an ounce these days! Unfortunately, all of this was plundered ages ago, but the lessons we can learn will never be lost or buried.

After reading this for years, I received a fresh revelation about the ark of the covenant, which was created to house the spirit of God between the two cheribum that sat atop of the ark (Exodus 37). The Bible also mentions the name of the major craftsmen who fashioned the ark--Bezalel. The skill needed to do this was of a very high caliber. "He also made the mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits was its length and a cubit and a half its width. He made two cherubim of beaten gold; he made them of one piece at the two ends of the mercy seat: one cherub at one end on this side, and the other cherub at the other end on that side" (Exodus 37: 6-8).
When I remembered the purpose of the ark, to house the Spirit of God, and the words of Paul that "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit" ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 ,I realized the value God accords us. When we accept Christ into our lives, the Spirit of God comes to dwell within us. We who are flesh and blood, jars of clay, become the ark for the presence of the Holy Spirit!Thiank about that for a while. God esteems us of more value then precious gold. We become the living temple, the holy of holies and the ark of the covenant because we live in Christ and He is in us!

Instead of God dwelling in a temple of gold on the outside, He creates a golden temple within us.All our trials, persecutions, setbacks, difficuties and final victories burn off the impurities and refine us into pure gold. God continues to live in a temple of gold, but it's fashioned by His hand, not man. Even though Bezalel was highly skilled, God is more then capable of accomplishing a more beautiful work, one that is both internal and eternal. A creation that cannot be lost, plundered or deteriorated. Now that is hideous cost of fuel.)