May 20, 2016: SOAP #2360: 1Kings 6; 2Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Scripture: 1Kings (NIV) 6:19 He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. 20 The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar. 21 Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. 22 So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

Observation: King Solomon was building the temple that his father, King David, had wanted to build. When God told David that Solomon was to do the building, so David prepared by gathering everything needed to make the temple the most beautiful building in the world. The most beautiful part of the temple was the place where the ark of the covenant would be set. Everything in the inner sanctuary was overlaid with pure gold!

Application: The God who had Solomon make a temple in which He would dwell among His people now lives in me!   Since Jesus, through His blood sacrificed on Calvary, cleansed my heart, God has made my heart His dwelling. My heart is the inner sanctuary of my life. God desires that my human heart which is subject to the temptations of greed and selfishness and hatred be transformed and covered with the gold of His character, with His love and holiness.

Prayer:    Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving I’ll be a living sanctuary for You. Cover the inside of my sanctuary with the gold of your character. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!