"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8)
All thanks and praise to the LORD God Almighty, who has redeemed us through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, out of every tribe and tongue and people. The sacrifice of animals for sins was a shadow of Christ's work on the cross. The LORD has called and filled His church with the Holy Ghost, empowering us to bear much fruit and glorify His name.
God's people are His holy dwelling place, His peculiar treasure. He is near to those who call upon Him in truth; to those whose hearts are upright before Him; He makes His presence known to those who seek His face and walk humbly in His ways. He takes away the stony heart and gives us a heart of flesh, to obey His voice and do that which is pleasing in His sight.
In His holy temple, there is hope, joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace like a river, grace, and every good and perfect gift. To Him alone, belongs all glory, honor, praise and worship, perpetually.
"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; See also Chapter 3, and John 2:19-22)
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)
"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."(Ephesians 2:19-22)
"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5)
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)
In the days of Solomon, when the construction of the temple, he determined to build for God, was completed, and the ark brought into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place: "It came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD saying: "For He is good, for His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God."
Similarly, when Solomon had finished praying at the temple dedication, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
(See 2 Chronicles Chapter 5 and 2 Chronicles Chapter 7)
God had said to Solomon: "Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel." (1 Kings 6:12-13 )
For the building of the tabernacle, in the days of Moses, God called and filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of artistic workmanship and ability to teach; in him and Aholiab and gifted artisans, to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, in the building of the tabernacle, according to the pattern God gave to Moses. At its completion, with all things set in place, as God commanded Moses, the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
(See Exodus Chapters 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
Christ in us, the hope of glory. Fill us LORD with Your glory! Amen.
- A Walk In The Garden Devotions
