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To the Editor:
The temple is the place where God dwells among His people and meets with them. The first temple was the tabernacle that was made in the wilderness according to Samuel 1:9, where it is called the Temple of the Lord.
The first temple that was built in the time of Solomon and was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar at the time of captivity of Jerusalem and Judah (2 Kings 24:13; 2 Chron. 36:7). The second temple prophesied by Ezekiel was built after the return from captivity and was authorized by Cyrus, the king of Persia (Ezra 1:7-9) and was dismantled by Herod in 21 BC under Roman rules.
A third temple built by Herod was the temple standing in time of Jesus Ministry and destroyed by the Roman army led by Titus in 70 A.D. Standing in the place of that temple now is a Mohammedan mosque- "Dome of the Rock". All the temples built by man have been destroyed.
According to the New Testament God does not dwell in the temples made by hands (Acts 17:24). He does dwell within the hearts of those He has chosen and called to be His people with no distinction of race, gender, or nationality. His chosen people are the temple of the Holy Spirits (1 Cor. 6:19). He is building His temple with each person He draws and calls to Himself. The apostle and prophets are the foundation and Jesus is the chief cornerstone and His people are the living stones (1 Pet. 2:4-5) being built together into a holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:20-22; Cor. 6:16). The temple of God is now being built with one living stone upon another God and not by man. Rev.21:22 tells us there will be no temple in New Jerusalem for the temple there will be "God Almighty and the Lamb" (His Son).
Jim Batt
Mexico