God is very specific about where and how He wants to be worshipped in the Old Testament. Before Moses, many people on earth worshipped other gods. As a result, God wanted to differentiate Himself from the gods that other people worshipped, and he required His people to worship Him in the Tabernacle, and later it was converted into a temple. Deuteronomy 12:5-7 says, "But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you." God wanted to make sure that His people understood that He was the only true God, and He required to only be worshipped according to His way. God gave us the Bible so that we can know His ways. Non-Christians believe that there are many ways to God, and all the gods will eventually lead to the true God. However, this is not according to the teaching of the Bible.
In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus specifically said that there is only one way to God the Father, and it is through Him. Since our Lord Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected from the dead, we do not need a temple to worship God. We can now worship God wherever we are as long as we worship Him according to the Spirit of God and the truth of the Bible. In John 4:23-24, Jesus said, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." We can now worship God anywhere and anytime. On Sundays, we go to our churches to worship God, but the church buildings where we worship God are not the temple. They are places where we can gather together and worship God, and as we gather together with other believers, we all experience the presence of God.
As we continue to discuss the Tabernacle or Temple, we will learn that we become the Temple of God because God lives in us. Tomorrow, we will begin to discuss the different parts of the Tabernacle and how they relate to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Do I believe that there is only one way to God? Why? Can I worship God anywhere and anytime? Why?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, please continue to teach me to worship you in Spirit and truth. I praise you that I can worship you anywhere I am and at anytime. You are always accessible and available to hear my prayers. Thank you for your love, grace, and mercy. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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