The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 24

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. ~(iii.~)- (S9:rLOH. )-Tlie te!i~ple of the !,ord_. . Most of the relig·ious ideas and ~XJ?re~s10ns "'.1th wh1cl~ we arc. fam1har had their ongm fa! back in distant ages; and 1t 1s mterestmg and mstructive to trace them to their sourc·e and mark their alteration and expansion in the progressive course of Divine re~elation. This is the first instance in which the expression "the temple of the Lord O occurs. Notice- I. ITS SCRIPTURAL APPLICATIONS. 1. A 1'laterial structure. "In the earliest ages God -was worshipped wi0out any disti_nction at a~y time and at any place, whenever and where,er the promptmgs of devotion moved m the hearts of his creatures • more especially, however, under the shadow of embowering trees, on hills and mou~tains and in places where they had experienced some special manifestations of his favour ,l (Jahn). The first erection (with the exception of altars) was (1) the tabernacle oi tent (Exod. x:xv. 8), here called the temple or (more literally) the palace of Jehovah, as the royal residence of the king of Israel. Afterwards (2) the temple of Solomon, (3) of Zerubbabel; and (4) of Herod. 2. Plte incarnate Word (John i. 14; ii. 21; Col. ii. 19). 3. Christian men. The body of each (1 Cor. vi. 19). The whole assembly (1 Cor. iii. 16; 2 Cor. vi. 16; Eph. ii. 20-22; 1 Pet. ii. 5). Observe the progress :-God/or us, witlt us, in us; Father, Son, Spirit. 4. The lieavenly world. Although there is no temple tlierein (Rev. xxi. 22), yet heaven is altogether a temple (Rev. vii. 15). II. !Ts MAIN SIGNIFICANCE in all these applications. It is-1. Set apart for tlte- Lord. Selected, separated, and consecrated as his possession,' and for his use. 2. Inhabi,ted by him. His throne is there. He dwells between the c'herubim, in fellowship with the redeemed. 3. Manifests him, in his holiness and love. His glory appears, his voice is heard, his will is declared (Exod; xxv. 22 ; Heh. iv. 16)- 4. In it urvu;e is rendered to liim. At first it was chiefly in outward symbolical acts; afterwards of the man himself, "body, soul, and spirit" (Rom. xii. 1 ; 1 Pet. ii. 9; Rev. i. 6). In each of these particulars we see the principle of progress, from the natural to the spiritual (1 Cor. xv. 46). III. ITS SrIRITUAL SUGGESTIONS. 1. That tlie place in whiclt man wors!tips is of far less importance than man himself and his possession of a lwly cliaracter. No place or building can be holy in the full sense of the word. For holiness implies intelligence affection, freedom ; and these make him unspeakably greater than all "the gorge~us p~laces and sol.~mn templ~s " which the ~arth c~~tains. " To this man will I look, &c. (Isa. lvu. 15; lxvu. 1, 2; Matt. xu. 6). Let more regard be paid to the promotion of religion than the dec?ration_ of churche_s ; for althoug}1 it is a good thing that churches should be beautiful edifices, yet Virtue forms theu; best crown and ornament. It seems to us that the building of handsome churches pertains rather to_ the Old Testament,_w?ilst ~he impr_ove,r:ient of character a1;1d l~e is the more peculiar work of the Chnstrnn d1spensat1on (Charlemagne, Cap1tula1y of the year 811 ). 2. Tliat the pattern to whu;h the character of man must be con- formed is Jesus Christ. He is not only the Living Stone to w~om every one must come that he may be built up into the "spiritual house," the Clue~ Corner-~tone on wl,ich the whole building rests, but also the perfect Model accordmg to wlu~h each and all must be fashioned (Rom. viii. 29). 3. That the character of man 1s con- formed to its Divine pattern by the indwelling of the Holy Gliost. 4. Tliat ~nly tkose in wlwm God dwdls here will befit to dwell with God lte:reajter, and conet1tute (IH, I. 9-28.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 19'