Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

June 22– Morning

 by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“He will build the temple of the Lord and will receive the glory of his throne.” 

—Zechariah 6:13

Christ himself is the builder of his spiritual temple, and he has built it on the mountains of his unchangeable affection, his omnipotent grace, and his infallible truthfulness. But just as materials were prepared for Solomon’s temple, the spiritual temple also requires preparation.

To be sure, the cedars of Lebanon used for the New Temple are not chopped down, shaped, and made into planks with physical tools but with the hands of Christ himself. The stones of the quarry must be cut and squared, but all of this is Christ’s work. He polishes each individual believer to make them ready for his place in the temple. The Great Craftsman uses all kinds of tools to fashion our hearts and set us apart for heaven’s worship.

We are told that Solomon’s temple was not built with hammer, nor axe, nor any iron tool because it was brought to the building site perfectly prepared for the exact spot it was to occupy. And this is how it is with the temple that Jesus builds; the preparation is all done on earth. When we reach heaven there will be no more of the sawing of sanctification; no more sanding us with afflictions; no more need to be planed with suffering. No, Christ will do all of that here beforehand. And when he is finished, we will be ferried by his loving hand across the stream of death and brought to the heavenly Jerusalem where we will stand as eternal pillars in the temple of our Lord. [M&E]