Building on the Past

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll indicates that Alice’s understanding of her world has matured beyond those around her by increasing her physical size, depicting her as uncontainable by her environs. In the last scenes of Alice’s dream, Carroll says, “[Alice] had grown so large in the last few minutes that she wasn’t a bit afraid of interrupting [the king] . . . ‘Who cares for you?’ said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time). ‘You’re nothing but a pack of cards!’” The cards, realizing their precarious position, then proceed to attack Alice, awakening her from her dream.

Solomon understood the paradox of trying to build a dwelling for an uncontainable God. He had built a temple for a God whose only dwelling is behind dark clouds—whom even the heavens cannot contain (vv. 1, 18; Acts 7:47–50)! How could Solomon expect the temple to magnify the greatness of such a God? How can we expect our houses of worship to exalt this same great God?

We must always keep in mind that God is greater than His house and is shrouded in mystery, hiding the fullness of His glory from us until in perfection we can embrace it all. This God is the One who must grow our ministries and memberships, deepening us spiritually, just as the Lord was faithful to build the temple He promised to David.

Moreover, God will exalt His name among us as we keep the Lord central to the identity and activities of our churches. The temple served as a place for God’s people to turn to the Lord for mercy from sin and salvation from judgment. The Lord, who is greater than all He has made, will answer prayers of repentance, for His merciful eyes always are upon His house.

Pray with Us

Keep in prayer the Marketing Communications team: graphic designers Larry Bohlin, Lynn Gabalec, Rachel Hutcheson, and Doug Fleener, as well as program manager Paul Currie. May the Lord be glorified with their service at Moody!

BY Dr. Eric C. Redmond

Dr. Eric C. Redmond serves as a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and as associate pastor of adult ministries at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is married to Pam and they have five children. He is the author of Say It!  Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody Publishers), Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's’ Questions about the Church (Crossway), a commentary on Jonah in the Christ-Centered Exposition Series (B&H Publishers), and a study guide on Ephesians in the Knowing the Bible series (Crossway).