God has always wanted fellowship with his people. He commanded Moses to make a place for him to dwell, from which He would communicate through a spokesman. “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them:” (Ex 25:8). This sanctuary would be portable, making it possible for Him to be a wanderer along with his people. He would lead them; they were to go where He went.
David wanted to build a house for God, but God did not allow him to because David had been a man of war. David did, however, arrange for a lot of materials and labor to be resourced and planned. It was left for Solomon to build. It was glorious and glitzy; rich beyond compare.
God manifested Himself in a glorious cloud in that place. “So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord” (1 Ki. 8:11). That temple was destroyed during the captivity period. Its riches were taken by the Babylonians
At the end of the captivity, another temple was erected; it was called Zerubbabel’s temple (Ezra 6:15, 16). The “old folks” cried because this temple was so plain compared the Solomon’s temple which had been destroyed. God’s presence occupied that temple until His departure during Ezekiel’s day (Ezek. 10:18). The temple remained without God’s presence; it was later expanded/replaced and made “glitzy and glorious” by King Herod. It was the temple where Jesus went for Passover, where he stayed and talked with the temple leaders when he was twelve years old. It was destroyed in AD 70.
Ezekiel had another vision in which he saw a magnificent city. That is the city to which the name Jehovah-shammah is given. The city represents the earthly Jerusalem, He also saw a temple the details of which Ezekiel took nine chapters to describe. David Wilkerson supports an argument that this temple was never to be a literal place because of impossibilities such as it being more than twice the size of the entire nation. He writes: I have no doubt Ezekiel was seeing the worldwide, spiritual city that is to be our Lord’s habitation forever. This was the true temple – the body consisting of every born-again believer, a tabernacle that couldn’t possibly be made with human hands. Wilkerson’s interpretation is fitting in light of I Cor. 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” and 2 Cor. 6:16 “Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
It is important to have an overview of these dwelling places as we go into a study of the Book of Haggai.
Image tabernacle: Yahoo; Image Solomon’s temple: gettyfreeimage.com
Sweet aroma 
I like this description of the true temple: “the body consisting of every born-again believer, a tabernacle that couldn’t possibly be made with human hands”
Yes, yes. Amazing.
I came across something interesting that I never heard before: In Tom Holland’s book, “Dominion; the Making of the Western Mind,” he reports that when Pompey conquered Jerusalem in 63BC, he entered the Holy of Holies only to find a bare black stone, not the Ark of the Covenant. Apparently it was never returned after the Babylonian captivity.
Good to know we are parts of a Temple not made by human hands!
c.a.
Do you know whether the Babylonians took it, or did they let the Jews carry it according to their law? And, yes, I also am amazed and thankful that the Lord reigns within his people. We are truly blessed.
I doubt the Babylonians allowed the Hebrews to handle any of the treasures they sacked. All they wanted was the gold.
Just remembering the story of Uzzah and wondering why God allowed the Babylonians to profane the Ark of the Covenant.
I’m on the front row…the one transfixed and ready to absorb the lessons!!!
I plan to post Haggai tomorrow. I have it drafted on Publisher but haven’t moved to WP yet. I’ll look out for you.
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I will also be very interested in your ongoing lesson. Knowing we are His HOLY Spirit indwelled vessels Is a great starting point for spiritual understanding. Thank you.
Yes, it is good to look at God’s writings with the Holy Spirit’s input.
I really enjoyed this. Thank you for sharing. If physical temples were important in the Old and New Testaments, would you say that there is a continuing need today?
Michael, off the top of my head as relates to our culture and times, yes, I believe “temples” or physical locations are important for Christians to meet and for sinners to be welcomed and introduced (discipled) to a life lived according to the Word of God as manifest trough Jesus Christ. I have a post that gives about fourteen things that it is important for church fellowships to do that cannot be done by single “I-can-be-a-Christian-at-home” individual. Taking ones tithes to the storehouse is one; anointing and sending missionaries is another; if you care to pursue this topic, it is discussed at this link: https://onetahayes.com/2020/02/26/purposes-for-local-church-body/