Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God…The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods…the temple I build must be large and magnificent” (2 Chronicles 2:4, 5, 9).
Those are King Solomon’s words to Hiram, the king of Tyre. Hiram is like the manager of the biblical Home Depot, supplying all kinds of wood and contractors for the work.
The words that caught my attention this time around were “large” and “magnificent.” I’ve worshiped in some really small, simple chapels. I’ve also been in some beautiful, expansive sanctuaries that took my breath away. I’ve worshiped in spaces that had no windows but lots of stage lighting. I’ve preached in windowed churches where the sunlight blinded me for a few minutes as it moved across the sky.
Even Solomon acknowledges you can’t put God in a box. So why even try? Why build a place at all? Why a big, medium, or small worship space?
Every worship building, from tabernacle to temple to cathedral is a reminder of God’s presence, power, and protection. God doesn’t need a place. But we need to remember that he has come to dwell with us. And every building is a space that illustrates that truth.
