“Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: The world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.”
Psalm 96:10-13 KJV,https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.96.10-13.KJV
The Church is God’s Sacred Space
Back when the Old Testament stories were still being lived out, God designated sacred spaces for His people to meet with Him.
First, God planted a garden in Eden—a beautiful space in paradise for His prized creations. Next, the tabernacle was a portable space in the wilderness for the Israelites who’d been rescued from Egyptian slavery. Then, the temple was a permanent space in Jerusalem for the people of Israel.
In all instances, these were specially chosen places of worship, as well as tangible signs of God’s presence.
The Creator of everything that exists can’t be confined to a garden, a tent, or a building, but it was in those sacred spaces where heaven and earth could overlap.
Fun fact: Garden imagery is all over the decorative details of both the tabernacle and the temple: palm trees and pomegranates, water lilies and almond blossoms, lions and oxen, vibrant colors and precious metals. Such designs are meant to point back to the beginning—before ...