God Dwells Not In Temples Made With Hands

2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
God’s kingdom is being established right now;

The kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the second coming of Christ to this world. “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,” is to be given to “the people of the saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:27. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them “from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25:34. And Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign. {MB 108.1}

When Christ’s heavenly kingdom finally reveals itself it will be a full manifestation of his power. However, in the meantime the kingdom of grace is being established. Since Jesus went into the Most Holy Place, a kingdom has been given to him and simultaneously His Kingdom is being established here on earth with those that are working in harmony with him. Surely can we see that we are living in the time when His kingdom is being built up and ultimately it will become a big mountain.  The development of this kingdom is spoken of in the book of Acts where the concept of the rock was cut out without hands is mentioned again. Where is God worshipped? Where Jesus states that anyone who worships him must worship him in spirit and in truth; not in Jerusalem and not in Samaria.

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Jesus dwells not in temples made with hands but in the body temple that Christ has created.

Not by the decisions of courts or councils or legislative assemblies, not by the patronage of worldly great men, is the kingdom of Christ established, but by the implanting of Christ’s nature in humanity through the work of the Holy Spirit. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12, 13. Here is the only power that can work the uplifting of mankind. And the human agency for the accomplishment of this work is the teaching and practicing of the word of God. {DA 509.4}

This is the temple is not the workings of human organisation but of Gods direct intervention. Many think their legislative halls and their general conferences are establishing the church. It is the exercise of the Holy Spirit implanting the nature of Christ into us which is the centre of this message.

Jesus is the lively stone that is the foundation that we are to be built upon as lively stones into that spiritual house.

Isaiah 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

We are to offer up spiritual sacrifices in that house and even strangers are to be part of this. Built up in Christ, built up in the temple, lively stone – Jesus is the lively stone and every other stone is to be melded together in him in union of the nature of Christ in humanity. What sort of a building these stones formed into?

Christ, the true foundation, is a living stone; His life is imparted to all that are built upon Him. “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.” “Each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord.” 1 Peter 2:5, R.V.; Ephesians 2:21, R.V. The stones became one with the foundation; for a common life dwells in all. That building no tempest can overthrow; for– “That which shares the life of God, With Him surviveth all.” {MB 150.2}

Here is a stone that was built together from other stones on the foundation stone. To that stone each other stone melds together because the common life blood flows through them all.