God doesn't need or dwell in temples?

[VideoGameJunkie]

Acts 17: 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord in heaven and earth, dwelleth  not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

 

Seems God doesn't need temples or doesn't dwell in temples since all temples are made with hands.

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 Kings 6:11-14 'And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. So Solomon built the house, and finished it'.

John 2:13-16 'And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise'.

[JLHPROF]

Nah.

Paul was speaking to idol worshippers.
Scripture is full of examples of God wanting temples and commanding us to build them.

Does he NEED them?  Not personally, given where he dwells, but we do.  And God's desire is to lead us back to him and the temple is a tool for teaching the way back.

 

[VideoGameJunkie]

11 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

1 Kings 6:11-14 'And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. So Solomon built the house, and finished it'.

John 2:13-16 'And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise'.

Oh I agree but it doesn't say why God needs to be in a temple. I've felt God dwelling more in a hospital and my living room. I feel temples are for us, not for God.

[mfbukowski]

10 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

Nah.

Paul was speaking to idol worshippers.
Scripture is full of examples of God wanting temples and commanding us to build them.

Does he NEED them?  Not personally, given where he dwells, but we do.  And God's desire is to lead us back to him and the temple is a tool for teaching the way back.

 

That's it.

He doesn't need them, we do.

[VideoGameJunkie]

I just found it funny because I came across this verse while reading the New Testament and I went to the open house today for the Provo City center temple. I was like, is this God reaching out to me or Satan trying to confuse me with scripture after going to the temple.

[JLHPROF]

6 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

I just found it funny because I came across this verse while reading the New Testament and I went to the open house today for the Provo City center temple. I was like, is this God reaching out to me or Satan trying to confuse me with scripture after going to the temple.

Just the danger of taking any one verse out of context or in isolation from all the rest of scripture.

[Glenn101]

God may or may not need temples. But He wants them. That's good enough for me.

 

Glenn

[VideoGameJunkie]

1 minute ago, JLHPROF said:

Just the danger of taking any one verse out of context or in isolation from all the rest of scripture.

Ya sometimes scripture verses stick out to me.

[Bernard Gui]

42 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

Acts 17: 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord in heaven and earth, dwelleth  not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

 

Seems God doesn't need temples or doesn't dwell in temples since all temples are made with hands.

 Are you asserting that Mormons build temples so God can live in them? Here is what Joseph Smith said at the dedication of the Kirkland temple and what Solomon said at the dedication of the first temple. The purposes of the temples are carefully defined, and setting up a residence for God on earth doesn't appear to be one of them. Both prayers make it clear where God's habitation is and what God will do with the temples.

Quote

 

D&C 109

1 Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest covenant and showest mercy unto thy servants who walk uprightly before thee, with all their hearts. 2 Thou who hast commanded thy servants to build a house to thy name in this place [Kirtland].3 And now thou beholdest, O Lord, that thy servants have done according to thy commandment. 4 And now we ask thee, Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of thy bosom, in whose name alone salvation can be administered to the children of men, we ask thee, O Lord, to accept of this house, the workmanshipof the hands of us, thy servants, which thou didst command us to build. 5 For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people....77 O Lord God Almighty, hear us in these our petitions, and answer us from heaven, thy holy habitation, where thou sittest enthroned, with glory, honor, power, majesty, might, dominion, truth, justice, judgment, mercy, and an infinity of fulness, from everlasting to everlasting. 78 O hear, O hear, O hear us, O Lord! And answer these petitions, and accept the dedication of this house unto thee, the work of our hands, which we have built unto thy name; 79 And also this church, to put upon it thy name.

 

Quote

 

1 Kings 8

12 Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever....18 And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart...19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.  20 And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.... 27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? 28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: 29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2016 by Bernard Gui

[ksfisher]

"A temple is an outward symbol that testifies of the Lord’s desire to dwell with his people, for he has built a house in their midst. It is also our indication to the Lord that we desire him to dwell with us, for we have built a house for him. He is gracious and hospitable. He is always home."

from "Walking on Water: And Other Classic Messages" by S. Michael Wilcox

[Ahab]

If he is ever in one can't it be said that he is dwelling in it?  I don't think he has to be in there 24/7 before we can call it his house,  or one of his houses.  Not that it is his primary residence or dwelling place but if it is built in his name and dedicated to him and his purposes then I believe I can rightfully call it his house and a place where he dwells if he ever spends any time in it.

Just as I say I live wherever I go and any place that is built for me and dedicated to me is one of my houses or dwelling places. 

Not that I need all of them, but, hey, it is pretty nice to have more than one place where I can go and feel comfortable in it.

[JLHPROF]

19 minutes ago, Ahab said:

If he is ever in one can't it be said that he is dwelling in it?  I don't think he has to be in there 24/7 before we can call it his house,  or one of his houses.  Not that it is his primary residence or dwelling place but if it is built in his name and dedicated to him and his purposes then I believe I can rightfully call it his house and a place where he dwells if he ever spends any time in it.

Just as I say I live wherever I go and any place that is built for me and dedicated to me is one of my houses or dwelling places.

Not that I need all of them, but, hey, it is pretty nice to have more than one place where I can go and feel comfortable in it.

Pillar of Fire and Cloud of Smoke...

[danielwoods]

More scriptures demonstrating where God dwells.

 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are."

 

1 Corinthians 6:19 - " Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?"

2 Corinthians 6:16 -"For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

 

 

[JLHPROF]

18 minutes ago, danielwoods said:

More scriptures demonstrating where God dwells.

 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are."

 

1 Corinthians 6:19 - " Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?"

2 Corinthians 6:16 -"For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

 

 

Also true.

God's spirit dwells in our physical temples just as in the stone temples he commands his children to build.

[theplains]

20 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

Scripture is full of examples of God wanting temples and commanding us to build them.

Would you name one example in each of the Book of Mormon, POGP, D&C and the Bible (New Testament) where 
God commanded Christians to build temples.

Thanks, 
Jim

[JLHPROF]

11 minutes ago, theplains said:

Would you name one example in each of the Book of Mormon, POGP, D&C and the Bible (New Testament) where 
God commanded Christians to build temples.

Thanks, 
Jim

OT
Ezra1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

1 Kings 5:5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

NT
No such scripture exists, because there is no reason for it to exist.  The people in the NT already had a temple.  It had already been built by commandment.
Check out what Christ said about it, how much time he spent there, and how God honored it.

BOM
There is no command specifically.
However 2 Nephi tells us:
10 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses.
16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.

Perhaps building a temple after the manner of Solomon's was part of their attempt to keep the commandments of the Lord in all things.  Not a stretch.

D&C
D&C 88:119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

Don't forget what the scriptures say about temples.  Christ called it his house.  And we have been told:
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

[PeterPear]

On February 2, 2016 at 9:46 PM, VideoGameJunkie said:

Acts 17: 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord in heaven and earth, dwelleth  not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

 

Seems God doesn't need temples or doesn't dwell in temples since all temples are made with hands.

Silly. You quote one verse and take it out of context. The Apostle Paul was speaking in Athens (where no one ever believed him) and was referrimg to the false Greek Temples built with "men's hands" which were not inspired of God.

HE WAS REFERRING TO GREEK SUPERSTITIONS, GREEK MYTHOLOGY, GREEK TEMPLES BUILT TO FALSE gODS!

22 ¶Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

 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;

 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

[carbon dioxide]

A lot of people think that God is some sort of omnipresent being that is everywhere.  So how can an omnipresent being not dwell in a temple made by hands?  Are not those temples a part of everywhere?

[danielwoods]

10 hours ago, PeterPear said:

Silly. You quote one verse and take it out of context. The Apostle Paul was speaking in Athens (where no one ever believed him) and was referrimg to the false Greek Temples built with "men's hands" which were not inspired of God.

HE WAS REFERRING TO GREEK SUPERSTITIONS, GREEK MYTHOLOGY, GREEK TEMPLES BUILT TO FALSE gODS!

22 ¶Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

 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;

 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Paul is making a statement that is universally true. God doesn't dwell in temples made by hands. He isn't just referencing the false gods because he then followed it up with "as though he needed anything..." 

Further, none of the apostles instructed anyone to build temples. And, neither did Jesus, in fact he did the opposite. While they were bragging about how good the temple was he said destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days. Guess what? He wasn't talking about the Jewish temple. The focus of Jesus was in the inward man, not what people see like temples built by men. 

Finally, the Jewish temple had specific place inside where God dwelt, the holy of holies. When Jesus bridged the gap between God and man and atoned for all of our sin, the veil was torn in two and God no longer needed that place because now he dwells inside of his own as a result. 

[smac97]

On 2/2/2016 at 10:06 PM, VideoGameJunkie said:

Oh I agree but it doesn't say why God needs to be in a temple. I've felt God dwelling more in a hospital and my living room. I feel temples are for us, not for God.

Why do you think they are called "The House of the Lord?"

Why do you think the Savior said this (emphasis added):

Quote

 45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

 46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

When the Savior said in Matthew 23:21 "And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein," who is the "him" in "him that dwelleth therein?"

Thanks,

-Smac

Edited February 3, 2016 by smac97

[JLHPROF]

16 minutes ago, danielwoods said:

Paul is making a statement that is universally true. God doesn't dwell in temples made by hands. He isn't just referencing the false gods because he then followed it up with "as though he needed anything..."

True.

Quote

Further, none of the apostles instructed anyone to build temples. And, neither did Jesus, in fact he did the opposite. While they were bragging about how good the temple was he said destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days. Guess what? He wasn't talking about the Jewish temple. The focus of Jesus was in the inward man, not what people see like temples built by men.

No commandment because there was already one in Jerusalem.  Additionally, they performed temple ordinances on mountains and in homes, something the Lord has always permitted when they were prevented from building one.

Quote

Finally, the Jewish temple had specific place inside where God dwelt, the holy of holies. When Jesus bridged the gap between God and man and atoned for all of our sin, the veil was torn in two and God no longer needed that place because now he dwells inside of his own as a result.

Well, that's half true.

[PeterPear]

7 hours ago, danielwoods said:

Paul is making a statement that is universally true. God doesn't dwell in temples made by hands. He isn't just referencing the false gods because he then followed it up with "as though he needed anything..." 

Further, none of the apostles instructed anyone to build temples. And, neither did Jesus, in fact he did the opposite. While they were bragging about how good the temple was he said destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days. Guess what? He wasn't talking about the Jewish temple. The focus of Jesus was in the inward man, not what people see like temples built by men. 

Finally, the Jewish temple had specific place inside where God dwelt, the holy of holies. When Jesus bridged the gap between God and man and atoned for all of our sin, the veil was torn in two and God no longer needed that place because now he dwells inside of his own as a result. 

So then why did Jesus preach in the Temple and cleanse it from the money-changers and call it his Father's house.

Why did Peter preach in the Temple as well as Paul. Why does Corinthians 13 refer to baptism for the dead.

[Zakuska]

For a God who doesn't need or dwell in temples... he sure dwells in a lot of temples.

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

[The Nehor]

13 hours ago, danielwoods said:

Finally, the Jewish temple had specific place inside where God dwelt, the holy of holies. When Jesus bridged the gap between God and man and atoned for all of our sin, the veil was torn in two and God no longer needed that place because now he dwells inside of his own as a result. 

I think it was more a commentary of that sacred place no longer being sacred. God was profaning his own house because it was no longer his.