The Next Temple -“From Stone to Spirit to Glory” Exodus 25:8 (KJV) From the beginning of Scripture, God’s desire has always been to dwell with His people. The temple was never merely about a building; it was about the presence of God among those He redeemed. In the Old Testament, God commanded Israel to build the tabernacle and later the temple so that His presence could dwell among them. These structures reminded the people that a holy God desired fellowship with sinful humanity.However, Scripture also shows that when God’s people turned their hearts away from Him, the glory of God departed even though the buildings remained. The temple could stand in Jerusalem while the hearts of the people were far from the Lord. Jesus Himself confronted this when He cleansed the temple and warned that religion without true devotion to God turns sacred places into empty forms.The New Testament reveals the greater fulfillment of the temple. Jesus Christ is the true Temple, the place where God and man meet. Through His death and resurrection, believers are now made the temple of the Holy Spirit, where God dwells within His people. The story ultimately reaches its climax in eternity, where there will be no temple building at all because God and the Lamb will dwell directly with His people forever.Our message reminds us that the real question is not about physical temples but about God’s presence in our lives. The next temple God desires to fill is not made of stone, but the hearts of those who belong to Him.