Did God dwell in a physical temple?

[tonychanyt]

1 Kings 8:

12 Solomon declared: “The LORDf has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud. 13 I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

God dwelled in Solomon's temple.

27 But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

Solomon's temple could not contain God.

30 Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.

There was a more permanent dwelling place for God in heaven.

Jesus spoke to the crowds in Matthew 23:

21 And the one having sworn by the temple swears by it and by the One dwelling [G2730] in it.

God dwelled in Herod's temple with respect to oath swearing.

Stephen addressed the Sanhedrin in Acts:

47 Solomon built Him the house. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in hand-made houses. As the prophet says: 49‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth a footstool of My feet. What kind of house will you build Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest?

Stephen expressed the deeper truth.

Paul told the Athenians in Acts 17:

24 The God having made the world and all things that are in it, He being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell [G2730] in hand-made temples, 25 nor is He served by hands of men as needing anything, Himself giving to all life and breath and everything.

God did not dwell in pagan temples.

Did God dwell in a physical temple?

He did temporarily, on and off. However, God's presence was not limited to a physical building. His more permanent dwelling place was in heaven.

After the cross, the Paraclete/Spirit dwells in us.