- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
- 2 Kings 25:9 - And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire.
- Ezra 2:68 - And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place.
- Ezra 3:7 - They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
- Ezra 6:14 - And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 - Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
In April 2019, a fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral destroyed its famous spire and the wooden structures supporting the roof. Restoration plans were made almost immediately. Donations were collected from all over the world, and craftsmen began reconstruction using original building methods and materials.
In 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar ordered the burning of God's temple in Jerusalem. After returning from the Babylonian exile, the Israelites "gave freewill offerings to the house of God to rebuild it on its site." They first built an altar, then paid stonemasons and carpenters, and also brought cedar wood from Lebanon. Although there were those who opposed this work and faced obstacles, in the end, the temple was restored, and the people began to worship God again.
Today, the temple of God is us — those who believe in Christ. The Lord gives us everything we need to build one another up — but this is done not with stone and wood, but with encouraging words, prayer, and spiritual gifts.
Reflection
How can you remind yourself that you are a part of God's temple, and how have other believers strengthened or restored you?