He Abides

In reading through I Kings, I came across a verse that I hadn't noticed before. King Solomon has just finished building a magnificent temple. It was built of the finest materials and covered in gold. The Ark of the Covenant, which was in the Holy of Holies of the tent-like Tabernacle, had been moved to the most holy place of the new temple.

"And the priest brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto His place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place even under the wings of the cherubims.

For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark; and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were even out of the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without; and there they are unto this day. . .

And it came to pass, when the priest were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD." 

(I Kings 8: 6-11, KJV) (emphasized words not in original)


The staves were used to carry the furniture of the Tabernacle, when they were moved from place to place - the Brazen Altar, the Laver, the Table of Showbread, the Candlestick, the Altar of Incense, and the Ark of the Covenant.

No one was to ever touch the Ark of the Covenant or they would die. (as in the story of Uzzah) The Ark was to be covered and carried by the Levites to wherever God led them.

Ever since God gave Moses instruction of the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness all the way through the kingdom of David, the staves remained in the rings of the Ark. When David was king of Israel, he wanted to honor the LORD and build a temple, but God gave the privilege to his son, Solomon.

When the Ark was placed in the temple, the staves were removed to show that the Ark of the Covenant was there to stay. God showed his approval by filling the temple with His Shekinah glory.

As Christians, God's Spirit fills those who belong to Him. We are His temple.

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (I Corinthians 6:19,KJV)


He has promised that He will never leave us. He has "taken out the staves" and He has found a place to abide - in us!

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."   (John 14: 16-20, KJV)

Does God's Spirit abide in you? Do you know that He has promised to abide there forever? He is not ever, ever going to leave. He promised, and He cannot break His Word.