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1 Chronicles 22:2-4: So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. he provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrains had brought large numbers of them to David.
1 Chronicles 28:2:Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it.
1 Chronicles 28:15: We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.
Acts 7:47-51: But it was Solomon who built the house for him. However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things? You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! you are just like your fathers. You always resist the Holy Spirit!

 

The house of God was prepared to hold the ark of the covenant. The structure was being completed with stone, nails, bronze and cedar logs.  So too was the final resting place for our covenant prepared in Jesus.

The Father saw to it that Solomon built the Temple to hold the ark of the covenant.  In the same way, the body of Jesus was prepared using the same materials to house the final covenant which was poured out in His blood.

You see, nails were driven into the gateways of Jesus' hands and feet.  The cedar was prepared in the form of the cross, and the bronze that could not be weighed is the judgment that was poured out on the body of Jesus. Jesus is the cornerstone, and so He is the one who will forever hold the promise, the covenant that we all rest in. You see David proclaims that we are aliens and strangers in His sight, as our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Everything that was done at the temple is a shadow of Jesus, and with Jesus we are all with hope! Through Jesus, we are no longer aliens or strangers (Ephesians 2:19) we have Him who is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). Before he was stoned to death, Stephen explains through Isaiah's prophecy that God is the one who does all of this through His Holy Spirit.  It is up to us not to resist the Holy Spirit. What Stephen is saying here is that instead of looking to the temple for our righteousness, it is only through Jesus that we have justification and righteousness. We no longer have to find our justification at church, and through doctrine.  It is through the gift of Jesus Christ. I'm not suggesting that you stop going to church. I am suggesting that church does not provide salvation in and of itself. It is only Jesus that provides us with that truth. Find your rest, peace, and hope in Jesus.  He is the final home of our true covenant that was built with blood, stone, cedar, nails, bronze, and love. But love is the largest piece of what was completed in Jesus. And it was for us all.

 

Father, thank You for the covenant You made with us through Your son Jesus Christ.  Let us never look anywhere but to Him for righteousness and salvation.  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that rests in us today, guiding us and giving us wisdom on all things.  We praise Your name and look to You always.  In Jesus name, amen.