Reverence for the House of God

Why did God instruct His people to build a sanctuary?BR-ASI9 420.1

“And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8.BR-ASI9 420.2

How did He tell them to regard this dwelling place of God?BR-ASI9 420.3

“Ye shall keep My sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:30.BR-ASI9 420.4

What does the Lord say of things dedicated to His service?BR-ASI9 420.5

“Every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord.” Leviticus 27:28.BR-ASI9 420.6

When God met Moses at the burning bush, why did He tell him to take off his shoes?BR-ASI9 420.7

“And He said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5. (See also Joshua 5:15.)BR-ASI9 420.8

Note.—The presence of God made the place holy. Wherever God meets with His people, that place is holy.BR-ASI9 420.9

When the tabernacle was reared anciently, what occurred?BR-ASI9 420.10

“Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34. (See 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14.)BR-ASI9 420.11

Why should all show respect for the house of worship?BR-ASI9 420.12

“The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20.BR-ASI9 420.13

Note.—A failure to recognize this fact leads many to treat the house of worship without due respect. Nothing seems more appropriate to divine worship than that a sense of awe and silence should pervade the place of worship, and that only the sound of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving to God should be heard within its walls.BR-ASI9 420.14