The Lord does not live in Temples Built by Hands
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
Rev. Tse Amable | October 11 2025 | Acts 17:22-31
KEY VERSE: “. . . The GOD who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and DOES NOT LIVE IN TEMPLES BUILT BY HANDS.” (Acts 17:24, NIV)
MESSAGE:
In his zeal to discourage idol worship and to teach the worship of the only true and living God, Apostle Paul declared that God does not dwell in temples built by human hands. He went on to state that the Lord God “is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25 NIV). The statement that God does not live in temples built by human hands was one of the submissions Stephen made to the angry Jewish leaders who were ready to stone him to death (see Acts 7:48). Both Stephen and Paul were quoting from the word of Jehovah, which was spoken through the Prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 66:1-2).
This statement has two sides. First, the Lord God does not live in houses built by human hands because He is too great to be confined to any building. Before he created the heavens and the earth, Elohim had pre-existed. Genesis, the book of beginnings, opened with this declaration: “IN THE BEGINNING, GOD ...” The Creator God is self-sufficient in everything and does not need anything from us. Moreover, THE BIG AND ALMIGHTY GOD is Omnipresent (he is everywhere at the same time) and therefore cannot be restricted to any single place on planet earth.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Reflect on the beautiful creations of God, such as birds, exotic fish, and flowers in the field. Can any temple, sanctuary, or chapel built by human beings compare with the elegance of God’s creation? Do not boast about how magnificent your chapel or sanctuary is. Instead, boast about how awesome your God is. PRAYER:
Use the following lyrics to worship the Lord:
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: TEMPLES The word temples comes from the Greek word naos (ναός), which means a dwelling place or sanctuary. In ancient times, the naos referred to the inner part of a sacred structure — the place thought to house the presence of a deity. Paul uses this term intentionally to teach that the true dwelling of God is not in structures made by people, but in His creation and His people themselves.
This truth echoes throughout Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul reminds believers that their bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God no longer resides in stone buildings but within hearts that love and obey Him.
Reflect on this:
How do you honour God as His living temple in your daily actions, choices, and relationships?
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