Give honor and praise to the Lord, whose power and beauty fill His holy temple. (Psalm 96:6 CEV)
What does it look like for the Lord to fill His holy temple with power and beauty? Power is most often translated as strength, and in Hebrew, refers not only to strength in force, but character, security, and is praiseworthy. Beauty is that which is beautiful and fair; and is also translated as glorious and honor. Since these words are referring to characteristics belonging to the LORD, then they are of divine and supernatural extremes, perhaps so strong and so glorious, it is beyond our comprehension and perception.
As soon as Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and burned up the offerings. The Lord’s dazzling glory then filled the temple, and the priests could not go in. When the crowd of people saw the fire and the Lord’s glory, they knelt down and worshiped the Lord. They prayed: “The Lord is good, and His love never ends.” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3)
On the day Solomon dedicated the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, there was a tangible, palpable manifestation of the Lord filling His temple with His power and beauty. So much so, the priests could not fulfill their ordained tasks.
So what does this have to do with you? I’m glad you asked. Here’s what the Temple is, starting in the New Covenant : Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
May the LORD so fill you with His power and beauty, that He may be tangibly seen and felt by those around you. Amen.