Casa de Deus: o que a Bíblia diz sobre este lugar
O que a Bíblia chama de casa de Deus
Na Bíblia, a "casa de Deus" não é uma construção física feita para conter o Criador, mas o espaço onde Ele escolhe manifestar a sua presença e se relacionar com as pessoas. Esse conceito se desenvolve ao longo das Escrituras: começa com altares e tendas no deserto, passa pelo templo de Jerusalém e culmina no Novo Testamento, onde a morada divina passa a ser o próprio crente e a comunidade da fé.
A primeira vez que a expressão surge associada a um lugar específico ocorre quando Jacó acorda de uma visão no deserto e chama aquele local de Betel — que significa literalmente "casa de Deus":
And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and said, Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven.(Genesis 28:16,17)
Mais tarde, Israel ergueu o tabernáculo móvel e, depois, o templo de Salomão. Ainda assim, os profetas e apóstolos sempre enfatizaram que Deus transcende qualquer espaço construído por mãos humanas:
Thus saith Jehovah: The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what is the house that ye will build unto me? and what is the place of my rest? Even all these things hath my hand made, and all these things have been, saith Jehovah. But to this man will I look: to the afflicted and contrite in spirit, and who trembleth at my word.(Isaiah 66:1,2)
Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things?(The Acts 7:44-50)
O desejo pela presença nos Salmos
Nos Salmos, a expressão "casa do Senhor" frequentemente expressa a saudade e o anseio pela comunhão viva com Deus, e não mero apego às paredes do santuário. Estar na casa de Deus significava desfrutar de paz, segurança e abrigo sob o cuidado do Criador:
One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Jehovah, and to inquire of him in his temple.(Psalms 27:4)
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.(Psalms 84:10)
I rejoiced when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Jehovah.(Psalms 122:1)
Os autores bíblicos usam essa imagem para descrever a estabilidade espiritual de quem confia no Senhor:
Surely, goodness and loving-kindness shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of Jehovah for the length of the days.(Psalms 23:6)
But as for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God I will confide in the loving-kindness of God for ever and ever.(Psalms 52:8)
Blessed is he whom thou choosest and causest to approach: he shall dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, of thy holy temple.(Psalms 65:4)
Jesus e o zelo pelo templo
Nos evangelhos, Jesus trata o templo físico com reverência solene, confrontando os líderes religiosos que haviam transformado o local sagrado em mercado lucrativo:
And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those that sold the doves. And he says to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of robbers.(Matthew 21:12,13)
A postura de Cristo ao expulsar os vendilhões cumpriu o sentimento profético registrado nos Salmos sobre o compromisso irrestrito com as coisas do Pai:
And the passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple the sellers of oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting; and, having made a scourge of cords, he cast them all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the change of the money-changers, and overturned the tables, and said to the sellers of doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of thy house devours me.(John 2:13-17)
For the zeal of thy house hath devoured me, and the reproaches of them that reproach thee have fallen upon me.(Psalms 69:9)
Nesse mesmo episódio, Jesus apontou para a transição definitiva: ao anunciar que reedificaria o templo em três dias, Ele falava da ressurreição do seu próprio corpo, inaugurando uma nova forma de encontro com o Criador.
A morada espiritual: a igreja e o corpo do cristão
Com a nova aliança estabelecida por Cristo e a vinda do Espírito Santo, o conceito de templo físico perde a centralidade. A morada de Deus deixa de ser um endereço geográfico e se torna pessoal e comunitária.
Individualmente, o corpo do cristão é santuário do Espírito:
Do ye not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God; and ye are not your own?(1 Corinthians 6:19)
Coletivamente, a comunidade dos que creem — a igreja — é a verdadeira família e habitação viva de Deus na terra:
but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.(1 Timothy 3:15)
but Christ, as Son over his house, whose house are we, if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end.(Hebrews 3:6)
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