As I walked through the temple gates, I immediately felt a heavy presence. Although the buildings and temple grounds were beautifully ornate, there was something just not right about this place. It was clear that the presence of the Lord was unwelcome.
Because Buddhism is so pervasive in Thailand (about 95% of Thais are Buddhist), we toured the temples in Bangkok to pray for the people of this country to see the Truth. In addition, we were able to gain a better understanding of Thai culture. After riding a public bus, the SkyTrain, and several ferries down the river, we arrived at the first stop-Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn. This temple consists of many buildings in an elaborate complex with the largest building in the center hosing the Buddah. The architecture here was an interesting mix between ancient Cambodian and Chinese.
We made our way through the city, becoming very familiar with public transportation as we progressed. We went to two other temples, each one dedicated to a different aspect of Buddhism. As we climbed the 318 steps to the top of the last temple, I couldn’t get words to the song Ancient of Days out of my mind:
Every tongue in heaven and earth shall declare your Glory
Every knee will should bow at your throne in worship
You will be exalted, oh God
And your kingdom shall not pass away, oh
Ancient of Days!
Although Buddhism sprouted about 500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, our LORD is truly ancient, preceding any other man-made religion. Standing on top of the temple, gazing at the Bangkok skyline, I was overwhelmed with the hugeness of God. He is timeless, before anything else in existence. Although His presence was unwelcome in the temples, His glory still shone because He is the Author of Life, the Author of All.
[For more pictures from the day, click here]
