God chooses to live in the hearts of believers!
There is a clear parallel between the dedication of the temple and the dedication of the Church at the day of Pentecost! When King Solomon's temple was completed, when the nation of Israel gathered, and when the ark of the Covenant was brought by the priests into the Holy of Holies, God's presence arrived in an amazing way, igniting a fire on the altar and filling the temple with a cloud of His glory!
2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (CEV)
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.”
And in Acts chapter 2, as followers of Jesus gathered to pray, God marked the birth of the Church with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, rushing into the room with His presence like wind and fire and this time, resting like fire on each believer!
Acts 2:2-4
On the day of Pentecost, all the Lord’s followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.
God doesn't want to just dwell in a physical temple or building. We are now the place where God lives, and together we, not a building, are the Church!