In Genesis 2:18 God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone”. And so God made a helper (Eve) to dwell with Adam. It is especially not good for man to be separated from God and alone in that sense. Throughout human history, our heavenly Father has shown us His heart to dwell with His people in different ways at different times.
In the Garden of Eden, after God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils and created Adam and Eve, He dwelt with them – walking in the garden and talking with them (Genesis 1:28-29, 2:8-9). However, Adam and Eve’s sin severed this relationship, and God drove them out of the garden and away from His presence (Genesis 3:23-24). It is impossible for a holy God to dwell with sinful men and women.
Several thousand years later, via the tabernacle and the temple, God made a new way to dwell with His people. However, it was a limited way and a mere shadow of what was to come, involving the High Priest following various rituals and rules to approach God’s holy presence. Referring to the tabernacle, God said in Exodus 29:45-46, “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell with them.” God then chose Solomon to build His temple in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 28:6), where he would “dwell among the children of Israel” (1 Kings 6:13).
Around a thousand years later, God sent His Son Jesus to dwell among us. One of His names was Immanuel, which means “God with us”. John 1:14 says
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father”.
God’s glorious presence was not hidden behind the temple curtain – Jesus walked the earth and communed with His people.
On the cross, Jesus’ death for the sin of believers tore the temple curtain in two, breaking the barrier between man and God and achieving reconciliation. By taking the punishment for our sin, and by gifting us His righteousness, Jesus opened up the way for us to draw near to God.
Soon after, Jesus ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to His people “to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth… You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). Not only does God now dwell in each believer, but the Spirit also ministers to us, sanctifying us and making us holy, conforming us to the image of Christ. Ultimately He will glorify each of us, making us fit to dwell with God forever in the New Jerusalem.
Of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:3 says,
Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God”.
In eternity we will have perfect and unbroken communion with God, praising Him and worshipping Him and revelling in His glory.
It is not good that man should be alone, and separated from God by our sin and rebellion. This Christmas let us praise God for His mercy and grace in sending Jesus to dwell with us, in a foretaste of what is to come for believers. Let us praise God for the work of Christ on the cross to declare us righteous, and for the Spirit dwelling in us to transform us into Christ’s righteousness, all for the ultimate glorious purpose that God may dwell with us (and us with Him) in perfect love, joy and peace for all eternity.
0 Comments