God’s Dwelling Place

I’d like to talk today about God’s presence, where He lives, His dwelling place. Let’s start with where you picture or think about where His dwelling place is? I’d love to hear what you all think……

When I was young, I thought of God being “out there”, “up in heaven”, somewhere far away from me, looking down at me. The Lord’s Prayer: “Our father, who art in heaven”. He was

separate from me, like a human father is a separate being from me.

I wanted to look into the history of God’s dwelling place over the centuries, and I started with the Moses tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant.

In Exodus 24, Moses is on Mt Sinai where he receives the laws and 10 Commandments. He then enters the cloud covering the mountain, and stays there for 40 days and 40 nights. During that time, in Exodus 25, the Lord gives Moses all kinds of instructions, starting with having the Israelites bring him offerings of gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple and scarlet yarn, goat hair, olive oil, gems, etc. Then God says:

Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.

-Ex 24:8

God then continues telling Moses exactly how to build this sanctuary, the Tabernacle, the Altar of Burnt Offerings, Priestly garments, etc. The instructions fill all of chapters 25-31.

In Chapters 35-40, they build the Tabernacle, with all of the details repeated in the prior verses, and they take it with them as they travel-

Then the cloud covered the Tent of the Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out.

-Ex 40:34

This all happened in the 1400’s BC.

Now we come to King Solomon’s reign about 480 years later, where he builds the Temple in Jerusalem.

I intend to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, “Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.”

-1Kings 5:5

It is described in detail in Chapter 6, and it took him 13 years to build. In chapter 8, King Solomon summons his elders to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple. A large cloud

filled the temple. Then Solomon said-

“The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”

-1Kings 8:12

And then Jesus comes, 500 years later.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly”

-John 10:10

And Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

-John 14:13-21

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?”

— 1 Corinthians 6:19

We’re the dwelling place. And when we receive communion, it’s a reminder that when we eat this bread and drink this cup we are filling ourselves up with God’s love. And the Holy Spirit, dwelling inside of us, will help us become like Jesus, loving and caring for one another.

Amen