Where would be the perfect place to live? What would your ideal house look like? What features would your dream home have?
On these house hunting programmes – LLL, Escape to the Country, or whatever it seems that they are doomed to never quite find the right property in the right location at the right price. Sometimes there is a non-negotiable. Eg it’s got to have a view of the sea, it’s got to have a paddock for the horses ..
For God and his house there has always been one non-negotiable – a place where man and God can dwell together. His heart has always been to presence himself with his people.
Location 1: In Exodus: The tabernacle
“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. (a sanctuary to host me)According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it” (Exodus 25:8-9).
The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God in the midst of His people. “There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel” (v. 25).
A place to be filled with the glorious presence of God where he would interact with his people.
But a tabernacle is like a massive tent – it is only ever going to be temporary. A place for God to dwell among his people on the journey he was taking them on.
Problem – separation. Sin was still in the way.
Location 2: In the land: The Temple
Later on, when the people were in the promised land Solomon built a temple. More permanent but not the ultimate aim
“It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:11-12).
Although the temple was designed as a permanent structure it didn’t last. Like the tabernacle, it was never designed to be the final goal. It’s part of the unfolding story. A step towards where God is taking history
Problem – separation. Sin was still in the way.
Location 3; Revelation 21:3
Behold the dwelling place of God is with man. This is the ultimate. This is the purpose. This is where history has been leading us. Now, finally, at last – this is what the whole thing has been about. God dwelling with his people. And along the way it’s always been on God’s heart. Now there is no sin getting in the way.
This is home. What does home conjure up? For some it might be bad things. But true home is where you are accepted, where you belong. Coming home for Christmas
In revelation 21:3 we have God at home – and you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
This is the ultimate Location. No subtitle coming up at the end “Bill and Jill are still looking for a home in their perfect location”. No this is God’s perfect home and it’s perfect not because of the fixtures and fittings, streets paved with gold, gates made of pearl but because it’s a place where man and God can live in fellowship.
BUT
We’ve not reached there yet.
While we still live this life on this earth he has chosen to live in us. He has made us as individuals to be temples of the Holy Spirit. Places for him to dwell , to live 1 Cor 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you
Corporately we are being built into a temple
1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house
God’s heart is that he should have a place to dwell with man
That’s where we are at right now. Sin dealt – the separating factor with the tabernacle and the temple dealt with at the cross. God living in us.
There’s a Spanish phrase – “Mi casa es su casa”
God’s heart has always been – “my home is your home”. Because he wants to share life with his people.
In Ephesians it says we are already seated with him in heavenly places. In the spirit we are already there, but for now we have our physical existence here on earth and it is our privilege to host him here
Hosting the presence is saying to God – mi casa es su casa, my home is your home.
It’s been said – God doesn’t just want to visit he wants to inhabit.
As we go through the course – let’s see how we can make God at home in our lives, keeping in mind revelation 21.3 and that whole new dimension that is to come.