“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14)
There is something about the aging process that tends to change us, or should change us, with the passing years. Our priorities shift and perspectives change as we begin to look more towards “that eternal city, not made with human hands, whose Maker and Builder is God Himself” (Heb.11:10). We realize more fully, with the passing of time, that our only permanence is elsewhere, that to build our lives on the shifting sands of time is, as Jesus stated, rather foolish.(Mt.7:26-27).
The word that John uses, often translated as dwelt, is intentional. King David wanted to build a place of permanence for God, a holy temple in Jerusalem. Solomon took this vision and brought it to fruition and even though the very presence of God filled that place (I Chron.7:2-3), it was still only a place of sacrifice (vs.12). The temple could never contain the glory and presence of the eternal God, for God is not defined by time and space. “Heaven is My throne and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest” (Is.66:1).
The Apostle Paul states: “He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no one has seen or can see” (I Tim.6:16). Yet John declares: “No one has ever seen God. The Only Begotten God, who was near the bosom of God, that One has made Him known” (Jn.1.18). God will never be found by human reasoning. He cannot be restricted (forgive me for this), in the idolatries often made of church buildings. This eternal Word, the One who was with God and was God; this Creator and the possessor of true Light and Life, chose to reveal Himself, to make Himself know by “becoming flesh and tabernacling among us”.
For what purpose? To only tell us what God is like? If so we miss the full understanding of the word “tabernacle”. The temple was a place of sacrifice (I Chron. 7:12). The Jewish tabernacle was a place of sacrifice (Ex.29). Jesus Himself declared: “… a body You prepared for Me … by Him we have been set apart (sanctified) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all … after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb.10:5,10,12). This eternal Word, our Creator, tabernacled among us to be the sacrifice for our sins. By accepting His forgiveness and believing in His Name, we become children of God (12-13); not by blood or the will of man but by the will of God.
Let’s face it. We are only here for a short time. When someone says to you that you need to put down roots, the question really is, where? If in this world alone, time will reveal the foolishness of such a decision. For those who will receive the Christ into their lives, there is a place awaiting them, far more permanent than this world could ever offer. “The heavenly Jerusalem where there are innumerable company of angels, to the festal gathering of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just people made complete, but most of all to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant” (Heb.12:22-24).
You are invited to the party. I know that I will be there. Come join me and countless others as we celebrate Him, who tabernacled among us, full of grace and truth.
Blessings!
https://godeeperministries.com/missions
0 Comments