Humanity was created for relationship. After creating Adam, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so he created woman; a partner and companion, “a helper fit for him” (Gen. 2:18). Since the beginning of time, humankind has had a desire to be in relationship with others. Now this is not necessarily any sort of romantic/marriage relationship (although that is undoubtedly one facet of relationship). It is the simple act of communion with one another is what humanity really desires. It requires vulnerability and can often be quite scary, but in the end, relationship and community is truly a desire for all.
When God created humanity, he created them with the intention that he would be able to commune with them. The creation account of Genesis states that God walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve, and there was no sin, so they were able to achieve perfect communion together. One can only imagine the bliss of walking together with God in a Garden which created by him, for humanity. But humanity was not satisfied with what God gave to them, for he only put one tree in the Garden that they may not eat (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), and although this was God’s command for them, they did not obey, and ate of the fruit anyways. This seemingly harmless action of eating a fruit was disobedience from God and cut humanity off from the blissful dwelling they had previously experienced with God.
Years passed, and the Israelites were not able to dwell with God as Adam and Eve had in the garden. Yet, God decided that he had not finished dwelling among humanity. He had another plan in mind; a plan that would require the work and offerings of humanity. In Exodus 25, we read that God requests his people to build him a sanctuary, in which he would dwell among his people and his people could commune with him. This building, which would come to be known as the Tabernacle, or Tent of Meeting, was where God’s presence would dwell among nomadic Israel.
This tent was no ordinary tent, for God’s presence demanded only the finest of dwelling spaces. The tent was made out of elements such as “gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; ram skins dyed red and manatee skins; acacia wood; oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx along with other gemstones” (Ex. 35:5-9). In other words, it was expensive. God could have chosen to dwell in a tent like all the other Israelites, but he chose to make a tent that would reflect his glory; a place that when people entered, they knew they were entering the House of the Lord.
The most important point to notice in the Tabernacle narrative is not the fact that the Israelites built God a sanctuary which reflected his glory. Yes, that was an incredible act that took great amounts of both time and labour, but there is something else here that heralds exceeding importance. This is the fact that it was not the Israelites called out to God for a sanctuary where he would dwell among them, but rather, it was God who decided that he would dwell among his people, bringing that which should be limited to the heavens down to earth.
God, in his nature, is holy. This is very important for us to remember. He is not a sinful finite being like we are, but rather, he is perfect and set apart from us. This means that according to all common sense, God should not be seeking dwelling among humanity. We are sinful and disobedient, slaves to sin when we live without God. But this is why God sought us out. He is loving, full of hesed. He does not want us to live a life of sin and disobedience, wasting away for all of eternity. Rather, he wants to give us life, and life to the fullest! He wants to establish relationship and pour out into our lives, making us new in him and saving us from the pains of death. Although God is holy by nature, he is also Love; perfect love which knows no bounds.
It was as a result of this love that the Tabernacle was not to be an eternal dwelling for the Lord. Rather, the Tabernacle was setting the stage for a new dwelling of the Lord on earth: the Incarnation. A more literal translation of John 3:16 would read “For in this way God loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son...” It was not the fact that God loved the world so much, like we are taught in Sunday school. The Incarnation was, as a matter of fact, the way that God showed his love to the world. Up until this point, there was arguably no greater sign of love (although it would be fair to argue other points, seeing that the entirety of the Biblical narrative is filled with stories of God’s love in situations where humans really do not deserve it).
The Incarnation can be summed up in John 1:14 “the Word became flesh.” There is no simpler Incarnational statement than that. The Incarnation was God taking upon himself the form of his creation, and dwelling among them. Again, as in the instance of the Tabernacle, God did not have to send his Son down to earth to dwell among his people. I am sure that it was a lot comfier up in heaven. And seeing that Christ fully took on the human form, and was tempted in every way, it would be a stretch (and probably a lie) to say his time on earth was easy. But despite all these variables that would make a selfish god reside in his comfy abode, Yahweh is not a selfish god, but rather a selfless God, and therefore he sent the Word, who was God, down to earth.
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). It did not become flesh and dwell in heaven. Nor did the Word come down to earth in a form that was not the same as that of humanity. But rather the Word sought out humanity, ready to dwell among them. It is through the Christ that God’s glory was brought down to earth. It is through the faith of[1] Christ that humanity can receive eternal life, which comes as a result of God seeking out humanity.
Just as the Tabernacle was not the end, Christ’s time on earth 2000 years ago was not the end either. God has given us an eschatological hope centered in his Word. For as we read in Revelation 21:3-4, “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. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Praise God for he has brought us into a living hope! This is the hope of glory, the reason that we worship God. This is what keeps us going when the times get tough, because we know that there will be a day where God and humankind will dwell together in Paradise, just as we did in the Garden before the Fall. It will be a glorious relationship, more perfect than anything we have ever experienced on earth. There will be no pain, no hurting, no broken relationships, no backstabbing: there will only be perfect harmony in eternal Paradise.
There cannot be any doubt that God has a desire to dwell among his creation. This is how it was in the beginning, and is how it will continue to be in the end. God has desired relationship with us. He is like a little child who stands outside the neighbour’s door knocking, waiting to see if their friend will come out and play. Just as he sought out humanity through the Tabernacle and in his Son, God’s Spirit is constantly seeking out creation today. He wants to meet people today. Let us not stand stagnant, satisfied with where we are, but let’s run to God! Run to him, for he is waiting!
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). It did not become flesh and dwell in heaven. Nor did the Word come down to earth in a form that was not the same as that of humanity. But rather the Word sought out humanity, ready to dwell among them. It is through the Christ that God’s glory was brought down to earth. It is through the faith of[1] Christ that humanity can receive eternal life, which comes as a result of God seeking out humanity.
Just as the Tabernacle was not the end, Christ’s time on earth 2000 years ago was not the end either. God has given us an eschatological hope centered in his Word. For as we read in Revelation 21:3-4, “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. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Praise God for he has brought us into a living hope! This is the hope of glory, the reason that we worship God. This is what keeps us going when the times get tough, because we know that there will be a day where God and humankind will dwell together in Paradise, just as we did in the Garden before the Fall. It will be a glorious relationship, more perfect than anything we have ever experienced on earth. There will be no pain, no hurting, no broken relationships, no backstabbing: there will only be perfect harmony in eternal Paradise.
There cannot be any doubt that God has a desire to dwell among his creation. This is how it was in the beginning, and is how it will continue to be in the end. God has desired relationship with us. He is like a little child who stands outside the neighbour’s door knocking, waiting to see if their friend will come out and play. Just as he sought out humanity through the Tabernacle and in his Son, God’s Spirit is constantly seeking out creation today. He wants to meet people today. Let us not stand stagnant, satisfied with where we are, but let’s run to God! Run to him, for he is waiting!
