‘Will God Dwell…With Men?’

‘Will God Dwell…With Men?’

“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!

II Chronicles 6:18

Our text for today arises from the prayer of Solomon, at the dedication of the Temple. As he prays, he asks a searching question upon which we do well to meditate. He asks, ‘Will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? He goes on to clarify his question by saying, ‘Behold, heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you. How much less this temple which I have built?’ As God Himself declares in Jeremiah, ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ This is what makes the marvel of the Incarnation of Christ even more marvelous indeed. It causes us to wonder in amazement that Christ ‘took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.’ Herein lies the genius of redemption, and the comfort of our having an utterly Sympathetic Savior. Herein we find the foundation of our hope for acceptance with God, that He, Himself, in the Person of His Son, has undertaken to dwell with us for the purpose of redeeming us. Beyond that, He yet dwells with us, by the Presence of His Holy Spirit. He shall yet dwell with us in eternity when He ultimately answers the question of Solomon as John describes it, ‘And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.’  Christ is ‘Emmanuel, God with us.’ Let us spend some time today dwelling upon this most marvelous answer to the question, ‘Shall God indeed dwell with man on earth?’

Our most High and Holy God,
we rejoice that You have not left us unto ourselves.
We praise You, that You have come to dwell with us
in the Person of Your Blessed Son.
We praise You that He has done all things well.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning