The Dwelling Place of God

Text: I Kings 8:22-30

 

I.         When the world was first created, mankind had direct access to God, but then sin entered the picture - Genesis 3:8

            A.        Sin becomes a barrier between us and God - Isaiah 59:1-3

II.        God is everywhere - Psalms 139

            A.        There is no place we could hide from God - Jeremiah 23:24

            B.        Proverbs 15:3 - God sees everything

III.       But God told Moses that He would dwell with them - Exodus 29:45-46

            A.        How can that be since He is technically always there anyway?

            B.        The tabernacle was where God made His presence known to the people - Exodus 40:34-35

                        1.         This is why Nadab and Abihu died - Leviticus 16:1

                        2.         They were there to commune with God. God is everywhere, but in that time and place they were supposed to be serving God and they were careless.

            C.        Solomon understood this. He built a house for God to dwell in - I Kings 8:12-13

                        1.         But he also understood that God can’t dwell on earth - I Kings 8:27

                        2.         This was a place for men to meet with God, to commune with Him and to have access to Him - I Kings 8:28-29

            D.        No building can hold God - Isaiah 66:1

                        1.         But God chooses to dwell with the humble - Isaiah 66:2

IV.      In the New Testament

            A.        God did come to dwell with men in a literal sense - John 1:14

                        1.         But it was only for a few short years

            B.        The church, today, becomes the place where people come to meet with God - Ephesians 2:18-22

                        1.         It isn’t that we contain God

                        2.         But through Jesus we have access to God by the Holy Spirit - Ephesians 2:18

            C.        Just as God chooses to dwell with the humble, God also dwells with each Christian - II Corinthians 6:16

                        1.         We are the temple for God’s Spirit - I Corinthians 6:19-20

                        2.         In other words, we represent God to the rest of the world. They see God’s influence ... His presence ... in our life, and they see the impact that it makes.

                        3.         It is why we must not pollute this temple with sin, as the Israelites did with their temple - Jeremiah 7:30

                        4.         Such doesn’t change God, but it destroys the ability of others to see God in our lives.

                        5.         It is a grave responsibility

V.        One day, we will be able to dwell with God eternally - Revelation 21:3

            A.        Are you ready to start cleaning out your temple, so God may dwell in you?