A God Who Dwells
Do you ever find yourself wondering if God really is close to his people? I, too, have asked this same question. As we have been studying in Exodus this series, and specifically the details provided to Moses on how to build the Tabernacle, I was reminded of the fact that we do not serve a distant God. Instead, we serve a God who wants to dwell with us, so much so that He provided Moses with detailed instructions on how to build a meeting place, the Tabernacle, with the purpose of dwelling among His people.
“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” - Exodus 25:8
“I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they will know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” - Exodus 29:45-46
The word “dwell” means to be fully present in a place or with a person. God intended to create a way that He could be fully present with the Israelites, proving that He is not distant or unreachable. Instead, the God of the universe, knowing every intricate detail about His people, established a detailed blueprint to be near them. The Tabernacle was God’s way of creating a space where the Israelites could go and worship Him and simply be in His presence.
God has always wanted to dwell among His people. From the very beginning, we read of Him being in the Garden with Adam and Eve. In Exodus, we see Him provide instructions to Moses on how to build a temporary tabernacle, which is eventually replaced with a permanent temple in the promised land. All of these events in the Old Testament demonstrate God’s yearning to be close to His people while pointing to the Messiah.
Jesus was the ultimate demonstration of God’s consistent pursuit of a relationship with humanity. The New Testament shares Jesus’ time on earth as He sought relationship with others while sharing the Good News and bringing people to know God through faith.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” - Galatians 3:26
It’s through Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice – His death, burial, and resurrection – that the Holy Spirit was gifted to believers, providing a way for God to dwell with His people forever. Jesus states in John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.”
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” - 1 Corinthians 3:16
JOURNAL: Reflect on a time in your life that you felt God’s presence with you. Describe where you were, what you were doing, and how you felt at that moment. Give thanks to God for that moment and His desire to dwell with His people.
PRAYER: Thank You, God, for Your heart to be near to Your people, and for consistently making a way for us to draw near to You and to be in Your presence. I pray, Lord, that I will feel Your presence again today. I ask that You go before me and guide my steps. May I walk by the Spirit all the days of my life. I ask all these things in Your Son’s holy name. Amen.
“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” - Exodus 25:8
“I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they will know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” - Exodus 29:45-46
The word “dwell” means to be fully present in a place or with a person. God intended to create a way that He could be fully present with the Israelites, proving that He is not distant or unreachable. Instead, the God of the universe, knowing every intricate detail about His people, established a detailed blueprint to be near them. The Tabernacle was God’s way of creating a space where the Israelites could go and worship Him and simply be in His presence.
God has always wanted to dwell among His people. From the very beginning, we read of Him being in the Garden with Adam and Eve. In Exodus, we see Him provide instructions to Moses on how to build a temporary tabernacle, which is eventually replaced with a permanent temple in the promised land. All of these events in the Old Testament demonstrate God’s yearning to be close to His people while pointing to the Messiah.
Jesus was the ultimate demonstration of God’s consistent pursuit of a relationship with humanity. The New Testament shares Jesus’ time on earth as He sought relationship with others while sharing the Good News and bringing people to know God through faith.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” - Galatians 3:26
It’s through Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice – His death, burial, and resurrection – that the Holy Spirit was gifted to believers, providing a way for God to dwell with His people forever. Jesus states in John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.”
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” - 1 Corinthians 3:16
JOURNAL: Reflect on a time in your life that you felt God’s presence with you. Describe where you were, what you were doing, and how you felt at that moment. Give thanks to God for that moment and His desire to dwell with His people.
PRAYER: Thank You, God, for Your heart to be near to Your people, and for consistently making a way for us to draw near to You and to be in Your presence. I pray, Lord, that I will feel Your presence again today. I ask that You go before me and guide my steps. May I walk by the Spirit all the days of my life. I ask all these things in Your Son’s holy name. Amen.
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