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Our Saviour's Dwelling-Place

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 30, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 5.

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Our Saviour's Dwelling-Place

By M. W. DEL'HORBE

M. W. DEL'HORBE
OUR Saviour greatly desires to dwell among his people. He has expressed this desire, in different ways from the beginning. By creating man and visiting him, he showed a desire for his companionship. When man departed so far from the Lord that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” God was grieved, but still showed a desire to dwell with him by preparing an ark for saving all who would enter it.
The Lord traveled with Israel in all their wanderings through the wilderness. His presence was known to them by the cloud by day, and pillar of fire by night. He was that Rock that followed them, and supplied all their needs. “For they drank of that spiritual Rock that went with them: and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10: 4, margin.
The Lord said to Moses: “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Ex. 25: 8. Because of sin, man could no longer look upon God and talk to him face to face as he did in the beginning. But God so greatly desired to dwell with men, that he sent his only begotten Son in the likeness of sinful flesh—veiled his glory with human flesh—that man might behold him and live. And so it is written, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matt. 1: 23.
When Jesus' work on earth was finished, he expressed in his prayer to his Father his desire that his children might ever dwell with him. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory.” John 17: 24. So he left the promise with his disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14: 1-3.
And of his coming it is written: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17.
He will be satisfied when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven, and the Father and Son come to dwell with us eternally. “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Rev. 21: 2, 3. “I will dwell in them and walk in them,” had also reference to God's dwelling in the sanctuary. See Ex. 29: 43, 45. Lev. 26: 11, 12. Paul quotes this in 2 Cor. 6: 16 as referring to our hearts, his real dwelling-place. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
God is not satisfied with heaven and earth as his dwelling-place, for his own hands made these, but he asks us to build him an house and place of rest, and says he will look for it in our hearts. Read Isa. 66: 1, 2; 57: 15. But those hearts must be cleansed from sin, for, “what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?” “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa. 59: 2.
Our happiness and joy will be complete, only when we become like our Saviour, and behold his face in righteousness, but alas, “our sins have hid his face from us.” Then for our Saviour's sake, let us forsake all our sins, that the Lord may abide in our hearts and dwell among us as a people. “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” Ps. 132: 13, 14.
We can never dwell with Christ in the high and holy place, share his throne, and enjoy the wonderful things that God hath prepared for them that love him, without first learning to dwell with him here below.
Moses was admonished to make all things after the pattern shown to him in the mount, and he did so. So in order for us to become fit temples for God's indwelling, we must become in all things like our pattern—Christ Jesus. Read 1 Peter 2: 21,22; Phil. 2: 5.
We must study the Pattern, look “unto Jesus,” and by beholding him, we shall become changed, and become like him. Heb. 3: 1; 12: 1, 2; 2 Cor. 3: 18.
Toronto Junction, Ontario.