God and His Dwelling-Place by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 1, 1906

God and His Dwelling-Place

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

S. N. HASKELL

The Bible teaches that God has a personality. Man was made in his image. Gen. 1: 26, 27; Heb. 1: 3. “Image” means form or shape. Gen. 5: 3; Rom. 1: 23. Because of sin no man can see God’s face, and live. Ex. 33: 20. But his face will be seen. Rev. 22: 4. The pure in heart will see him. Matt. 5: 8.

If God and Christ have a personality, they must have a local dwelling-place. This place is called by Christ, “My Father’s house.” John 14: 2; Ps. 122: 1, 9. The term “sanctuary,” or “tabernacle,” is applied to it more frequently than any other; and this sanctuary, or tabernacle, is said to be in heaven. Ps. 102: 19; 103: 19; Heb. 8: 1-3. It is also called God’s habitation. Luke 16: 9; Isa. 63: 15. From this habitation God’s voice will be heard. Jer. 25: 30. The term “habitation” occurs thirty-one times in the Bible, and in every instance it implies a dwelling-place in some locality. It is also called the temple, in which is God’s throne. Ps. 11: 4. From this place will one day be heard the words, “It is done.” Rev. 16: 17. It is also said to be God’s dwelling-place where he hears prayer, and whence cometh forgiveness of sins. 2 Chron. 6: 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39; 30: 27; Acts 7: 38. It is called a palace. 1 Chron. 29: 1; Luke 11: 21. Here are seven different terms, which in their use in the Bible aggregate many hundreds of times; and every one of them implies a particular dwelling-place in some locality for some one who has a personality.

And yet for some reason there are many who claim Christ as their Saviour, and yet deny that God has any real place in which to dwell. They claim that he has no personality, and if he has, it is of no particular account to us. And yet our salvation depends upon the intercession of Christ at the right hand of the Father in that dwelling-place.

Another consideration is, each of these terms is associated with the sanctuary built on earth, first by Moses, second, by Solomon, third by Zerubbabel, and then with the one in heaven. The one on earth is said to be a figure of the one in heaven. Heb. 9: 9. The study of the work of Christ in this sanctuary, this home, this Father’s house, this God’s habitation, this heavenly palace, reveals to us the real plan of salvation. It is expressly stated that it is where we learn the “ways of God” (Ps. 77: 13); of “his goings” (Ps. 68: 24); the location of his throne. Ps. 80: 1. In the sanctuary we learn of the end of the wicked. Ps. 73: 15-17. We also learn that from the sanctuary cometh all our help. Ps. 20: 2. The strength and beauty of God is displayed in the sanctuary. Ps. 96: 6. Christ turned his eyes toward this sanctuary in heaven when he prayed. John 17: 1. The ark of God’s testimony is in his heavenly temple. Rev. 11: 19. The study of the sanctuary reveals a part of the science of salvation that will be sung throughout eternity. Yet notwithstanding all these facts there are many, yea, very many, who take no interest in this dwelling-place of God, nor in the science of salvation as it is revealed in the sanctuary above.

Loma Linda, Cal.