The good news of Christmas is that God makes a way to dwell with His people by sending His own Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
- God dwells with His people in a good garden-city (Genesis 1-2).
- Sin separates God from dwelling with His people (Genesis 3).
“He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.”‘ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.”—Genesis 3:1b-7
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”—Genesis 3:15
- God dwells with His people in a tabernacle (Leviticus).
- Jesus took on human flesh and dwelt among His people (John 1).
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”—John 1:14
“And who would have dreamed or ever foreseen that we could hold God in our hands? The Giver of life, born in the night, revealing God’s glorious plan, to save the world.”—”Who Would Have Dreamed,” Sovereign Grace Music
- Jesus is cut off from dwelling with God (Hebrews 13, Matthew 27).
“For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.”—Hebrews 13:11-2
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?”— Isaiah 53:7-8
- Jesus promises to dwell among His people (Matthew 28).
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”—Matthew 28:18-20
- God dwells with His people by filling them with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”— Acts 2:1-4
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”—1 Corinthians 3:16
- God dwells with His people in a perfect, garden-city (Revelation 21).
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'”—Revelation 21:1-4