June 20th | 2 Chronicles 6
God's Dwelling Place
When I was growing up, my family helped out with a youth conference at the beach. The conference was a three-day event where church youth groups would bring teenagers to hear from Christian speakers and grow in their faith. One of the highlights was different Christian bands that would come and perform. My family helped set up and organize this event, so I was privileged to be “behind the scenes” and assist with the setup. One of the perks of this was that I got to meet a lot of these Christian music artists. As a ten-year-old, this was the greatest thing that could have happened to me!
One year, Audio Adrenaline (a popular Christian band at the time) came to perform at the conference. My dad was tasked with picking them up from the airport and bringing them to the conference center. He did not have any fancy vehicle to pick them up in, so he took our family van. I did not know he was doing this, but he showed up at our hotel and said, “Look who’s in our van!” To say I was shocked to see Audio Adrenaline sitting in my family van would be the understatement of a lifetime. I was thrilled when he asked if I wanted to go for a ride with them. Sitting in that van, I couldn't believe that the great Audio Adrenaline would be riding in our old van, which was used for grocery runs and school drop-offs. It was incredible!
As amazing as Audio Adrenaline in a van sounds, consider Solomon as he dedicates the newly built temple to God in Jerusalem. He has spent so much time and effort completing this temple, and now is the time for God’s presence to fill the holy place.
2 Chronicles 6:18 says,
“18 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!”
Solomon stands bewildered that the great God of the universe would dwell in a temple made by human hands. God cannot be contained in this temple, yet he would come and dwell there to be amongst sinful people. His holy presence would be a place of terror and judgment, but also of forgiveness for sins for the Israelites. As great as the temple was, it was far inferior to the heights of heaven. Yet, God chose to come and dwell with His people.
How could God dwell in a temple built by human hands? It boggles the mind. In light of this revelation of Solomon, think of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Philippians 2:5-8, “5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
How could Christ dwell with us? He emptied himself in humility and chose to live among us. He willingly went to the cross to be as low as anything in creation. His humility made a way for us to be with God. Not just in a temple, but for God to dwell in our hearts!
As amazed as I was that Audio Adrenaline was in my van, we should wake up every day amazed that the Holy Spirit dwells in us! Praise be to Christ, who humbly went to the cross and has made a way for God to dwell with us. Rejoice in that truth today!
