Sermon Central
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Sermon # 44 - He Dwelt Among Us Series
Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Jul 21, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: The tabernacle, the temple, the sacrifices and worship in the Old Testament were all pointers to the coming of the Saviour, who would dwell among men. See how beautifully this plan of God unfolded so mankind could be saved from their sins, and have life eternal.
We read in John 1:14, And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, glory as of an only begotten from the Father, full of grace and of truth. (LITV)
The above mentioned verse expounds how the Word became flesh, and made his dwelling or tabernacle among us. If we are wondering who this Word refers to, we receive a vivid comprehension of the same from John 1:1, In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. (NLT)
Genesis 1:1, the very first verse in the Bible begins this way, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (NLT) and John as he begins his gospel, begins in a similar way with the words in John 1:1 that, “In the beginning the Word already existed”.
As we compare these two verses, we will get the right understanding of who Jesus really is. He was the Word that was at the beginning, the Word that was God, the Word that was heard, who became flesh, in order that this Word who was proclaimed was now evident, and seen by the world.
We observe in John 1:1 that the words, Word and God have the first letters in capitals, and so also in John 1:14, we notice that Word, His and Father have their first letters in capitals. There are many today who have not fully comprehended the divinity of Jesus, and therefore are unable to receive the gift of salvation that He offers to them. This Word refers to Jesus, who being full of grace and truth, became flesh, and made His dwelling among us. The word used alternatively for dwelling, is the word tabernacle which implies that God set up tent to live amongst us.
Immanuel, God with us
We read in Matthew 1:23,"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). (ESV)
The name that was given to Jesus was the name ‘Immanuel’ which means, ‘God with us.’ Our God is one who desires to come, and make His abode with us. There are so many who are going in search of God, trying to find him in all kinds of places, perform various rituals, hoping that they can somehow get to know who God really is, find Him, and appease Him so that He can change the difficult situations in their lives. However, the God of the Bible in complete contrast is one who comes seeking after man. That’s what makes Him unique, for He is a God who comes searching for lost mankind.
The Tent of the Tabernacle
Almost 1500 years before Jesus came down to this earth, here are the words that God spoke to Moses.
It is recorded in Exodus 25:8, “The people must make a sacred Tent for me, so that I may live among them.” (GNB)
The Lord instructed Moses to raise a sacred tent so that that God could come, and dwell amongst His people. Though God desired to reside among men, sin separated a holy God from sinful man, and therefore God made a way for sinful man to approach Him, by abiding in the sacred tent. God also instructed Moses, and gave him the exact dimensions and design as to what this sacred tent should look like.
The length of the tent was to be 150 feet, and its breadth 75 feet. The tent was to be covered with white curtains all around, and no man could enter through these curtains. The white curtains symbolized the fact that God is a holy God, and sinful man had no permission to enter into God’s holy presence. Though there were white curtains all around, there was just one place of entrance for the tent whereby people could enter this sacred tent.
When sinful man was searching for a way to approach a holy God, the Lord has already in His divine plan made a way for that to happen. God’s plan to save fallen man was revealed in the Garden of Eden itself. God’s redemptive plan was to restore sinful man, back to the place of being in fellowship and communion with Him. Everything therefore that God did in the Old Testament was a pointer towards the great plan of salvation that God wanted to reveal to us through His Son Jesus Christ.
• The entrance to the tent
We read in Exodus 25:4 ... blue, purple, and red wool; (CEV)
There are 3 colors mentioned in this verse as woven on the entrance to the tent. The first color was blue. Most often when we see blue, the first thought that comes to our mind is the sky. The blue signifies the fact that Jesus was the Son of God who was to come from the heavens, sent down by the heavenly Father from above. The color on the other end of the entrance was red, signifying blood, revealing to us that though Jesus was the Son of God, He took on human form to become the Son of Man. When the blue and red mix the color that is displayed is purple, which usually substantiates royalty. This purple signifies the reality that because Jesus, the Son of God became the Son of Man, He is now exalted above all kings, and now reigns as the King of Kings.
