We have looked at the Presence of the Lord
In Ezekiel’s Millenial Temple where Jehovah Shammah is mentioned in Ez 48:35.
Now we will look at the Presence of God in the Garden, in the Tabernacle in the
wilderness and in Solomon’s Temple.
Jehovah
Shammah in the Garden of Eden.
In Genesis 3:8 we read of the first
recorded visits of the Presence of Jehovah in the garden of Eden. “And they heard the Voice of the LORD God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day.....”
Why does God always want to be present with
His people? He desires their fellowship. He created man and put him into this
beautiful garden then He came down and walked and talked with hi,. The presence
of God was there because JEHOVAH wanted man’s presence with Himself. Jehovah
Shammah wants to have fellowship with you. He is present and alive within you –
He is There. M.H.
| Adam and Eve trying to Hide from God |
Why didn’t that fellowship last in the
garden? Because Adam sinned. It does not say that the presence of god left Adam
but that Adam left God. He hid behind the trees of the Garden after sinning
wilfully. God called “Adam, where are you?”
The Omniscient God knew all the time where Adam was, and He knew that he
had sinned. M.H. God knows where we are and if we have sinned. It is useless
trying to hide from God because of our sin.
God still wanted fellowship with man whom
He had created. We learn that He walked with Enoch and Abraham, His friend, and
He talked with Moses face to face.
Jehovah
Shammah in the Tabernacle in the wilderness.
| The tabernacle in the desert |
One day He spoke to Moses, in Exodus 25 :8
“Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” The people were continually moving but God
wanted to be among them. He asked them to build the Tabernacle and put it in
the Middle of the Israelite Camp. He wanted to journey with them and lead them
and protect them.
Ex 25: 22 “And there I will meet with you, and I will commune with you.”
Are you out there wandering around in a
“wilderness”? God is saying to you that He knows where you are and He wants to
commune with you, care for you and protect you. Let Him be in the centre of
your life even in the desert. He is Jehovah Shammah.
Jehovah
Shammah in Solomon’s Temple.
When the children of Israel were finally in
the Promised Land, the presence of God was still among them. The tabernacle was
still standing and King David wanted to build a permanent temple for the LORD.
Solomon, David’s son, built the Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.
At the Dedication of this Temple we read in
1 Kings 8:11
“So
that the Priest could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory
of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.”
Why did the presence of God Himself come in
and fill the Temple? God wanted to be with His people? He wanted to abide in
their Praise.
| Solomon's temple |
But that did not last either because the
Temple built by Solomon was not permanent, just as the garden and the
tabernacle in the wilderness were only temporary.
Because of the Idolatry of the Jews they
were taken Captive to Babylon and the Presence of the LORD left the Temple.
They were in captivity for 70 years.
Applications
1.
God never gives up on us and He continually went
after them even though they suffered for their rebellion. He continually seeks
after us and gives opportunities to make things right with Him by confess,
repentance and faith so that we can live in His presence.
2.
God Longs for your fellowship today. Seek His
Face by Prayer and Fasting and Praise. He just desires to walk with you and
talk with you just like He did to Enoch and Abraham and Moses.
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