Man; The Desired Abode of God.
Man; The Desired Abode of God.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57v15.
In presenting to you this verse of scripture, I want to bring to you a teaching that is a continuation of the vein of thought that the Holy Spirit has been speaking to my heart of late and that has to do with the quest of the believer, in our pursuit of Christ.
When you examine this portion of scripture, there is an unfolding, an unveiling of the threefold dwelling place of Almighty God.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.
The first aspect is; God inhabits eternity.
The second aspect is; God indwells Heaven.
The third aspect is; God desires to dwell with man.
God inhabits eternity.
It is very important when relating to this thought of God and the existence of eternity to view it in its correct perspective.
In true point of fact, eternity has its source, its origin in God, if God never existed there would be no eternity, when we speak of eternity we have to throw ourselves on the revealed knowledge from the Word of God, because our finite minds cannot take in the vast span of eternity, our minds are limited in explaining time.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalms 90v2.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD. Psalms 106v48.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children; Psalms 103v17.
The Holy Spirit conveyed this thought to my heart on the subject of everlasting to everlasting.
“ there is no time that can be calculated with God, for time came into being by God in His redemptive dealings with man, therefore the correct expression in associating God with time is the definition of from eternity past through to and beyond eternity future, You are and ever will be God.”
In attempting to comprehend God and eternity, here is another thought of the Holy Spirit.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2v7.
When you picture the scene of Mary holding the Christ child , in true reality she could only hold Him, because of HE was holding her, Mary was only able to hold Jesus because in Him is life, the life that holds all things in order.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1v1-4.
God indwells Heaven.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place. Isaiah 57v15.
In biblical language the high and lofty place was the abode of God that was a place of consecrated unapproachable holiness.
The LORD in His Holy temple, the LORD’S throne in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men. Psalms 11v4.
Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. Psalms 73v25.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. Psalms 103v11.
But who is able to build Him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? who am I then, that I should build Him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before Him? 2Chronicles 2v6.
The might and power of God was viewed and expressed by the people of God, by their association of God and the place of His seat of power and dominion, earthly monarchs are typified by their palaces and royal places of residence, the size and grandeur of their homes express the image of their power and influence.
The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightning’s lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. Psalms 77v16-18.
God desires to abide in man.
Yet a little while, and the world see Me no more; but you see Me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I AM in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
He that hath My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.
Judas said unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that You will manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. John 14v19-23.
This is the most amazing aspect concerning the desired indwelling of God, eternity had and has no say concerning God inhabiting it, neither do we find anywhere in scripture that Heaven has a choice, or is given a time of deliberation whether it wants God to be there, God inhabiting eternity and heaven is a settled fact, there is no deliberation, but amazingly when you consider God indwelling man, the Word of God declares or unveils the necessity of the human will.
But who is able to build Him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? who am I then, that I should build Him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before Him? 2Chronicles 2v6.
Think again on this verse of inspired scripture, the vastness of heaven, cannot contain Almighty God, in fact the heaven of heavens is not adequately able to contain God, yet He desires to enter into the life of a human being, and fill it to overflowing with His presence and power.
The Greek word for Abode is – Meno.
Meno means;
To enter into, to take up residency with the view of never departing.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2v7.
When Almighty God in the act of creation, produced a perfect environment for His man, God gave to Adam everything that he would ever need, but in creating Adam, God designed a place in Adam for Himself.
Man has been perplexed throughout all of his days on this earth, there is in man a void that only God can fill and satisfy, because right in the beginning when Almighty God brought man into being, God in breathing life into the soul of Adam, was infusing His life into a man formed from the dust of the earth, the man Adam was inert, lifeless like a manikin tailor’s dummy, until the life of God entered and produced life. When this life of God entered, the same Spirit of life that made God who He is, now resided in Adam.
When Adam sinned, in his transgression, the order of balance that was brought into the earth, was twisted, man who once enjoyed open communion with God, now separated himself from his creator, man became estranged from his source of life and sustenance, and in doing so God was forced out of the place of His abode, the spirit of man, when God left, there was that void that cannot be filled by anything of creation, but by the creator.
What is the chief end of man? In the infant days of the time of the Reformation, when the Church of Christ, entered into a time of the visitation of the Holy Spirit, the burning issue that the Church presented to the hearts of the people was; What is the chief end of man?
Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the High God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6v6-8.
For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: Colossians 1v16 .
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelations 4v11.
The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever, God desires to lavishly pour Himself into the heart and lives of His people, God wants to enjoy fellow shipping with man in open and undisturbed communion, the wonders of the pleasures that God has or desires for or from His people are many and profound, the Prophets of old caught a glimpse of this drive or expectation of Almighty God and declared them to the people.
From the opening scripture of this teaching, we know that Almighty God desires to indwell the life of a contrite heart.
For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57v15.
What is a contrite heart?
A contrite heart is a heart or a consciousness of wanting to be and doing that which is right in the eyes of God.
Having a contrite heart, is possessing a spirit that is quick to repent, able to make amends in any situation.
A contrite heart is a heart that is bowed down or humbled and is penitent for shortcomings.
And he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. Luke 18v9-14.
As the people of God, because of our receiving of the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, because of the inward working of the Holy Spirit we can be pleasing in the eyes of God, we can be a vessel of honor, we can be graced by Him, and give Him great and lasting delight.
I know also, my God, that You try the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy Thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto You. 1 Chronicles 29v17.
To be upright is to be in right standing with God, and live with a consciousness of being right and doing right, this brings rewards, but above the rewards is the satisfaction of bringing delight to God.
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