God Lives In Us

God lives in us by His Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19). Let's not take this truth for granted. Imagine if all believers fully embraced this revelation! Despite the vastness of the universe, God dwells in us. Let's meditate on this and take advantage of His holy presence. Even King Solomon acknowledged that the cosmos cannot contain God (1 Kings 8:27). When facing the Egyptians, Moses encouraged the Israelites to trust in God's salvation. Let's also trust in God and His power to work in our lives.

Moses stretched his hand over the sea and God caused a strong east wind to divide the sea, making it dry ground. The Israelites walked through with the waters forming walls to their right and left. The Egyptians pursued them, but God caused them to panic and get stuck in the mud. Then, God instructed Moses to stretch out his hand again and the waters came back, drowning the Egyptians. The Israelites were delivered from oppression and saw the power of God (Exodus 14). Even though we may already know this story, we can always receive fresh revelation from the Scripture. The Word reveals that a blast from God's nostrils divided the sea, and the Psalmist describes God's power and might (Exodus 15:8; Psalm 18:7-15, NLT).

According to Isaiah 66:1 and Acts 7:49, the earth is where God's feet rest. David's boldness came from his revelation of God, which is evident in his psalms. In Psalm 27:1-3, David confesses that he fears no enemy because he knows that God is his light, salvation, and strength. David's faith in God enabled him to defeat Goliath, even though Goliath was heavily armored (1 Samuel 17). David approached Goliath in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, and with a sling and a stone, he killed him. David's strong faith made him a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue and commanded all people to bow down to it when they heard the sound of musical instruments. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three Jews in charge of Babylon, refused to worship it. The king threatened to throw them into a blazing furnace, but they replied that their God would save them. The king heated the furnace seven times hotter than usual and threw them in, but the flames killed the soldiers instead. However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unharmed, and Nebuchadnezzar was amazed.

Nebuchadnezzar saw four unbound men in the fire, unharmed, and declared that the fourth looked like the Son of God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were promoted after their unwavering faith in God (Daniel 3). Similarly, Jesus declared that Pilate had no power over Him except what was given from above in John 19:11. As believers, we have the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We should glory in knowing and understanding God, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Let us connect with God through real-life situations, not just theories or ideas.

Beware of who you listen to as God favors those who boast in Him. The Tabernacle was the Israelites' portable place of worship, built according to God's explicit instructions, and requiring the skills of skilled laborers and materials donated by the people (Exodus 25-40). The Tabernacle served as a symbol that God journeyed with the Israelites, and was used daily for prayer, offerings, and sacrifices. The Tabernacle was central to the Israelite community, surrounded by Levites, with Moses and Aaron's families always camping at the front. The outer portions of the Tabernacle were built first, and it was surrounded by a fenced courtyard containing the altar and laver. The altar was designed for burning sacrifices, and it was necessary to offer sacrifices for sin before entering God's presence.

The people of Beth-shemesh were punished for disrespecting the ark (1 Samuel 6:19). Uzzah was killed when he touched it, as it was the symbol of God's presence and was only to be placed in the Holy of Holies (2 Samuel 6:6-9; Exodus 26:31-33; Hebrews 9:3-5). The glory of the Lord filled the tent when the items were set aside for their function (Exodus 40:34-38). The ark accompanied the Israelites in their journey and was a reminder of God's holy presence (Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 4; Numbers 10:33-36). It played a significant role in their journey and conquests (Numbers 14:44; Joshua 3:13-17; Joshua 4:9-10; Joshua 6:6-11; Judges 20:27). In later times, it was looked upon as a magical power (1 Samuel 4:1-10). It was captured by the Philistines but defended by God (1 Samuel 4:11; 1 Samuel 5-6). Samuel allowed it to remain in Kiriath-jearim until Israel obeyed God's covenant (1 Samuel 6:21; 1 Samuel 7:2). David brought it back to Jerusalem out of concern for the honor of God and the ark (2 Samuel 6:1-17; Psalm 132).

After the land had rest, the Lord could dwell in His temple. David's desire to build a temple for the ark was denied, and Solomon built a magnificent temple 480 years after leaving Egypt. The Temple was 90x30x45 feet and had a three-storied annex. Each room in the lowest story was 7 1/2 feet wide, in the middle story 9 feet wide, and in the top story 10 1/2 feet wide. The stones were prepared at the quarry, and there was no noise made during construction. Solomon finished the Temple, including a cedar ceiling and a three-storied annex.