1 Kings 8:22-30 ESV
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; 24 you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

WILL GOD DWELL ON EARTH?
The assembly of Israel had gathered around Solomon. Before the altar, he stood and spread out his hands toward heaven and burst into praise, worship and thanksgiving. God has been faithful to His covenant with his father David. There was a condition. His sons should pay close attention to their way, to walk before Him as David have walked before Him. And, there will not lack a man to sit before God on the throne of Israel.

God’s initiative to enter into a covenant relationship with weak man is mindboggling, is it not? Why should God risk His honor with men? Did He not know beforehand that Solomon and the rest would fail to walk according to their father David someday?

This puzzled Solomon. If heaven isn’t too big enough to contain God, how could He dwell on earth, needless to say, the temple? Yet, He did. His presence was in the temple, twenty four seven, where they can approach, worship and pray unto Him. This truth had humbled Solomon.

Sadly, Solomon and the rest had failed. But, God will be true to his covenant with David. God will raise a son in the lineage of David to become the king on his throne forever. And, in the fulness of time[Gal 4:4], Jesus was born. He is the Emmanuel [God with us] for He was the Word who became flesh to dwell with men[John 1:14a] How near was God incarnate to His people? The apostle John recounted, “We have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”[John 1:14b]

John added, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”[1 John 1:1-3]

And believe it or not, He is in each true believer’s heart today. Paul said, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”[1 Cor 6:19-20]

Let’s resonate with Paul’s prayer therefore today, that is;
“that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,” [Eph 3:16-17]

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