And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” | Revelation 21:3–4
Last Sunday, we looked at some Biblical typology, focusing on the role of the tree of life throughout the story of redemption. While we didn’t cover every part of this (like the tree lampstand in the tabernacle), we did see how the tree in the beginning links to the tree at the end of the story – these are connected through our Savior hanging on a tree to provide life for His people.
Another image that shows itself in the first three chapters of Genesis is the concept of the presence of God, especially as understood later through the temple. This is laid out well in the book, Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? by L. Michael Morales. He begins by saying:
The cosmos was understood as a large temple and the temple as a small cosmos.
The idea here is that, from the beginning, the purpose of humanity was to dwell with God. Once this was broken, God not only works to restore, but also to provide access for His people through mediation along the way. There is a three-part image that God uses over and over to help us to understand this. It begins at creation.
The Bible describes the cosmos through the phrase: heavens above, the earth beneath, and the water under the earth. There are three places here: the heavens, the earth, and the place below (Hades). Another way to think of this is: the place where God dwells, where His people are, and the place of separation from God. At the beginning of Genesis, the place of God and the place where His people dwell overlaps. While God created a separation between the heavens and the earth, He also walked in the garden. He dwelled with His people.
When Adam and Eve sin, one of the consequences is that they could no longer dwell in the garden with God. We see this same three place description now applied to the earth in: the garden (where God is), the area just outside of the garden (where His people are), and the land of Nod where Cain is sent (the place of separation from God).
When God rescues His people from Egypt and brings them across the Red Sea, He brings them to the base of Mount Sinai. Here, again, we see this three place motif: the mountain (where God dwells), the base of the mountain (where His people are) and away from the mountain (separation from God). Here we see a mediator introduced into the scenario, as Moses is able to go up on the mountain to meet with God. He represents the people to God and God to the people. One of the parts of the law that God tells Moses to dictate to the people is the formation of the Tabernacle. The tabernacle is a traveling tent that will continue to dictate how God’s people dwell with Him.
The structure of the tabernacle is a reflection of creation, Eden, and Sinai. It has a holy place (where God dwells), a courtyard (where His people are), and an area outside of this which is separated from God.
There are all kinds of cleanliness that needs to be maintained to enter into the courtyard and only a few who act as mediators (priests) can enter into the presence of God to represent the people.
As they enter into the Promised Land, the temple is constructed with a similar breakdown to the tabernacle, with a similar system of mediation. In a way the whole Promised Land works as a similar breakdown with the temple in Jerusalem (where God dwells), the Promised Land (where His people are) and separation outside of the land. When the people of Israel are in captivity it is especially difficult because they were not just in a land that wasn’t their own, but saw themselves as separated from God.
In the gospel, we see God use this three place breakdown to describe the significance of the atonement. When the curtain of the temple tears, we see a breakdown between where God dwells and where His people are. Similar to Eden, the two overlap. This is because Jesus the mediator is actively bridging the gap between the Father and His people. As God sends the Holy Spirit, we see this overlap even more as the presence of God is placed within His people, wherever they are. This is why the Apostle Paul refers to our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Even with this overlap, we still long to be in the presence of God in a complete way. In the New Heavens and the New Earth, we see the place that God dwells and the place that His people are unified. No longer is there any mediation or shadow, but God is fully present; His presence is a light that casts out all darkness. This is how it is described at the end of the book:
No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. | Revelation 22:3–5
In the complete restoration of all things, the place where God is and the place where His people dwell no longer needs separation. As He remakes us in glorification, it eliminates the need for a mediator. No longer is there anything between us and the glory of God.
What God created was broken, redeemed, and will be restored in the end. As He rescues a people to Himself, He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. The story of the gospel, and the story of the whole world, is told through the cosmos, the garden, the mountain, the tabernacle, and the temple. Through all of these, we see a God who is relentless in making a way for His people to dwell with Him. These details in the Bible that sometimes confuse us are actually signs pointing to the overwhelming grace of our God.