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were purified with the better sacrifices of the New Covenant, even as the typical things of
the Tabernacle were purified by the blood of bulls and goats. It appears therefore that
whether in the heavens, or in the earth, the dwelling of God, either among angels or men,
must be looked upon as `a condescension great'. The house of the Lord was not only a
dwelling place for God among His people, it was looked upon as a dwelling place for the
believer also `And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever' is the closing note of the
Shepherd Psalm. The aspiration of David is further expressed when he said:
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire
in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret
of His tabernacle shall He hide me" (Psa. 27: 4, 5).
The sons of Korah did not hesitate to liken the humble nesting place of the sparrow
and the swallow, with dwelling in the house of the Lord (Psa. 84: 3, 4). So, even
though the section before us is mainly that of a holy temple, it ends with the words `for
an habitation of God through the Spirit' (Eph. 2: 22). These words will need some
revision, but before we deal with any particular word or phrase, let us see the structure of
this new section:
A | a |
19. Fellow-citizens (sun).
b
| 19. Of the saints (hagios).
a |
19. Household (oikeios).
b
| 19. Of God.
B | c
| 20. Built On (epi).
d | 20. The Foundation.
e | 20. Apostles and Prophets.
e | 20. Christ Jesus Himself.
d | 20. Chief Corner-stone.
c
| 21. The Building In (en).
A | a |
21. Fitly framed together (sun).
b
| 21. Holy Temple in the Lord (hagios).
a |
22. Builded together (oikodomeo, sun).
b
| 22. Habitation of God in Spirit.
The sequence of events in Gen. 1: and 2: is creation . . . . . man . . . . . paradise where,
at the close of Gen. 3: the word `placed' being in the Hebrew shaken `to dwell as in a
tabernacle', leads Rotherham to put a footnote: "Probably as a habitation for himself;
I Sam. 4: 4; Psa. 80: 1; 99: 1, esp. chap. 4: 14." No intelligible meaning can be
attached to the note `esp. chap. 4: 14', we believe it to be a misprint, and should read
4: 4 referring to the reference already given I Sam. 4: 4. From the garden of Eden
onward God is said to have dwelt `between the cherubim' and both Tabernacle and
Temple are built to enshrine the holiest of all where the cherubim rest on the mercy seat.
This first reference to `dwelling as a tabernacle', finds its corresponding fulfillment after
the conflict of the ages has passed, in the closing reference to the Tabernacle in the
Scriptures, namely in Rev. 21: 3, 4: