The Place Where The Lord Is

2009-10-17 23:19

Only those who serve the Lord are where he is. God will honor those who serve the Lord. The place where the Lord is a dwelling in which God lives. In other words, it is the house of God the Father.

Therefore, the Bible says, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." (John 12:26).

It is the very place where eternal rest is. The Lord himself said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3).

They are those who received the Lord whom God sent into the world, those who believed in his name and were given the right to become children of God; they are children of God whom God Himself gave the Lord. It is written, "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world." (John 17:24).

Led by the Lord, they tear the body of man, God's image, through the cross, and going the new and living way opened for them through the curtain, they enter with the Lord the eternal dwelling in which God Himself lives.

It is written, "The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." (Mark 15:38). And also, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:19-20). And again, "by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body." (Hebrews 10:20).

It is written, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...'" (Genesis 1:26). Because the body of man was made in God's image, in God's likeness, he comes to show himself that he is God. The Bible says about it, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalms 139:14).

The body of man is the curtain that hides the Most Holy Place in which God lives. God's image and likeness are all worked into the curtain. It is written, "Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain. 'Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman. Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. (Exodus 26:30-33). And also, "Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites." (Exodus 25:21-22). The curtain separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

Therefore, if with his body a man, God's image, blocks the way to the Most Holy Place, he cannot live in God. And therefore, the message of the cross is the message about tearing the curtain, the body of man, in order to enter into God.

God sits enthroned between the cherubim. It is written, "Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth." (Psalms 80:1). It is the place where the Lord lives: the eternal atonement cover, the mercy seat, beneath the wings of the cherubim.

The Bible said, "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD forever." (Deuteronomy 23:3). However, Ruth the Moabitess tore both Moab and her beautiful youth, and led by Naomi, she entered the homeland of her dead husband, the house of God. Therefore, the Bible said, "May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." (Ruth 2:12).

And also Paul said, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14).

Therefore, with Jesus, all of us who will live where the Lord lives will tear the world and the body through the cross in precious faith, and say, "I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah. (Psalms 61:4). Amen. Thank you, Lord.