God wants to dwell with us. The question is: Do we want to dwell with Him?
It’s a choice we each get to make.
When we read the Bible, we see God’s continuous offer to dwell with His people. Throughout our lives, God seeks to draw our hearts to Him. Far too often, sin gets in the way, causing barriers between the heart of God and those He created.
What should a holy God do when He wants to live closely with those He created but His bright holiness would overpower and destroy people who are living in a dark and fallen state? His answer: “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8 NKJV).
The history of our world is a history of God trying to re-establish a relationship with His people. The barrier between us and God, our lack of trust, breaks His heart. When we read the Bible, we see God making attempt after attempt to get the attention of people—to know who He is, to know He can be trusted.
From the first mobile sanctuary to the temple built by Solomon, to the 2nd temple rebuilt after its destruction, to the heavenly sanctuary, God has not given up on us.
In Revelation 21, we read about a new earth and the holy city coming down from heaven. We read about how God ultimately accomplishes what He set out to do – to restore us to the people He created us to be, before sin interfered; to reconnect and live among us.
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:3 NIV).
The Sanctuary as God’s Dwelling Place
From Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the details to build a sanctuary. The children of Israel built it out of acacia wood, precious jewels, metals, and textiles. They made it to be easily dismantled so they could reassemble it as they travelled from Egypt to Canaan. The sanctuary housed sacred objects, including the Ark of the Covenant where the 10 commandments were placed, covered by a seat of mercy. This was the mobile dwelling place of God with His people.
The Sanctuary Points to Jesus
Each part of the sanctuary points to Christ and reveals God’s plan to restore humanity to oneness with Him. The sanctuary service illustrates the gospel—the good news that through Jesus, we can be saved from sin and restored to a life in harmony with God.
- Altar of Sacrifice — Jesus’ death: Represents Christ giving His life for humanity. Through His sacrifice, we can receive forgiveness, grace, and restoration. (Hebrews 9:11–14)
- Laver — Cleansing and baptism: Represents repentance, cleansing from sin, and baptism by immersion—a chosen entrance into a new life with God and a covenant relationship with Him. (Mark 16:16; Matthew 3:16; 1 Peter 3:21)
- Table of Showbread — God’s Word: Represents continually “feeding on,” or living by, God’s Word and remaining in constant communion with Him. (Exodus 25:30)
- Altar of Incense — Prayer: Represents prayer and Christ’s intercession for us. Through Jesus, our prayers rise to God, keeping us connected to our Creator. (Revelation 8:3–4; Psalm 141:2)
- Seven-Branch Candlestick — Jesus, the Light: Represents Jesus as the Light of the world and His people reflecting that light to others through the truth, love, and power of the Holy Spirit. (John 12:46; Matthew 5:14–16)
- Ark of the Covenant — God’s Law: Contains the Ten Commandments, written by God. They reveal the foundation of God’s government and His kingdom. (Deuteronomy 10:1–5)
- Mercy Seat — God’s Mercy: Sits above the Ten Commandments, beautifully representing the harmony of God’s perfect justice and mercy. It points to Christ, whose blood covers our sins and who intercedes for humanity. (Exodus 5:17-22)
Together, the sanctuary reveals Jesus from beginning to end—His sacrifice, His cleansing, His Word, His intercession, His light, His law and kingdom, and His mercy. Each symbol points to God’s desire to restore us to a loving, living relationship with Him.
A Place to Dwell Safely
The sanctuary provides an analogy of our place of safety. When we choose to dwell with God, we do not need to fear times of trouble.
The sanctuary items point us to Jesus and show us how we can become closely connected with God our Creator. The sanctuary gives us a glimpse into the mystery of how God redeems us. It shows us how God removes all sin and restores harmony so humans can live with Him
The words of David in Psalm 27 point us to the sanctuary as our place of safety. David may have written this while running for his life from Saul or possibly while exiled from Jerusalem due to the coup led by his son Absalom. The words describe one who is trusting God in a time of betrayal from family or friends and facing great danger. We can have this same trust in God and adopt the same priority: “One thing I have asked of the Lord… that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” (verse 4).
This section of Psalm 27 reminds us whenever we face trouble—to find safety in His sanctuary:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? . . . One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling.” (Psalm 27:1-5 NIV).