The carpenter’s Son

“I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in forever.” -1 Kings 8:13

A place for habitation is the natural pursuit of mankind.  We as people look to homes and dwellings for security, warmth, and completeness.  We need them to protect ourselves, our kids, and the things we procure in this life.  In the beginning, heaven is/was the habitation of God.  Then God made earth for the habitation of man.  Then Jesus, in his astounding and extraordinary grace, offered up himself, so that man could be the habitation of God.  The creator, dwelling in the creation.  Why?  He loves us that much.

            Solomon was the next king after David.  David was a man after God’s own heart and he determined that he was going to build God a house to dwell in.  This was a show of love, humility, and adoration for God.  However, God said David was not to be the one who built it; it would be his son Solomon.  Solomon committed an extraordinary amount of his nation's resources and built the temple, or house of God, in seven years.  The finish product was every bit as extraordinary as the devotion that was put into it.  The house and vessels were overlaid with gold.  The wood was cut and shipped from the forest of Lebanon.  The entire house in building, not a tool was lifted against the material; everything was cut to perfection.  There was never a house, before or since, that was like this house.  The wisest man on earth, ruling the richest kingdom on earth, devoted all his time and effort for seven years to build this house for God.  As magnificent as it was, it was only temporary.  For what Solomon did not know was that God had another dwelling place in mind, another habitation for himself, and Jesus, the carpenter's Son, was to go to work centuries later.  Many years past, the temple that Solomon built fell from its initial glory, and the Jewish people fell with it.  Then Jesus came.  When Jesus came onto this earth, he possessed within himself the materials, tools, and abilities to create the future habitation of God.  In Solomon’s day the people had to visit the temple for sacrifice; they have to look to the temple for forgiveness and pardon.  The physical temple was the epicenter for salvation.  This was the old law, the old way; Jesus was to bring us the New Covenant.  He paved the way, so that sinful man could be righteous, and a Holy God could dwell within us (thereby making us holy and free from sin).  Jesus sanctified himself so that we also might be sanctified.  This was his passion, his work, and when he fulfilled all, he pronounced “It is finished.”  The book of Revelation tells us: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”  Jesus had a mighty job to do, and a mighty work to do, but he performed it.  The Son of God, brought God, to you and to me.  No longer do we have to worship at Jerusalem, no longer do we have to protect the temple.  The tabernacle of God is with men; God can come into your heart and live within!

Jesus built for God (and himself) an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in forever.  He built a dwelling place for God that all the world's riches never could, he built a dwelling place with his own body and his own blood.  Jesus Christ brought sanctification to man.  He brought a way out of sin.  You can be “made free from sin and become servants to God, and have your fruit unto holiness.”  If you meet to condition, the creator can dwell within, today.  Jesus Christ and God can dwell within you through the power of the Holy Ghost.  He can dwell within us and we in Him.  This is the redemption story, this is the song of salvation; like the old folks used to say in my church, we have a heaven to go to heaven in.