photo: JADE0626 graphic: Martha G. Brady
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen His glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.John 1:1-5, 14 ESV
To dwell.
What does it mean?
In this case, what is it’s meaning in Greek
The language these words were written in originally?
They don’t just mean living with.
It also means to abide or to tabernacle with.
The idea carries a considerable amount of intimacy.
This isn’t some sort of distant knowledge of someone.
He came to live with us, in our world.
Mess and all.
Imagine, the GOD of the Universe leaving heaven to live with us.
And He didn’t live in wealth.
He lived with a very humble family in a humble setting. stop
He came to live here on earth to ultimately redeem us by
Dying on the cross in order to pardon our sin.
Christmas is an amazing time of year.
I don’t usually start writing about it this early but
Five Minute Friday forced my hand.
When I think of this meaning of GOD dwelling with us
I remember another great word…
Emanuel…GOD with us.
I am so glad He came!
I love this, Martha. I just looked up the meaning of ‘dwell’ in the Greek, too. Aren’t you so thankful that God literally tabernacles with us? Blessings on you.
Lynette
~#99 this week
i’m very thankful lynette. and i love the pictures and history that go along with that! it truly is stunning that He would choose to dwell with us and make the provision for that to even be possible.
We were thinking in similar directions. And John 1 is one of my fave verses…fitting for us writers, huh?
so true tara:) play twilight zone music in the background:) i memorized those verses years ago but i’m only now enjoying them.
Thanks for sharing, Christmas is a good time to remember what it means that Christ came. I once heard a sermon and the guy said the Greek word also means someone’s camping/setting up tent with us. What a nice analogy! Happy Friday to you, Martha!
yes, He is tabernacling with us! the tabernacle was a tent but in the OT it was right in the middle of his people placed with 3 tribes on each side of the tabernacle. his presence was literally in the holy of holies. but the only way anyone could get there was for the priest to go once a year, on the Day of Atonement, after certain sacrifices, into His presence that was in the ark of the covenant.
The one thing that was a reminder of GOD’s presence was the nearly constant smoke rising from the sacrifices being made for sin in various aspects of it, so His people could have access to Him. At that time, they didn’t have the Holy spirit in them, only GOD’s presence in local places…the tabernacle during the early days, the temple later and during the time of their exile and the destruction of the temple, there was no where that his obvious presence was seen. that was what was so devastating about the exile! That was a long time for them to hold out hope for the promise of Messiah! From the time of the Exile even though they had prophets, all through the 400 silent years when they didn’t even have prophets!! imagine that night when the angels appeared to the shepherds telling them about the infant born in bethlehem! the heavens had been silent a very long time! now, Emanuel had come. He had come to dwell with them. They could only hope he was right!
Martha, I wasn’t planning to write about Christmas yet, either. :)I completely agree with you. The idea of dwellind does carry a considerable amount of intimacy. Those who dwell with me see me at my best, but also at my worst…in every way. Jesus sees all of me, because He dwells with me. And? He loves me (and each of us) anyway. What love is this? Emmanuel with us.
it’s good for us to stop before all the rushing around of the season and think about the parts of Christmas that affect our everyday lives, isn’t it jeanne:) this is certainly one of them! wow. that the GOD of universe would choose to dwell with mankind is a bit mind-blowing. the only reason it doesn’t blow our minds is b/c we b/c immune to the drama of the story way too often.
Thank-you for your beautiful heart felt testimony.
thanks gabriele. it is stunning what GOD did through Christ to redeem us all isn’t it?
So great- whenever I think of it, it amazes me that God would come to dwell with us, to enter into our world and our brokenness but I’m so glad he did, and I love how you describe it here.
thanks carly. it truly is amazing isn’t it?
Hi Martha, firstly thank you for stopping over earlier. I do appreciate it.
My pastor always says Lord please come ‘Tabernacle’ with us in His prayers. I used to wonder why he says that. But I am thankful for your post. I see why now!
Lord come dwell in our midst!
Hugs and Blessings to you Martha.
yeah! i found it ifeoma:) now you know! next time you don’t understand why your pastor says something, ask! i do it all the time…whether it is my husband or another pastor. i always learn something! blessings:) and may Christ tabernacle with you:)
It is a new assembly, Martha. It will take sometime adjusting!
But I appreciate your word of wisdom.
Thank you
Many Blessings to you
i understand that for sure ifeoma