February 28, 2024

Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 15-18
Meditation Verses: 17:4-6

Thought

The Lord had no permanent structure within which to dwell, but went about among the people, moving from tent to tent and one dwelling to another. While His people built houses and settled down, the Lord chose to remain mobile and to move about among the people. His tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, but the ark had been separated from it since the death of Eli's two sons. He only dwelt in two separate locations before David pitched a tent for Him in Jerusalem, so it doesn't seem like He moved that much among His people, but of course, the Lord is not limited by a tabernacle or an ark, and did move among His people and see all they were doing.

Application

This reminds me of Jesus, who said, "The Son of Man has no place to lay His head." God has never been concerned with a dwelling place, even after the Temple was built. He did desire a focal point for His worship, but He Himself was not limited to dwelling in the Temple, as Solomon noted, even the highest heavens cannot contain Him. Perhaps that's why Jesus promised food, drink and clothing, but no dwelling to those who sought His kingdom and righteousness first of all. A permanent dwelling place wasn't the Lord's desire, but to be continually moving, seeking the lost, redeeming them, carrying His news from place to place, seeing the needs and healing, casting out demons and proclaiming the Good News. The more I want to be like Jesus, like His Father, the less I need to be concerned about a permanent dwelling place and the more I need to be concerned about people everywhere knowing Him.