What A Desire!

“This [is] my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” (Ps 132:14 AV)

This verse is referring to the temple in Jerusalem.  David is speaking of his desire to have a permanent place for the Ark of the Covenant to rest.  David’s dream was to build a permanent temple to replace the temporary tabernacle.  The land had been settled and Israel was at peace.  It was time to focus attention on what made them different from every other nation.  It was time for them to focus on worship of the one true God!  It is important to remember an essential truth here.  God is everywhere.  But God is not everywhere in the same way.  He does not manifest Himself exactly the same in all places.  For example, God manifests Himself quite differently in hell than He does in heaven.  It is true.  The nation of Israel could have worshipped God anywhere and at any time.  So long as the law was not violated nor their heart taken with sin, worship was not restricted.  So, when David desires to build a house for God, he does so with the understanding God is omnipresent.  The temple represents the place where the saints of God meet with God very intimately.  They are separated unto God, wholly and completely.  The verse above is the words of God.  Note in particular that He desires to be present in Jerusalem in this very intimate and powerful way.  It is the place where He wishes to rest with the saints and the saints with Him.

Much of the Old Testament is a picture of a New Testament doctrine.  The temple, where the presence of God was experienced, represents a type of the New Testament believer.  Paul tells us our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, wherein He comes and dwells.  Later, in another letter, Paul also tells us that Jesus Himself resides within our hearts.  He uses the phrase, “Christ in you” to reveal the holy God Jehovah resides within the believer.  If you are saved, that is you!  Now, if you really want a blessing, note one single word above.  Note the word, ‘desired’.  God desired to dwell with Israel in a very real and intimate way when the temple was erected in Jerusalem.  His desire was to dwell among His people in a way not afforded to any other.  He wished to live with them, talk with them, share His heart and they shared theirs, and care for them like no other people on earth.  The same can be said of the New Testament saint.  The God who created all things and controls all things desires to dwell with you!  What a thought!  This desire is a personal one.  This desire is not seen as a general desire applicable to everyone, as if the individual did not exist apart from the whole.  We are like the temple.  We are singular to almighty God.  He wants to dwell with you as if you were the only one there.  The temple was one!  You are one.  God desires to walk with you!

What a privilege beyond words to know the God of all things wants to talk with me!  My mind cannot wrap itself around the truth that God desires to meet with me!  I know me!  I don’t want to meet with me.  If I had a choice, I would run away from myself as far as I could.  There is nothing good in me that a holy God could desire.  There are times I wonder why He created me at all.  My faults are too numerous.  My shortcomings are many.  There is every reason for the LORD God of all to reject me and have no second thoughts of me.  In fact, if the LORD told me He repents of the day I came into existence, I would completely understand.  I would agree.  However, this is not the God whom we worship.  He loves every soul He has ever created.  His desire is the same.  He desires to place His presence within our souls.  He desires to come into our lives very intimately.  God wants do badly for us to accept His love and live a life with peace of soul.  Our God is a God of love and He wants to sup with us and we with Him.  He says so in the book of Revelation.  He desires to dwell with men.  Each and every individual person!  His desire is to love us intimately and for us to love Him in return.  WOW!  What love!