Being God's Sanctuary

This morning I felt like reading from Psalms, it has been a while since I perused these beautiful verses. I am focusing on Psalm 114:1-8 NIV:

[1] "When Israel came out of Egypt,
Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
[2] Judah became God's sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
[3] The sea looked and fled,
the Jordan turned back;
[4] the mountains leaped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
[5] Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
[6] Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
you hills, like lambs?
[7] Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
[8] who turned the rock into a pool,
the hard rock into springs of water."

I love that so much of Israel's history can be captured in a few simple verses.  I really like the imagery that David uses to describe the crossing of the Red Sea, the river Jordan, and the provision of water at Meribah (Ex 17:1-7).

The verse that really caught my eye, was verse 2: "Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion." This really a pretty amazing statement, the Judah became God's sanctuary.  The Hebrew word that is translated sanctuary, is the word Qodesh and its Definition:

1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
    a) apartness, sacredness, holiness
         1) of God
         2) of places
         3) of things
    b) set-apartness, separateness

This word is translated into sanctuary more often than any other word, so it is important for us to grasp the meaning.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists the full definition of the word 'sanctuary' starting with these two lines:

1 : a consecrated place: as
a : the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies

Putting these together, we find that the tribe of Judah was set apart, made Holy by God, and it was in their midst that He chose to dwell. We saw this lived out first through the tabernacle and the Holy of Holies within it, and then by the Holy of Holies in the temple.  God chose to dwell among these people.  In both cases when they established this place (sanctuary) for God, He came in an awesome display of power and settled there.  In Exodus 40: 1-38 it is described how Moses set up the Tabernacle and then the glory of God came and filled the tabernacle.  We see the same thing occur when Solomon built the temple and consecrated it in 2 Chron 6 & 7, the glory of God filled the temple (resting in the Holy of Holies, and His presence was so great that the priests could not even enter.

When I think about these historical events I am filled with awe, and just imagine the glory of the Lord, filling the place so much that people's only response is to bow down and worship Him!  That must have been so wonderful to experience.

As I read these verses I thought about the way God has transitioned His presence from the first chapters of Genesis, where He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, to making His sanctuary among the people of Judah, and specifically the Holy of Holies.  Continuing this transition, Jesus describes how He (Father, Son and Spirit) will come and dwell in us.  The following verses describe this exactly:

John 14:15-17 NIV:
[15] “If you love me, keep my commands. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--- [17] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

John 14:23 NIV:
[23] "Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

Paul describes our bodies as temples - 1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;"

In summary, the progressive revelation of God as described in Scripture, first has God walking with man, secondly has God dwelling amongst a people He has chosen and consecrated, and finally living inside of us. This is God's stated desire to be with us, to have fellowship with us, to allow us to be in His presence continually. This is so amazing to me - God chooses to dwell in me, to make me His home, His sanctuary, His Holy of Holies!

Going back to Psalm 114:7 - we find that the presence of God elicits a response, even from the physical earth. I believe it is His intention that His presence in us, would affect the world in the same way!  He desires to shake the mountains ( Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment and Business), and affect the waters (life for all humanity and creation), and cause all people to know of His presence - through His presence in us!

Lord, help me to be Your sanctuary!