The Sudden Coming of God to fill His House

The same presence of God which suddenly came into the newly built tabernacle of Moses (Ex.40:34), also came as suddenly into the newly built temple of Solomon much later (2Chron.7:1). These 2 definite comings of God to fill His house clearly anticipate the coming of Jesus to fill His house of flesh, His humanity, thus enabling Him to tabernacle among men. He has also come to fill His house, which is His church. Jesus describes His invisible presence among His people when He said: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Mat.18:20). Jesus is in the house, - His house, which we call the church. This picture of the tabernacle focuses our attention on the presence of Jesus as the focal point of the church; His presence permeated the community which camped around the tabernacle. The first time God came to dwell in the tent that Moses had built for Him he wrote, “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Ex.40:34) and the second time God came to dwell among His people was the occasion when Solomon dedicated the temple he had built for the LORD by prayer, “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house” (2Chron.7:1). The third sudden coming of God to His temple was not the restored temple of Solomon, nor Herod’s temple, but the sudden coming of God on the Day of Pentecost to fill His house with glory.