God With Us – Be Still…

2 Chronicles 4:1-5:1 – Furnishings and Finishes

Read 2 Chronicles 4:1-5:1

The temple played such a central role in the history of God’s people. This was the place Solomon built for God’s presence to have a home on earth among his people. It’s good for us to appreciate some of the details to enhance our own understanding. Sadly, this beautiful temple, adorned in gold, bronze, and magnificent furnishings, no longer exists in all its glory.

Try to picture a 30-foot by 30-foot altar–that’s no small space! But considering all the sacrifices that would soon take place, having a dedicated space that large makes sense. Visualizing objects of similar size can be helpful. A decent sized bedroom is twelve by twelve. Two cars parked front end to back end would be approximately 30 feet. The question remains then, why 15 feet tall? Were there stairs, too?

Christmas 📜 Isaiah 7:14 – Immanuel

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel
(which means ‘God is with us’). “ (Isaiah 7:14)

I love that the name Immanuel means “God is with us.” What a perfect name for Jesus. He came into the dark world he loved so much to be with us, to be one of us. Knowing Jesus is with us gives us hope for tomorrow and makes the world a little brighter.

It’s interesting to know the back story of this prophecy from Isaiah. Right before this, Isaiah had been speaking with King Ahaz. You may recall Ahaz was one of those wicked kings that did detestable things. (2 Kings 16) It was during his 16-year reign that Ahaz feared a takeover by Israel and it’s ally, Assyria. God’s message through Isaiah had been that no invasion would take place.

Zechariah 8:1-8 – If Only You Could See

Read Zechariah 8:1-8

Zechariah’s visions reveal God’s intentions for Jerusalem. The LORD declares, “My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!” The LORD is returning to dwell in Jerusalem in the midst of his people.

This passage must have been what a friend of mine was referring to years ago when he talked about returning to Jerusalem. It was as if he believed his own faith journey would one day lead him to Jerusalem.

Zephaniah 3:14-20 – Promised Restoration

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20

God, our divine warrior, has promised restoration. “At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.” Like our last reading, the descriptions of what life looks like and the pictures painted by Zephaniah are beautiful and enticing!

Can you imagine what the people thought when they heard that God himself would be living among them? In the days of Moses, the people feared the presence of God. But this oracle would be fulfilled when Jesus was born, and again when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would dwell within us. We have knowledge Zephaniah’s first audience did not. We should feel richly blessed to see Jesus in this promised restoration.

December 21 🌟 Immanuel (Isaiah 7:10-16)

Read Isaiah 7:10-16

Immanuel means “God with us.” It’s one of the names we use for Jesus, especially at this time of year. Just let that little nugget resonate with you for a moment. In just a few short days we’ll be celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Immanuel. Because of Jesus, we have God with us. Do you believe that?

This prophecy from God through Isaiah may have a double fulfillment. We are most familiar with Matthew’s quoting the portion that refers to Jesus’ mother. “The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” From our perspective, Jesus fulfills this without question.