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Spirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff
I WILL DWELL IN THEM
by Ray Prinzing"What agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
Two special choruses to add their emphasis:
"Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true,
With thanksgiving I'll be a living sanctuary far You.""For I was born to be Thy dwelling place,
A home for the presence of the Lord,
O let my life now be separated unto Thee,
That I might be what I was born to be."The ultimate goal of God's purpose being wrought out through the ages, is to have A PEOPLE WITH WHOM, IN WHOM TO DWELL. He is preparing man, both individually and corporately, to be in HIS OWN IMAGE, so that in them He might tabernacle Himself, to share fellowship-- have pleasure in intimate communion. He was ALL GOD in Himself, but when He has finished His purpose, He shall be GOD ALL IN ALL, having brought forth a people in whom He might dwell. Or, as the Amplified translation gives for 1 Cor. 15:28, "So that God may be all in all-- that is, be everything to everyone, supreme, THE INDWELLING AND CONTROLLING FACTOR OF LIFE."
There is a revelation of HIS WILL AND MIND in what HE DOES. He speaks very loudly in His action, His works. And when He said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (Gen. 1:26), in this very working He was giving us a revelation of His will and purpose. He does not always draw pictures, post a diagram/blueprint on the wall. He does not always speak verbally. But you can WATCH WHAT HE DOES and begin to understand what is in His mind.
In fact, Jesus once said to the Jews who had taken up stones to stone Him, when they could not receive some of His spoken words. "Though you don't believe Me, BELIEVE THE WORKS: that you may know, and believe..." (John 10:38).
Again, He stated, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do: for what things soever He does, these also the Son does likewise." (John 5:19).
Thus all His works were a revelation of the Father's will toward mankind. If we understand HIS WORKS, we also KNOW WHAT IS IN THE HEART OF GOD for His creation.WHY does He work to bring forth man in His own image? The ultimate answer, TO DWELL IN! A place where He can PRESENCE HIMSELF without controversy.
Paul wrote, Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other."
What controversy-- the flesh against the Spirit, Spirit against the flesh. Yet, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). There must be harmony-- "For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness? - And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (2 Cor. 6:14, 16). Such controversy! No wonder Jesus prayed, "That they all may be ONE; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be ONE in us." (John 17:23). And what purging is necessary to bring about this oneness, ending all the discord in us.
In the garden of Eden, Genesis 3 tells us, HE WAS THERE. He did not have to call to man until man had sinned, but He presenced Himself and they were sharing precious fellowship. Then man sinned-- how? by turning to his own way, thus introducing controversy-- man's will against God's will. "All we like sheep have gone astray; WE HAVE TURNED EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN WAY." we read in Isaiah 53:6. Having gone his own way, turning from God, then God called to Adam, saying, "Where are you?" If Adam had answered according to the vernacular of today, he would have said, "I was off doing my own thing." And his own thing was in contra-distinction to the will of God. So from that moment on fellowship was broken. Spontaneous fellowship ended, and thereafter was intermittent, limited, coming far short of God's plan.
All the way through the Old Testament we trace the on-again, off-again, way of fellowship. Betimes men seeking God, betimes going their own way. Thus Acts 3:19 speaks of those "Times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord." Cycles of quickening and awareness of His presence, and then cycles of dryness and emptiness, when we not only wonder where God is, but even IF God is. Ah, there is far too much controversy-- of the carnal mind against the Spirit, and we find the need to "Cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5)
Genesis 28:16-17, "Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
All he had there was a stone for a pillow, and an open sky for a covering, and he said the place was "the house of God," because by a dream he was made aware that "THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE." But as soon as he was aware that GOD WAS THERE, he called it a DREADFUL PLACE. why? Because there was too much controversy in Jacob to be able to enjoy God's presence. All the discord was in Jacob, and there would be a long processing needed to change him. So Jacob went on his way, came to Laban, his mother's brother, and there he served for many years. Finally, having gained his wives, children, and possessions, it was time to return to his father's house. And on the way of his return we come to that happening where "There wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." (Gen. 32:24). Still working out the controversy that was in Jacob. For Jacob was a conniver, a schemer, as he sought to fulfill his own purpose and self-interest. But at last he came face to face with One who could over-power him. And finally his name was changed, from Jacob-- supplanter, deceiver-- to Israel, which literally means: GOD RULES. Finally there was a subduing, to end the controversy, as GOD PREVAILED OVER HIM, and Jacob became surrendered to God's inworkings.
In due time God brought Israel up out of Egypt, stating, "They shall know that I AM the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM: I AM the Lord their God." (Ex. 29:46).
What was the purpose in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt? THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM! To have a people with whom to share communion. Yet forty years of wandering in the wilderness did not get Egypt out of them.
"You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, TO KNOW WHAT WAS IN YOUR HEART, whether you would keep His commandments, or no." (Deut. 8:2). And the wilderness processings revealed there was far too much controversy in them-- their heart so often turned away from God.
No wonder John writes, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15). Thus He leads us through all these experiences to prove what is actually in our own heart. True, HE ALREADY KNOWS, but we don't, for "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: WHO CAN KNOW IT? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins..." (Jeremiah 17:9-10). And it is in these many processings that we learn what we are on the inside. He searches out, and exposes to us the many things in us which are CONTRARY to His holiness. Then we repent, and He graciously cleanses us from all unrighteousness, until we can become ONE IN HIM.
So God said to Moses, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." (Ex. 25:8) The word "sanctuary" comes from a Hebrew word that means "place set apart." WHAT A BEGINNING. It was necessary for them to SET APART a little place of dirt, for His place of dwelling, but this is only an interim thing, for when He has finished with this whole plan, He will have SET APART A PEOPLE FOR HIMSELF.
But we learn that Israel had too much of Egypt's god in them, along with all their own self-will and rebellion, so God said, "I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiff-necked people: lest I consume you in the way. - So Moses took the tabernacle, AND PITCHED IT WITHOUT THE CAMP, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the Tabernacle of the congregation, WHICH WAS WITHOUT THE CAMP."
(Exodus 33:3, 7). What a commentary on the state of the people, that even though God had brought them up out of Egypt, so "THAT I MIGHT DWELL AMONG THEM," yet there was so much controversy in them, that they had to just SET APART A PLACE OUTSIDE THE CAMP for Him, where they might go and find Him. Had He stayed in the camp He would have CONSUMED THEM IN THE WAY, for "Our God is a consuming fire," consuming all that is not one in His holiness."Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, SUFFERED WITHOUT THE GATE. Let us go forth therefore unto Him WITHOUT THE CAMP, bearing His reproach." (Hebrews 13:12-13). He also had to go without the camp-- and He did it for us, so that no longer do we have to go to a place, but hereafter we GO FORTH UNTO HIM. True, it may also mean that we "leave the camp," to be separated unto Him, but in our GOING ON TO PERFECTION, He truly goes with us all the way, till we shall BE FOUND IN HIM. Bless His name.
Yet to this day the mentality remains in Christendom, that if they want to seek the Lord, feel close to the Lord, they think they must seek out some "cathedral" i.e. commonly called "a church." And they think they will find God IN A PLACE, a set apart patch of dirt with a steepled building on it, and if they join that congregation, surely God is there. So long as it is "a tabernacle of the congregation," religious-- plenty of ceremony-- they hope that they will find peace. But often there is as much inner controversy in "that place" as there is "in them," and with all the mixture of self, soulishness, ego-parade, kingdom-building, etc. they come to realize that the reality they desire is not there. Ah, little do they know that GOD HAS MOVED OUT OF THAT PLACE, saying, as He did long ago, "your house is left unto you desolate."
Amos wrote of how God, "Caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city," and it really set the people to running to find water. "So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have you not returned unto Me, says the Lord." (Amos 4:7-8). Today people will search out convention and conference from city to city, hoping for that refreshing that satisfies. But it is NOT in going to a place, a meeting, it is in RETURNING UNTO THE LORD. And HE can be found right where you are, when your heart is turned toward Him. True, He can bless in gatherings, when they are of His appointment, and HE draws you there, but it is because YOU HAVE TURNED ASIDE TO SEEK HIM, not because it is any certain place. This is a very valid point to consider.
Moses was busy taking care of sheep on the backside of the desert, when GOD CAME TO HIM WHERE HE WAS. "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." (Exodus 3:2-3). There could have been many other distractions-- some sheep that needed attention right now, but MOSES TURNED ASIDE TO SEE. That is the lesson we all need to learn. How often during the day might He appear to us in various ways-- and we do well at that moment to TURN ASIDE, take time to worship Him, offering our praise and thanksgiving, listen for His voice, and receive from His Spirit that which refreshes the inner man.
The types and symbols all hold their message for us, as God applies it to US. And there is another dimension before us. God once said to Abraham, father of the FAITHFUL, "Lift up now your eyes, and LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE..." (Gen. 13:14). God told him to look northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward, and that He would give it all to him, so that HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT RIGHT WHERE HE WAS.
In this very place where you are, these very circumstances which surround you, LOOK UP, FOR I AM WITH YOU RIGHT THERE-- you can worship Me right there, you can receive revelation right there-- YOU CAN BECOME MY DWELLING PLACE RIGHT THERE! LOOK UP in the midst of your trials and situations, to SEE THAT GOD IS THERE, and He will give all these things to you-- turning the sorrow into joy, the evil into good, the night into day, for He says, "ALL THINGS ARE YOURS; Whether... the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours. (BECAUSE YOU ARE HIS)." (1 Cor. 3:21-22). Praise His wonderful name!
Yes, there "has been" a going out-- to leave all else behind, that He might become first and foremost in our life, and there may be many more cycles of inworking of this until we are complete in Him. But there comes a time, when we are so inwrought with His grace, that, in many ways, "we shall go no more out." (Rev. 3:12). We begin to DWELL IN GOD, and His Spirit dwells in us, and in each day, in each situation, we can LOOK UP, for He is there!
Then John adds, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have no doubt continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (I John 2:19). When your life and walk before God is pure, then whoever is not in agreement with HIS LIFE IN YOU will have to leave, for the controversy is in them, and they cannot fellowship with you. Had they stayed with you, HIS FIRE WOULD HAVE CONSUMED THEM. They have to leave until such a time as God has processed them into oneness with Himself, and then they will be one with you also, as you are one in Him.
Leviticus 26:1, "You shall make you NO IDOLS NOR GRAVEN IMAGE, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I AM the Lord your God." Then He repeats the promise, verses 11-12, "And I will set My tabernacle among you: and My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be My people."
When will God FULLY DWELL IN YOU! When there are no more idols in you. As long as we have room for IDOLS within, God does not permanently tabernacle in us. Yes, He will visit you, to give you a sense of His presence to sustain you through all the purification processings, but to be FILLED WITH HIS FULNESS, means that all else has been purged out-- no more idols. This theme is woven all through the Scriptures, that NO IDOLS will share space in His dwelling place.
John was certainly a beloved disciple, and He wrote precious truth concerning the love of God-- "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God." (1 John 3:1). It was John who wrote on the ultimate glory of the new birth, that "whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for His seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (3:9). It was John who wrote that "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (4:4). And we could recite many more profound truths which he shared. Yet when he had finished all of these marvelous teachings-- principles that we have barely scratched the surface of all these many years of meditating on them-- how does he end his writings, summing up the message as a father-figure who loves his children and would leave them a final word of utmost importance? As an apostolic command that should be held constantly before us? What does he say, (1 John 5:20-21), "We know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM THAT IS TRUE, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS. amen."
The final instruction, "the last word to ring in our heart and mind," after all the deep, profound truths which he had written, he seals it with the utmost challenge, first and foremost, above all else, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS. Why? Because God will not tabernacle Himself permanently in us, as long as there are any other gods within us.
Any substitute will separate us from Him that is True! Any substitute will keep us from the fulness of the life that is in Him! Whatever captures your attention, to draw you away from SINGLENESS UNTO CHRIST, is idolatry; yes, it is literally "anti-christ." The Greek word for "anti" means: over against, or, instead of. It is INSTEAD OF CHRIST, it is anti-christ! If it is anti-christ, it is a form of idolatry. There is so much of this world that would seek to captivate us, and draw us away from Him.
"Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thess. 2:4). That's the man of sin, the old adamic nature, the carnal mind, and whatever else we allow to usurp His Lordship.
"What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" NONE! That is why he goes on to write, "Wherefore come out from among them, AND BE SEPARATE." No more does He desire just a patch of dirt on which to pitch His tent, nor is He interested in buildings, however splendid and ornate they might be. Now He has gone beyond separate, sacred acres of soil, beyond holy temples built by man's hand, and HE DESIRES A SEPARATE PEOPLE-- called out from the world, and CALLED UNTO HIMSELF.
Then it reads on, "And touch not the unclean!" The Greek word for "touch" is "haptomai" meaning: to attach oneself to, or literally, TO KINDLE. The same word is used in John 20:17, when Jesus appeared unto Mary right after His resurrection, and she was so overjoyed to see Him, she would reach out to embrace Him, but He said-- "TOUCH Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father..."
Kindle me not-- do not light any fire of desire in me that would turn me away from my goal. And in this moment, our Lord did not want any human love, sentiment, temperament to defile Him. Sure, He understood how she felt, and He had singled her out for a special appearance, but there was to be no "earthy contact" until He had been SEALED IN to the higher realm. He was about to ascend to His Father, to present Himself pure and blameless, as the FIRSTBORN OF THE NEW CREATION. Later, after He had appeared to His Father, he would return to His disciples, passing through the door while it was yet closed, and calming their fears with a "Peace be unto you," He would say to Thomas, "TOUCH ME!" "Reach your finger here, and behold My hands; and reach your hand here and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing." (John 20:27). But Mary had seen Him between the grave and the throne, and so He said to her, "Touch Me not." For He must ascend to the Father and SEAL IN the redemption victory, untouched by any thing, or anyone on this earth plane.
Now, we likewise, have been CALLED OUT FROM AMONG THE DEAD, called out of the carnal realm, and we are ascending to our Father, being quickened by His Spirit, and being raised to sit with Him in the heavenlies. A new life has begun to work in us, and our challenge is-- DON'T LET ANYTHING OF THIS WORLD KINDLE IN YOU A STRANGE FIRE OF DESIRE, thus introducing controversy in us again. We are headed for the realms of glory promised to the overcomer, to sit with Him in His throne, and He must "present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 24).
So often the world would like to kindle a fire in us. Religious Babylon tries so hard to TOUCH THE ELECT WITH AN UNCLEAN THING. We mean no offense, and if GOD has called you to any task, place, work, etc. give obedience and leave the rest of it to His outworking. We speak for a general application, not an individual relating. Christendom tries so hard to kindle in men and women a desire to run for political office, to correct the injustices of the world. Many start out with good motives-- and then the world kindles a strange fire of desire for power, control, compromise, etc. and the vessel is defiled, and they find there is an IDOL in their temple. There are many financial involvements that likewise can turn one away from a pure walk. A credit-card entanglement that "sells your soul to the company store." And the religious part of Babylon would try so hard to kindle a fire in the direction of need-centered ministries, until the NEED becomes the IDOL in place of the will of God. Certainly THE WILL OF GOD is our only ministry.
More and more we understand that word, "When your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light (Luke 11:34). Surrendered totally to HIS LORDSHIP, there is a singleness of purpose, to become HIS DWELLING PLACE.
"That you may be filled through all your being unto all the fulness of God - that is, may have the richest measure of the DIVINE PRESENCE, and become a body WHOLLY FILLED and flooded with God Himself." (Eph. 3:19, Amplified). Praise God, this prayer shall be realized, and we SHALL become His dwelling place, not just in part, not just intermittently, but in fulness for ever!
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