Restoring God’s Place of Habitation

Luke 19:43-46

I. A place of habitation

2 Chronicles 6:1

Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. ²But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.

1. Prior to this time, the ark of the covenant rested in a tent.

2. The tent represented moving and wandering where as the Temple represented a stable and constant place.

II. Restoring His habitation

2 Chronicles 29:3-11  (Hezekiah)

He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. ⁴And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, ⁵And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. ⁶For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. ⁷Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. ⁸Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. ⁹For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. ¹⁰Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. ¹¹My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.

1. We find that through neglect that the dwelling place of God is in disrepair.

2. Through the man of God the Word of God is delivered to restore the dwelling place of             God.

III. The Church

Ephesians 2:20-22

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²²In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1. As the children of God, we become the dwelling place of God’s Spirit.

2. We are the desired habitation of God.

IV. The demise caused by neglect

Luke 19:43-46

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, ⁴⁴And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. ⁴⁵And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; ⁴⁶Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

1. The religious of the day missed the whole meaning of Good’s plan for mankind thus bringing upon it desolation.

2. It is imperative that we never neglect the responsibility of being the dwelling place of             God.

V. Our hope in His habitation

Ezekiel 15:13

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

Psalms 26:8

⁸    LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

1. Make sure that God is pleased with dwelling within your life not just a place of visitation but rather a continual dwelling place.