Bookends

 

     In the spring of this year (2024), I was contemplating reading through the Bible again. As the thought occurred to me, I was reminded of my friend who told me that he had read through the Bible more that 60 times. The very next day, I heard of his passing. This spurred me on to get started and I am now more that 1/4 the way through. I am disciplined to do a bit every day but am not hurrying. Once again I am discovering things that I seemed to have not read the last number of times I have done this. 

     Every so often, a truth will jump up and grab me, something I may have known or heard in the past, but suddenly a new appreciation or insight will make me sit up and take notice. This time, it is about "Where does God reside?"

     Encounters with God were numerous and varied throughout the Old Testament. God was in the 'burning bush' when He spoke to Moses. He was in the pillar of cloud and fire for the Israelites when they crossed the wilderness on their way to the promised land. He was on the mountain in the thunder when Moses was on Mt. Saini. Then He dwelt in the Tabernacle that the Israelites built to exacting standards. Later, Solomon built the temple where the worship of God took place in the 'Holy of Holies', guarded by a curtain or veil, and none but the most high priests were allowed in.  

     The account of Christ's crucifixion talks about this 'veil being torn'. This is in reference to the fact that access to God is no longer through the Temple and through the High Priests, but now there is access to God for all. God was let out, or, we were let in, when the veil was torn. Christ's dwelling place is now in the hearts of his believers, his church universal. 

     The Bible is a collection of 66 books, written by 40 authors, over a period of 1500 years and yet the unified message and theme is unmistakable. The entire narrative is sandwiched between two bookends. It is about God and his relationship with his ultimate creation, mankind. The bookend at the beginning of this collection of books is 'God with Adam and Eve, in the cool of the day', communing without any encumbrances. Then, sin entered the picture and the sweet personal relationship with their creator was broken. The way back to that relationship is through Jesus and his death on the cross and his resurrection which paid the debt for sin and conquered death. The relationship is restored for those who believe, but it gets better. The bookend at the end of the Bible is this. Revelation 21: 3 "Now, the dwelling place of God is with men, and He will live with them"  In the beginning God dwelt with men, and in end God will dwell with men, but this time, it will be for forever.  Matching bookends to the greatest story ever told.