The Story of God with Us
The Goal of Creation / Eden
לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד
Babel (Babylon)
Genesis 1–2 introduces a story that anticipates the creation of an extraordinary city where God will dwell in harmony with humanity. Against this background, it is noteworthy that the last episode in the primeval era (Genesis 1–11) concerns the construction of a city. This metropolis, however, is the antithesis of what God desires. In the light of this, the rest of Genesis starts a process that will result in the creation of an alternative city where God will dwell on earth in harmony with people.
Abraham
For he was expecting the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Tabernacle
And I will dwell in the midst of the ⌊Israelites⌋,q and I will be their God. 46 And they will know that I am Yahweh, their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt in order to dwell in their midst. I am Yahweh their God.
And I will put my dwelling place in your midst, and my inner selfo shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk about in your midst, and I shall be your God,p and you shall be my people.
Temple
Exile (Babylon)
And the glory of Yahweh went out fromi the threshold of the temple, and it stood above the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and they rose from the earth before my eyes. At their going out, the wheels werej beside them. And he stood at the doorway of the eastern gate of the templek of Yahweh, and the glory of the God of Israel ⌊was over them⌋
Immanuel
Pentecost / Holy Spirit / Church
2 And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in the same place. 2 And suddenly a sound like a violent rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And divideda tongues like fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languagesb as the Spirit gave them ability to speak out.
5 Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when* this sound occurred, the crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one was hearing them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were astounded and astonished, saying, “Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how do we hear, each one of us, in ⌊our own native language⌋?c 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those residing in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,d 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the great deeds of God!” 12 And all were amazed and greatly perplexed, saying ⌊to one another⌋,e “⌊What can this mean?⌋”f 13 But others jeered and* said, “They are full of sweet new wine!”
The Holy City
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, the dwelling of God is with humanity,
and he will take up residence with them,
and they will be his people
and God himself will be with them.a