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ing His creative energy by mere speech. Although God’s glory once dwelt in
The psalmist wrote, “By the word of the the tent of meeting (Exo 40:34) and in the
LORD the heavens were made, and by the temple (1Ki 8:10-11), that glory had long
breath of his mouth all their host. … For he since departed from disobedient Israel
spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, (Eze 9:3; 10:4,18; 11:22-23). “But when the
and it stood firm” (Psa 33:6-9). fullness of time had come, God sent forth
John clarifies that the Creator is the his Son, born of woman” (Gal 4:4) so that
Word. Paul adds, “For by him all things His glory – now in human form – might
were created, in heaven and on earth, dwell with His people again. When the
visible and invisible, whether thrones or Word became Flesh, the transcendent
dominions or rulers or authorities – all God could be heard, seen and touched
things were created through him and for (1Jn 1:1). Recalling the image of Israel’s
him. And he is before all things, and in tent of meeting where Yahweh dwelt be-
him all things hold together” (Col 1:16-17). tween the cherubim, John writes that the
“By him” shows that He is the omniscient Word “tented” among us (Joh 1:14, literal
Planner; “through him” that He is the om- translation). As the Shekinah – the visible
nipotent Producer; and “to him” that He is manifestation of God’s special presence –
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the glorious Purpose of all He made. The filled the wilderness tent, so in the Lord
author of Hebrews further shows that the Jesus “the whole fullness of deity dwells
Son’s divine energy continues to operate bodily” (Col 2:9). When Christ foretold
as He “upholds the universe by the word
of his power” (Heb 1:3). His death for the first time, He said,
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I
The Word Incarnate will raise it up” (Joh 2:19), showing that

In Genesis, God says, “Let us make man His temple-body was the Holy of Holies
in our image, after our likeness” (1:26). where God abode.
God created Adam as head of the first John draws us into his Gospel with this
creation to foreshadow His intention to compelling prologue that glows with the
appoint a Man – His Son – as Head over glory of the Word. John begins by assert-
the renewed creation. But while Adam ing “the Word was God” and ends by
became human by creation, the Lord repeating this truth: “No one has ever
Jesus became human by incarnation. The seen God; the only God, who is at the Fa-
eternal Word stepped into the cosmos ther’s side, he has made him known” (Joh
He had created. Remaining fully God, 1:18). The Word, now human, remains the
he became fully human by the miracle unique One, Himself God, eternally in
of the Virgin Birth (Isa 7:14; Mat 1:18-25; the bosom of His Father. John urges us to
Luk 1:26-38). As the Son of God, He is one welcome the Word to dwell in our hearts
of three Persons sharing a single nature; as well. He gives those who believe in His
as the Son of Mary, He is a single Person Name the right to become children of God
with two natures. John writes, “And the (v12), making His Father our Father and
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, His God our God (20:17).
and we have seen his glory, glory as of the
only Son from the Father, full of grace and 2 Shekinah derives from Hebrew shakan, “to
truth” (Joh 1:14). reside.”

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