2 Chronicles 6 starts with Solomon saying this quote. The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. But I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever. He then launches into his prayer at the temple dedication which then includes this. But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!

Solomon doesn’t seem to get it. I guess, how could he? God’s saying He dwells in darkness and Solomon is saying He will dwell in the temple, but then also recognizes that the heavens can’t contain God, so how could a house? And, for that matter, will God actually dwell with man?

Where is God’s dwelling place? In Psalm 18, it speaks of God coming down and passing with thick clouds of darkness to block the brightness. God doesn’t dwell in darkness. He Himself is the light. If He were in darkness, it would be instantly gone; light dispels darkness. If there is darkness in relation to God, as in Psalm 18, it is for our benefit. God is only good toward us.

Solomon thinks this temple will be God’s dwelling place forever, but then just after will question if God will dwell on earth with man and how God can’t be contained.

It’s both and. They are both true. God dwells in the temple that HE has built for Himself and nothing can contain Him.

God chose to dwell among men. That’s the celebration of Christmas, not a birthday, but Emmanuel, God dwelling among us, choosing to live with us. The good news is God’s kingdom coming to us, for us, in us.

Scripture tells us that God is building His saints into a holy temple, into a dwelling place for Himself. We are His temple. He dwells in us.

He is light and light dispels darkness. If the Spirit of the Living God is in you, it will be driving the darkness away. If you are in Christ and living in His light, then you should be experiencing filling with more and more light and having more and more darkness expelled from your life, the sanctification process of becoming like Jesus.

Our goal is to be completely identified with Christ, so that you are One with Him, and there is no separation in your life between the godly, the Christlikeness and the other part of your life.

Let Christ be in you and let His light shine before men that our Father in heaven will be glorified!