DECEMBER 18 JESUS CAME AS A CAMPER By Stephen Bramer Department Chair, Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
The name of Jesus and the term “camping” have been inseparable at Word of Life since the beginning. Looking at John 1:14, we also see a theological connection.
When John the Apostle wanted to describe the coming of Jesus and his life on Earth, he used a phrase translated “made his dwelling among us.” In an idiomatic way, we might say, “He came to camp among us!” Jesus had been in heaven throughout eternity, but one day He came to Earth that He might live as a human with us to share the most important message of all time. This message was that we could live for eternity with Him.
In the nation of Israel, God’s glorious presence had been confined to the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Only the high priest could enter that place, and only once a year.
But on Christmas day this all changed. In the person of Christ, the glorious presence of God came to this earth in human form. He truly was Immanuel—“God with us.” The God-man came as a baby in Bethlehem that he might “camp among us.” Because He came, John is able to say, “we have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” At Christmastime we celebrate the first day of the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was born as a human so He could die in our place. He came as one of us and willingly took upon Himself the penalty of our sin. His coming from heaven to earth and our faith in Him makes our journey from Earth to heaven a reality. What a “day of camping” that will be!
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