What is the purpose of building God’s house in the midst of His people?

St. John the beloved says, “I heard a loud voice from heaven saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev. 21:3).

Heaven could not find any more appropriate a name for the new earth, the new heaven, and the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:3) other than “the tabernacle of God with men.” Not, “the tabernacle of men with God,” but, “the tabernacle of God with men,” for the desire of humans to dwell with God can never be compared with God’s desire to dwell amongst us. Great is the exalted love of God! It is as though God is anticipating eternity that He may be comforted with His dwelling in our midst even though we know for sure that God is not in need of our servitude, but we are in need of His Lordship.¹⁰⁴³ Because God wants the believers to get a taste of heaven, He allowed His house to be built among His people that we may enjoy the sweetness of the divine presence, and His continuous salvific work for our sake.

King Solomon lifted his heart toward heaven and offered a prayer during the ceremony of the dedication of the temple, in which he asked, “Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today, that Your eyes may be open toward this temple, night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.” (1 Kings 8:26–27)

This was what preoccupied the heart of king Solomon: the presence of the Lord and the forgiveness of the sins.