The King Dwells Among Us
1 Chronicles 4:22b-23: "And these are ancient things. These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work."
What is this kingly business among the humble places? I want to know more! It seems that kings have more dealings and are more fitly placed on golden thrones in ivory palaces. Oh, but even kings can desire to look into things and places that are not comely for royal settings. Picture this with me for a moment; here, the king has hired craftsmen to do his bidding. We know for sure that potters are among them, but besides we really only know that the others are those that dwell among plants and hedges. We are given the impression that these craftsmen, including the potters, were all working together in familiar territory. This is nothing unusual.
But what is unusual is that it goes on to say that “there [meaning, the place among plants and hedges where these craftsmen live] they dwelt with the king for his work.” Notice it did not say that the king dwelt with them there, but that they dwelt with the king there, for this was the king’s dwelling place, and the king’s work! But what would a KING be doing, making his abode among the earthy places—the places of plants and of hedges? What work could a king possibly begin and employ others into His labors to accomplish in such lowly places? Ah, but He did, and He is still doing just that today!!
One day the King of Kings came and made His dwelling place in this earthy domain and humbled Himself to become a craftsman of the clayey hearts of men! They called Him Immanuel, meaning “God with us!” Then, one day, as was prophesied by the ram caught in the thicket in the Old Testament, this same King was caught in a thicket as they platted a crown of thorns upon His head as He bled and died to pay for the sins of the whole world. As He dwelt there among the plants and the hedges (for He could have called 12 legions of Angels for His rescue), He finished His sacrificial work on Calvary so that on resurrection morn, He could rise again and return to His Father, also once referenced to by Moses as “him that dwelt in the bush.”
You see, Christ was that King, and we were that people for whom He died. And even now, we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, while He STILL dwells among us!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
What is this kingly business among the humble places? I want to know more! It seems that kings have more dealings and are more fitly placed on golden thrones in ivory palaces. Oh, but even kings can desire to look into things and places that are not comely for royal settings. Picture this with me for a moment; here, the king has hired craftsmen to do his bidding. We know for sure that potters are among them, but besides we really only know that the others are those that dwell among plants and hedges. We are given the impression that these craftsmen, including the potters, were all working together in familiar territory. This is nothing unusual.
But what is unusual is that it goes on to say that “there [meaning, the place among plants and hedges where these craftsmen live] they dwelt with the king for his work.” Notice it did not say that the king dwelt with them there, but that they dwelt with the king there, for this was the king’s dwelling place, and the king’s work! But what would a KING be doing, making his abode among the earthy places—the places of plants and of hedges? What work could a king possibly begin and employ others into His labors to accomplish in such lowly places? Ah, but He did, and He is still doing just that today!!
One day the King of Kings came and made His dwelling place in this earthy domain and humbled Himself to become a craftsman of the clayey hearts of men! They called Him Immanuel, meaning “God with us!” Then, one day, as was prophesied by the ram caught in the thicket in the Old Testament, this same King was caught in a thicket as they platted a crown of thorns upon His head as He bled and died to pay for the sins of the whole world. As He dwelt there among the plants and the hedges (for He could have called 12 legions of Angels for His rescue), He finished His sacrificial work on Calvary so that on resurrection morn, He could rise again and return to His Father, also once referenced to by Moses as “him that dwelt in the bush.”
You see, Christ was that King, and we were that people for whom He died. And even now, we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, while He STILL dwells among us!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill