A Theme to Dwell On

Why did God command Moses to build a tabernacle?
"Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst" [Exodus 25:8].

Why did God bless Solomon to build a temple?
"Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel" [1 Kings 6:12-13].

Why did God send Jesus?
"'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)" [Matthew 1:23].

Why did God elect and effect a Jewish and Gentile church?
"Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" [1 Corinthians 3:16].
"In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" [Ephesians 2:22].

Why will the new Jerusalem come down from heaven?
"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God'" [Revelation 21:2-3].

Big Idea behind all these verses, I propose:
God's intention throughout all of redemptive history has been to win and be with his people.

(Update: Add to this list Exodus 29:45-46 where God tells why he drew his people up out of Egypt:
"I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.")