God’s eternal desire is to dwell with His people. God dwelt among Israel, His chosen people (Lev. 15:31, 26:11). Jesus dwelt in the flesh (John 1:14). The Holy Spirit now dwells within the believer (1 Cor. 6:18-20). And God’s mission to dwell with His people will be fulfilled in the eschaton (Rev. 21:4). From John Mark Hicks, “The communion of the saints with the Triune God is a participation in the divine life which involves embracing the divine mission in the world.”

When the saints assemble to worship God as the corporate ekklesia, we model what we will experience in completion in eternity. God desires a community to experience the blessings of relationship with one another and with Him. The church functions in the world as the proleptic in-breaking of the eternal reality of God’s Kingdom. We participate in the Kingdom now by sharing life together; but we anticipate the fullness of the Kingdom in the yet-to-be revealed future. With eager expectation, we long for the fulfillment of John’s vision: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God.” (Rev. 21:4)