Joan Osborn sang a song back in the 1990’s. It did lean slightly irreverent however, it did bring up a good thought and point. She pined, what if God was one of us? Just a bum like one of us. Just a stranger on the bus trying to make his way home.
In our last time together we referenced Jesus, leaving glory, and the creator becoming the created. God was one of us. He was not a bum, but he lived the day to day life and suffered as we do but was sinless.
This longing of the Osborn song was, God does not know what it is like to exist as we do. The daily needs and sacrifices and losses.
But He does. God has always pursued His people. Think of the Tabernacle. Instructions given to Moses were precise and the location of this tabernacle, this tent, was right in the middle of the people. Not on the outskirts of town or on a mountain or city far away, but right in the middle. Literally the people of God camped around this tabernacle, this tent. God in the midst of the people.
Which is exactly what Jesus did. The tabernacle was a prefigure of Christ. When John begins his gospel, he references the Word, Jesus. Who was God in the beginning and created in the beginning. And this word, John says, became Flesh and dwelt among us.
What does this word dwelt mean? The literal translation of the word is tabernacled. He built his tent among us. Jesus in the midst of His people.
So, the reply to that old song from Joan Osborn is, God was one of us. Innocently and perfectly righteous, but God did take on human flesh and suffering.