The Real Gift of Christmas
Every year, we celebrate Christmas as a season of joy and giving. But amid the glittering lights, wrapped gifts, and nativity scenes, we often overlook the profound truth at the heart of this holiday: Christmas marks the end of the greatest exile in human history.
The incarnation, God becoming flesh and dwelling among us, is not just a quaint tale about a baby in a manger. It is the climax of a story that began all the way back in Genesis. To grasp its significance, we must first understand the depth of humanity’s exile and what Christ’s arrival truly means for us today.
A Temple Without Walls
In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul writes:
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”
Many Christians hear this verse and think of health, avoiding junk food, drugs, or anything harmful to the body. While health is important, Paul’s message is far deeper. He is confronting Gentile Christians in Corinth about sexual immorality, particularly sleeping with prostitutes. But instead of framing his argument as mere disobedience to God’s law, Paul uses language that would have shocked both Gentiles and Jews: he declares that their bodies are temples of the living God.
For second-temple Jews, the temple was not a metaphor. It was the literal place where the eternal Creator was supposed to dwell, specifically in the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest could enter that sacred space, and only once a year. Gentiles were forbidden even to step inside the temple grounds. Yet Paul says to these very Gentiles, “Your body is the Holy of Holies. God dwells in you.”
This declaration would have outraged many Jews, but it carried an even deeper implication: God’s presence was no longer confined to a temple made of stone. The incarnation of Christ had changed everything.
The Longing for God’s Return
To fully appreciate this, we must revisit Israel’s story. After the Babylonian exile, the Jews returned to rebuild their temple, but something was missing. The prophet Ezekiel had witnessed the departure of God’s presence from the first temple (Ezek. 10), and by the time of the second temple, the Jews believed God had not yet returned. Though they were back in the land, they still saw themselves as in exile. God’s covenant presence was absent.
To fix this, many Jews became obsessively devoted to the Mosaic Law, adding rituals and restrictions to ensure they remained pure and worthy of God’s return. They longed for a Messiah, a son of David, who would overthrow their oppressors, restore the kingdom of Israel, and bring God back to the temple.
But when God did return, he did so in a way no one expected. A humble child born to a peasant family in a manger. The Holy of Holies was no longer hidden behind a curtain; he was among them, dwelling face to face with the people they considered unclean.
The Real Exile
The problem was that Israel, like Adam and Eve before them, had misunderstood their true exile.
In Eden, Adam and Eve dwelt with God in perfect unity, but their sin led to separation and exile from the garden. This was the first and deepest exile, not merely a loss of sacred space but a fracture in humanity’s relationship with God. While Israel believed the Mosaic covenant had resolved Eden’s exile, Paul saw otherwise. God’s presence in the tabernacle and temple was a step forward, but it was incomplete. He dwelled with Israel, but not fully among his people.
The rest of the world, the children of Adam scattered among the nations, remained in exile. God’s ultimate plan was not to restore a single earthly kingdom but to end the exile for all of humanity, calling every nation back into his presence. Israel was chosen to be a light to the nations, but instead of embracing this mission, they clung to their kingdom and sought dominance over the Gentiles.
When Jesus arrived, he came not as a conquering king but as a Savior for all. The Jews longed for the glory of David’s throne, but God longed for the glory of Eden restored, a kingdom where all people would reign together with him, as Adam and Eve once did.
The Kingdom Restored
This is why the incarnation is so profound. On that first Christmas morning, God returned to dwell among his people, not in a temple of stone, but in flesh. Jesus declared this reality throughout his ministry, especially when he healed the sick and forgave their sins. To the Jews, this was scandalous, only God could forgive sins, and his forgiveness would signal the end of the exile.
By forgiving sins and proclaiming the kingdom of God, Jesus was announcing: The exile is over. I have returned.
Yet many missed it. Like Adam and Eve adding rules to God’s command, or the Jews of the second temple period fixating on their earthly kingdom, they were so focused on their immediate desires that they missed the real gift of Christmas. The exile from Eden had ended, and God was once again dwelling with his people.
Living in the New Eden
So what does this mean for us?
Paul’s words ring true: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the living God? God’s presence no longer resides behind a curtain. He is not confined to buildings or rituals. Through Christ, the Holy of Holies dwells in us. We are now living in the restored Eden, a kingdom not of power, wealth, or politics, but of peace, love, and unity.
This Christmas, we must ask ourselves: Are we focused on the little gifts under the tree, or are we living in light of the real gift? Are we clinging to temporary desires like Israel, or do we recognize that God has already given us everything we need in Christ?
The incarnation is God’s declaration that Eden has been restored. He has torn down the walls of separation and dwells with us once more. It is no wonder the angels rejoiced that night: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!
Let us live as if we are already in Eden, because through Christ, we are.