If you'd asked someone within Israel that question in the days of the Old Testament they may well have pointed you in the direction of the Tabernacle or the Temple (depending on which century you did your asking).
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| The Tabernacle |
God gave Moses the plans for the Tabernacle in Exodus, and right at its heart was the 'Most Holy Place' which contained the Ark of the Covenant - a golden box above which God had promised to meet with the people (Exodus 25:22).
The Tabernacle was also the place where you came to bring your lamb/goat/pigeon etc to present to a priest who would then sacrifice the animal for you and for the forgiveness of sin.
So the Tabernacle was the place where God had chosen to dwell amongst the people and it was the place you came to in order to receive forgiveness.
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| Solomon's Temple |
In the 10th century BC the Tabernacle was replaced by a stone Temple built in Jerusalem by King Solomon. At its heart was still the Most Holy Place and the Ark. It was still the place where God met with his people and the place where sacrifice for sin was made.
By the time we arrive at Jesus, this temple had been destroyed and rebuilt and then was undergoing a major upgrade - it was now known as Herod's Temple. And in John 2:13-25 Jesus walks into the temple and essentially declares through his words and his actions that the temple and everything associated with it is obsolete - and it has been replaced by him. No wonder the temple authorities were wanting to get rid of Jesus - they were in danger of losing their position, their authority and their power.
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| Herod's Temple |
John has already been using language that may have alerted us to what is coming. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us...we have seen his glory...
God no longer chooses to dwell among his people above the Ark in the Most Holy Place at the centre of the Temple - he now meets with his people in a person - Jesus. The whole sacrificial system was a signpost pointing through the Old Testament to Jesus - the perfect sacrifice. It's now through Jesus' death that we can know forgiveness for sin.
So whether it's finding God, or experiencing forgiveness, the place to look is not a place, but a person - Jesus.
