The LORD God our Maker when He created man intended fellowship/companionship with him. This is evidenced in His visiting with Adam and Eve in the garden: “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Gen.3:8) Sin disrupted the fellowship and ever since God has been trying to bridge the gap, extending Himself to “dwell and walk” among man. The first attempt of its kind was when the Tabernacle was set up among His set-apart people bringing in His presence in their midst. 

Our reading lists blessings for the people’s obedience to God’s instructions one of them being His promise to dwell among them. They weren’t to make any idols or bow to it and they were to reverence His sanctuary and the blessings of peace, prosperity, plenteousness would be their portion! We know from the history of the nation that all these were fulfilled; yet when they walked away from God’s ordinances the opposite of all those promises plagued them such that they were scattered among other nations and suffered its consequences. 

Yet God’s love pursued them and in the fullness of time, God sent His Son- as recorded by John: “And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14YLT). Jesus revealed to us the heart of God- His longing to restore us to Himself, back to the fellowship with Him which could only be done through the sacrificial giving of His Son- the price to be paid for the sin of mankind! All who receive His death and resurrection as sufficient to make us right with God to enjoy His presence in our lives, He sends His Holy Spirit to “tabernacle” in our hearts. This is the privilege of the believer today!

A step further shows the body of believers, the present day Church of Jesus Christ is His tabernacle on the earth: “….Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,  in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Eph.2:21,22). God does His work of reconciliation to Himself in the world today, though us: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor.5:20)

Then at the end of time when the new heaven and earth are established, an experience of the literal presence of God: “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” (Rev.21:3). This is the hope of every believer as we await Christ’s Coming!

Dear brothers and sisters, its only in the holy temple of God that the Spirit of God dwells. Therefore, the admonition to us today is “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor.6:19,20). May allow the Holy Spirit to keep us holy so His glory will be seen through our lives to this world which is much in need of reconciliation to God! 

Thought for the day: Are you a “walking tabernacle” carrying God’s

presence in your life wherever you go?