The Tabernacle

God used just two chapters to tell us all about His creative activity. But, around fifty chapters of the Bible are devoted to the wilderness tabernacle and the system of sacrifices, which caught my attention! Then it must be a relatively important topic as far as God is concerned.  I believe the Holy Spirit, the author of all scripture, has a unique and significant purpose in so doing!  We do not have any part to play in the Creation.  It is just information for us, but God established the Tabernacle for the benefit of Man. In the garden of Eden, the LORD God walked with Adam and Eve and fellowshipped with them.  But sin destroyed that fellowship.  The Tabernacle was God's idea, God's initiative, and God's design to open a way for the sinful man to approach a Holy God!  The Tabernacle signified the presence of God amidst His people! 

In the time of the New Testament, God chose to be with his people in a new way. John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."  Jesus came in the flesh to dwell among Men.  Jesus is God with us, Emmanuel.  The New Testament teaches that we are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in us (1 Cor 3:15).  In Jesus, we have confidence that God is with us and will never depart from us.  That gives us a great responsibility.  A holy God cannot indwell an unholy place! The Lord says in Leviticus 10:3, "By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy. "  That is why fire went out from the Lord and consumed Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron when they brought profane fire before the Lord (Lev 10:1,2).  God is love. God loves the sinner but hates sin! Sin has no place before the holiness of God!  Jesus shed His blood on the Cross to pay the price for our sins.  Only through the Cross of Christ can we approach this holy God without fear and with confidence!

My friend, everyone who is redeemed can approach God without fear.  The question we have to ask ourselves today is are all our sins forgiven.  God will not forgive unconfessed sins.  Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind all the sins so that they can be confessed and covered by the blood of Jesus.  Then we can enjoy the presence of God in our lives!

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