the presence of God

Yet, I Will Praise Him

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To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
    have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
    my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God. – Psalm 42:1-11 ESV

This psalm opens with one of the most well-known and beautifully poetic lines in the Scriptures.

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God. – Psalm 42:1-12 ESV

This simple expression of deep longing for fellowship with God is attributed to the sons of Korah. What makes these beautifully poetic words so significant is the background of the men who wrote them. The sons of Korah were the descendants of a man who led a hostile rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron during the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings. His mutinous act is recorded in the Book of Numbers

One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?” – Numbers 16:1-3 NLT

Korah and his cohorts questioned Aaron’s right to serve as Israel’s high priest. These men were jealous, and, as sons of Levi, they declared their right to serve as priests before God. But Moses revealed that their actions were an affront to the LORD. The Korahites already served in God’s Tabernacle, but dissatisfied with their role, they demanded the right to serve as priests.

Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” – Numbers 16:10-11 NLT

Moses devised a plan to put down the rebellion that would allow God to settle the matter.

“You and all your followers must come here tomorrow and present yourselves before the Lord. Aaron will also be here. You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all present them before the Lord. Aaron will also bring his incense burner.” – Numbers 16:16-17 NLT

To rally the rest of the Israelites to their cause, Korah spread dissent among the people, and a large crowd gathered to watch the showdown between Aaron and his challengers. But things didn’t turn out well for Korah and his companions.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. – Numbers 16:32-33 NLT

God had been ready to destroy all the people of Israel, but when Moses interceded on their behalf, God chose to kill the ringleaders and their families. But He spared the sons of Korah.

…the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire devoured 250 of their followers. This served as a warning to the entire nation of Israel. However, the sons of Korah did not die that day. – Numbers 26:10-11 NLT

Despite their father’s rebellion, the sons of Korah were given a second chance. God allowed them to continue serving in His Tabernacle, and their descendants would play a significant role in David’s royal administration, serving as warriors and worship leaders.

“…the most remarkable thing to note about the sons of Korah is that during the time of King David, they became the great leaders in choral and orchestral music in the tabernacle. Heman the Korahite had a place of great importance as a singer, along with Asaph (a Gershonite) and Ethan or Jeduthan (a Merarite). These individuals played an important role in the thanksgiving services and pageantry when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. David formed an elaborate organization for song, instrumental music, and prophesying through these men.” – gotquestions.org

So, with that background in mind, the words of this psalm carry even greater weight. These descendants of Korah were intimately familiar with the wrath of God. They had grown up hearing the sordid details of their patriarch’s disobedience and ultimate demise at the hands of the LORD. Yet, they had been graciously spared and allowed to serve Yahweh.

Yet, the author of this psalm displays his anguish at having been separated from his duties and unable to serve in God’s house. Some catastrophic event has prevented him from coming before Yahweh, and this forced separation has left him distraught and deeply troubled.

My heart is breaking
    as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
    leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
    amid the sound of a great celebration! – Psalm 42:4 NLT

Yet, even as he wrestles with grief and confusion, he reminds himself that God has not forsaken him. His difficulties cannot truly separate him from his God. He expresses his belief that this momentary light affliction will and he will be restored.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:5-6 NLT

Even as he suffers, he feels God’s love. His lack of access to God’s house has not diminished his awareness of God’s presence.

…each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing his songs,
    praying to God who gives me life. – Psalm 42:8 NLT

He has moments of despair and doubt. His enemies taunt him and ridicule his faith. But he continues to believe that His God is good and gracious. He relies on his belief in God’s sovereignty and saving power.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:11 NLT

The fact that this psalm was written by a descendant of Korah makes it all the more remarkable. This man had inherited a legacy of rebellion and knew the consequences of his ancestor’s actions against Yahweh. Yet, he knew that the same God who destroyed his ancestor was loving, gracious, forgiving, and fully capable of restoring him to fellowship. So, even while he still suffered, the psalmist fought off his discouragement with songs of praise and adoration to God. He bolstered his weakened faith with reminders of God’s presence, power, and provision. He fought off the verbal attacks of his enemies with words of affirmation and inspiration that focused on the faithfulness of God.

Father, when times of difficult arrive, it is easy to assume that I am somehow separated from You. It can feel as if You have abandoned me. But like this “son of Korah,” I want to learn to focus on your goodness, greatness, and presence. You have promised to never leave me or forsake me and I want to believe that promise even when my circumstances seem to contradict it. You are faithful and You have never given me a reason to doubt Your presence, power, and provision. You have always come through for me and You always will. I will put my hope in You because You are my Savior and God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jehovah-Shammah

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1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.– Ezekiel 43:1-5 ESV

YHWH–šāmmāh – “The LORD is There.” The closing chapters of the Book of Ezekiel contain God’s promise of a restored nation of Israel in a revived kingdom complete with a new-and-improved Temple. This eschatological glimpse into Israel’s future was intended to provide hope and remind Ezekiel’s original audience of God’s faithfulness.

Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry while living as an exile in Babylon. A former priest, Ezekiel was part of the 10,000 Jews sent to Babylon as captives during Nebuchadnezzar’s second deportation of Jerusalemites in 597 B.C.  (2 Kings 24:12-17). During his exile, Ezekiel received a vision that portrayed the glory of Yahweh in a strange and bewildering manner. The vision was a spectacular sight and contained visual imagery difficult for Ezekiel to comprehend. But he knew he had seen the LORD, Yahweh.

Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. – Ezekiel 1:

The vision was accompanied by a message from Yahweh, providing Ezekiel with a commission to serve as His spokesman.

“Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’” – Ezekiel 2:3-4 ESV

As part of his vision, Ezekiel was provided with a scroll that “had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe” (Ezekiel 2:10 ESV). Ezekiel was commanded to consume the scroll and regurgitate its content to “a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 3:9 ESV) with “a hard forehead and a stubborn heart” (Ezekiel 3:7 ESV). 

Ezekiel was warned that his message would not be well-received and that his efforts among the exiled people of Israel would prove fruitless. But despite the less-than-encouraging nature of his assignment, Ezekiel was assured that the vision and message had come from Yahweh Himself. He heard a sound like an earthquake and a voice thundering from heaven.

“Blessed be the glory of the LORD (Yᵊhōvâ) from its place!” – Ezekiel 3:12 ESV

Yahweh had spoken. But it is important to note that, at this point in the story, Yahweh remains in His “place.” He has visited Ezekiel in a vision but has not come to dwell among His exiled people. But fast-forward to the end of the book and Yahweh provides Ezekiel with a much-different vision of a much-improved future when He will dwell among His restored people in a reconstituted kingdom.

It begins in chapter 40, where Ezekiel receives another vision. On this occasion, he is transported back to Judah and placed on a high peak where he can view the city of Jerusalem spread out before him. But what he sees is dramatically different than the disheveled pile of rubble the Babylonians had left behind. Ezekiel is taken on a guided tour of the city, beginning with the newly restored Temple. Everything is immaculate and perfect. No detail has been overlooked. What the Babylonians destroyed, God has restored. But there is one thing missing: Yahweh’s glory. The city has been restored and the Temple has been rebuilt, but it all means nothing without the presence of Yahweh. In his vision, Ezekiel is privileged to see the glory of Yahweh return, accompanied by a reassuring message of hope.

“Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever.” – Ezekiel 43:7 ESV

In the remaining chapters of his book, Ezekiel describes the nature of this new kingdom in which Yahweh will dwell with His people. Ezekiel is given a detailed layout of the tribal allotment within the Millennial Kingdom. Beginning in the north and working his way down, he describes God’s plan for the geographical arrangement of the 12 tribes. Each tribe will occupy a portion of the land of promise that extends from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Jordan River in the east. The tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad will have the “Brook of Egypt” as their western border. Unlike the division of the land under Joshua, the Millennial Kingdom will allot equal portions of real estate to each of the tribes. When Moses had set aside the land for the people of Israel, he had done so based on the population size of each tribe. But in the Millennial Kingdom, the land distribution will be based on a different criteria. Rather than size, it appears to be based on faithfulness.

In examining the north-to-south allotment of the land, it becomes clear that there is an intended progression to the order. Dan, one of the most unfaithful tribes, will find itself located in the far north of the land.  The tribe of Gad will bookend the land from its location in the south. It’s interesting to note that the four sons born to Jacob’s concubines (Dan, Asher, Naphtali, and Gad) all occupy land on the extreme edges of the Kingdom. Yet Judah and Benjamin are located on either side of the holy district, the site of the Millennial Temple. These were the two tribes that made up the southern kingdom of Judah after God split Solomon’s kingdom in two. During the days of the divided kingdom, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin displayed the greatest degree of faithfulness to Yahweh and yielded the largest number of godly kings. Their reward for their faithfulness will be in the form of land allotments on either side of the holy district. The rest of the sons born to Jacob’s two wives, Leah and Rachel, will occupy land toward the center of the kingdom.

Proximity to the Millennial Temple seems to be the point in all of this because that is where God’s presence will dwell. Ezekiel saw the vision of God’s glory reentering the new temple and taking up residence in the Most Holy Place (Ezekiel 43:4). The Millennial Temple will sit within the holy city, and Ezekiel describes this future Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:8) as being six miles in circumference. It will have 12 gates, three on each side, dedicated to the 12 tribes of Israel.

His description of the city and its gates mirrors the one given by the apostle John in the book of Revelation. But John was describing the New Jerusalem.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. – Revelation 21:10-13 ESV

He was not describing the Jerusalem of the Millennial Kingdom, but yet another iteration of the holy city that will appear at the end of the millennial age when God makes all things new (Revelation 21:5). This New Jerusalem will have 12 gates named after the 12 tribes of Israel, but it will also feature 12 foundations, dedicated to the 12 apostles.

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. – Revelation 21:14 ESV

The greatest difference between these two versions of the city of Jerusalem appears to be the timing of their appearance. The Jerusalem that will exist during the Millennial Kingdom will feature a Temple and a reinstated sacrificial system. The city will be occupied by both Jews and Gentiles, but not all will be Christ followers. In the New Jerusalem, the occupants will be from every tribe, nation, and tongue, and share a common faith in Christ. It will be filled with the elect of God from all eras, including both Jews and Gentiles.

The Millennial Kingdom is dedicated to the nation of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Its very existence culminates God’s covenant promises to the patriarchs and fulfills every commitment He made to them. But that kingdom will come to an end and be replaced by the New Jerusalem and the eternal state, and at that time, “it will be ‘true’ Israel—those who have trusted in Jesus Christ—that will enter the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is through the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem that the true tribal people—believers of Jewish descent as well as Gentiles who have been ‘grafted in’ with God’s people (Romans 11:17–25)—will enter the joy of the Lord (see Matthew 25:21). (https://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-gates-Revelation.html).

But there is one important factor that both Jerusalems have in common: The presence of Yahweh. John describes his vision of the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:1-4 ESV

The dwelling place of God will be with man. He will dwell with them. God himself will be with them as their God. There is a promise of permanence in this passage. God will come to live among His people – on earth. Our final destination is not heaven, but earth. All the redeemed will live in perfect unity with God the Father and God the Son – for all eternity. And in this future Jerusalem, there will be no temple.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it… – Revelation 21:22-24 ESV

But the Jerusalem of the Millennial Kingdom, with its glorious Temple, filled with Yahweh’s glory, will also enjoy His presence. In fact, the very name of the main gate that will lead into this future city is Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord Is There” (Ezekiel 48:35 ESV).

The book of Ezekiel has finally come to an end. It has been 22 years since Ezekiel first saw his vision of God and received his commission as God’s prophet to the people of Judah. His ministry began with an unbelievable glimpse of the glory of God. He was given a word to deliver from the very mouth of God, predicting the coming siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple, and the deportation of the people of Judah to Babylon. In chapter ten, Ezekiel is shown the real tragedy of it all – the glory of God departing the temple. The very presence and power of God were removed from the midst of the people due to their sin and rebellion. But two decades later, God gave Ezekiel another vision of a rebuilt temple, a restored Jerusalem, and a revived relationship with the people of God.

The book of Ezekiel ends with the city of Jerusalem referred to by the name, “The Lord Is There.” It is a statement of God’s faithfulness and a reminder of His desire to live among His people. The abiding presence of God is a powerful image with which to sum up this book. While God had to punish His people for their sins, He never abandoned them completely. He remained faithful and committed to His plan for them. Even while they were in exile, He sent His prophets to communicate His message to them. And ultimately, God returned them to the land. But there is a day when God will complete His plan for the people of Israel and fully fulfill His promises to them. He will once again make His place among them so that the city of Jerusalem can truly be called “Jehovah-Shammah, The Lord Is There.”

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

When Good Intentions Produce Bad Outcomes

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1 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4 All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who sits enthroned above the cherubim. 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart. 8 And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.

9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. 11 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had. – 1 Chronicles 13:1-14 ESV

In chapter 11, the chronicler covered the momentous day when the 11 other tribes accepted David as their king. This took place in Hebron, where David had taken up residence with his “mighty men of valor.” Chapter 11 also contains the story of David’s capture of the city Jebus from the Jebusites, which he renamed Jerusalem and made the capital city of Israel. Now, in chapter 13, the chronicler picks up the story of David’s attempt to move the Ark of the Covenant from Kiriath-jearim to his new capital. The retelling of this seminal event in David’s life mirrors 2 Samuel 6 and is intended to remind his audience of the importance of the ark and to teach them a valuable lesson on the holiness of God.

David had a heart for God and was anxious to serve God well and rule according to His will. As he began to plan and prepare for his future kingdom, including the creation of his new capital in Jerusalem, he was motivated by a strong desire to honor God in all that he did. One of the first decisions he made as king was to relocate the Ark of the Covenant to the city of Jerusalem. For David, the ark represented the abiding presence of God and he was anxious to keep Yahweh as close as possible. This symbol of God’s presence had been transported by Moses and the people of Israel from Mount Sinai all the way to the promised land and was a permanent fixture in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle. The Book of Hebrews provides some important details regarding this holy and revered object.

…the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. – Hebrews 9:4 ESV

The cover of the ark was called the Mercy Seat and it was there that God’s presence dwelt. Exodus records God’s commands concerning the Mercy Seat.

“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony…” – Exodus 25:17-22 ESV

The Mercy Seat was especially significant to the Jewish people because it was there, once a year on the Day of Atonement, that the High Priest would sprinkle the blood of a bull and a goat as an offering to God for the sins of the people. This national treasure was more than an icon or symbol of their religion, it was a key to their atonement and the means of their justification before God. This explains why David was anxious to have the ark relocated into his newly chosen capital. But in his zeal to do the right thing, David ended up making the wrong decision. He got in a hurry and failed to do his homework, and his actions resulted in the unnecessary death of Uzzah.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul discusses the problem of zeal without knowledge.

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. – Romans 10:1-3 ESV

Paul was talking about his fellow Jews who had refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah. In their zeal for God, they had failed to recognize the very one sent to them by God. Instead, they continued to seek a right standing with God through adherence to the Mosaic Law. They were zealous for God but refused to do things God’s way. That was David’s problem. God had given the Israelites very clear instructions regarding the ark, including the means for transporting it from one place to another.

“Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it. Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on each side. Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it. These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them.” – Exodus 25:10-15 NLT

The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry. – Numbers 4:15 NLT

God’s design for the ark included two long poles with which it was to be carried and only by the sons of Kohath. Because of the holiness of the ark, it was forbidden for anyone to touch it; to do so would result in death. According to 1 Samuel 6:19, if anyone dared to look inside the Ark, they too would suffer the penalty of death. These divine prohibitions were not suggestions that could be arbitrarily obeyed or altered. They were not up for debate or human interpretation. Yet, when David got ready to move the Ark to his new capital, he made a major mistake.

Rather than adhere to God’s commands, David decided to employ a more expeditious and time-saving means for accomplishing his objective. Whether he realized it or not, David took a page out of the Philistine playbook and that decision would come back to haunt him.

Years earlier, before Samuel had become a prophet of God and Israel had a king, the Israelites found themselves in battle with the Philistines. After suffering a devastating loss to their mortal enemies, the Israelites were confused and concerned. In desperation, the elders of Israel ordered that the ark be brought to the battle site. Their reasoning was simple: “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies” (1 Samuel 4:3 NLT).

The Israelites were desperate. They had just lost 4,000 men in battle and the war was far from over. So, they determined to bring the ark to the battle site, treating it as a good luck charm or magic talisman. The elders made no mention of God in their instructions to retrieve the ark; they believed this gold-encrusted box would provide them with victory over their enemies. But their plan backfired. Rather than bringing the Israelites victory, the ark was captured by the Philistines.

The pagan and idolatrous Philistines viewed the ark as an Israelite idol and put it on display in the temple of their god, Dagon. But their capture of the ark proved to be deadly and they decided to return it to the Israelites. Unaware of God’s instructions for the proper transporting of the ark, they came up with their own plan.

“Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just given birth to calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen. Put the Ark of the Lord on the cart, and beside it place a chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors you are sending as a guilt offering. Then let the cows go wherever they want.” – 1 Samuel 6:7-8 NLT

Sadly, when it came time for David to transport the ark to Jerusalem, he chose to follow the example of the Philistines. Rather than adhering to God’s detailed instructions, David took a more worldly and expeditious approach.

They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. – 1 Chronicles 13:7 NLT

David was in a hurry to have the Ark moved into his new capital. In a sense, he was treating the ark like a talisman or lucky charm, hoping that its close proximity would assure him of God’s constant presence. But things did not turn out as expected. As the ox-drawn cart made its way to Jerusalem, David and the people celebrated the happy occasion but their cries of joy soon turned to gasps of shock and surprise.

Somewhere along the way, the oxen stumbled, causing the cart to careen precariously and unsettle its precious cargo. In an attempt to protect the ark, one of the sons of the high priest instinctively reached out and tried to steady it with his hand. It all happened in a split second. One minute the people were singing and dancing and, the next, they were gazing on in horror as the young priest dropped lifeless to the ground. The text leaves nothing to the imagination when it states the cause of death.

Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God. – 1 Chronicles 13:10 NLT

It might be tempting to view this as a gross overreaction on God’s part. How could He kill a man for attempting to protect this holy relic? What Uzzah did was not malicious or intended as a show of disrespect for God. He had tried to do the right thing and died for his efforts.

But it’s important to remember that God’s anger is always righteous and just; it is never capricious or undeserved. Uzzah had broken the law of God and, as a result, the righteous anger of God was poured out. But Uzzah never should have been put in that position. The ark was never intended to be transported by an ox-drawn cart. David had employed worldly means to accomplish God’s will and Uzzah ended up paying the price.

Had God not punished Uzzah for his sin, He would have acted unjustly. Had He not responded as He did, He would have been in violation of His own just and righteous law. That is why God gave clear conditions and commands regarding his people and their interactions with Him. Had David done things according to God’s plan, Uzzah would not have died. While David’s sin was not motivated by a heart of rebellion, it was rebellion nonetheless, and the outcome was death.

It’s interesting to note that David was not the one who died that day. The decision to transport the ark with a cart had been his, so he was responsible. Yet, he was not the one who paid the ultimate price. But instead of repenting for his sin, David expressed his anger with God.

David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today. – 1 Chronicles 13:11 NLT

David knew that Uzzah’s death had been God’s doing and it made him livid. Then his anger turned to fear that paralyzed him into inaction. Rather than taking the time to determine what he had done wrong and how he might be responsible, David had the ark moved to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. He gave up his quest to relocate the ark and returned to Jerusalem empty-handed and despondent.

His intentions had been proper and right. Bringing the ark into Jerusalem had never been the problem; it was how he attempted to do it. When he suffered for doing God’s will in the wrong way, David just gave up. So the ark sat in the house of Obed-edom for three months. David returned to Jerusalem angry at God and without the presence of the ark in his new capital. But while David pouted, God was busy blessing Obed-edom, and, eventually, news of this would reach David, motivating him into action.

The problem was not David’s zeal; it was his methodology. It was also his lack of knowledge regarding the will of God. He had attempted to do the right thing in the wrong way. He acted with sincerity but in ignorance. He had been enthusiastic and excited about having the ark in his new capital but he had left out one important part: Obedience.

This man after God’s own heart was learning just how difficult it can be to live in keeping with God’s will. David’s desire to do the right thing was commendable but his failure to do it according to God’s will had proved costly. Yet, he would learn. His faith would grow and his desire to live in obedience to God would increase over time. David was learning the truth of the Proverb: “Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.” (Proverbs 19:2 NLT).

The chronicler intended this fateful story to serve as a wake-up call to the returned exiles. He wanted them to understand the importance of obedience to God’s will. But, more importantly, he wanted them to revere and respect the holiness of God. Hundreds of years earlier, God had delivered a message to the disobedient Saul, who had also attempted to do the right thing in the wrong way.

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT

Even David, the man after God’s own heart, had displeased God because he failed to obey God. For the chronicler, obedience was a byproduct of reverence for the holiness of God, and this sad moment from David’s life served as a living lesson for the people of Israel.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our God Is Alive and Well

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44 “You delivered me from strife with my people;
    you kept me as the head of the nations;
    people whom I had not known served me.
45 Foreigners came cringing to me;
    as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
46 Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling out of their fortresses.

47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,
48 the God who gave me vengeance
    and brought down peoples under me,
49 who brought me out from my enemies;
    you exalted me above those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from men of violence.

50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and sing praises to your name.
51 Great salvation he brings to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
    to David and his offspring forever.” – 2 Samuel 22:44-51 ESV

David knew that his life was inextricably linked to God. Nothing he did was outside the influence and direct impact of God. His victories were due to God and his position and power were attributable to God. His physical strength was a gift from God. Even his sins were lovingly disciplined by God. No area of David’s life escaped the notice of God, because his God was living, active, and intimately involved in his life.

When David stated, “The Lord lives” he used the Hebrew word ḥay (pronounced khah’-ee). It can be translated as “alive” and refers to flowing water or a green plant. It was an expression used to convey the evidence of life. A stagnant pond would not have been “alive.” A brown plant would have displayed no evidence of life. For David, the proof of God’s “life” was in God’s constant activity and non-stop involvement in his own life. He could “see” God and didn’t have to wonder if God existed. He was convinced of God’s presence by the evidence of his power made visible through His actions and activities.

It is easy to overlook God’s actions or to attribute them to someone or something else. We often refer to luck or good fortune. When something fortuitous happens, we might say, “I was just in the right place at the right time.” If we encounter an unexpected and unpleasant outcome, we might respond, “I guess I had that coming.” We jokingly refer to karma and kismet. We talk about fate as if it exists and holds an irresistible mastery over our future. Even Christians can end up believing that the outcome of their lives is completely up to them or at the mercy of unseen forces.

But David would argue that God is the invisible, unstoppable agent of influence in the life of the believer. He is alive and active, and the evidence of His life is all around us. But seeing and believing it is a matter of perspective. When difficulties come into our lives, we tend to ask, “Where is God?” In other words, we assume that the presence of trouble signals the absence of God. But David would argue that God is there, even in those dark moments.

He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
    he brings down the nations under me
    and delivers me from my enemies. – 2 Samuel 22:48-49 NLT

David sensed God’s presence, even in the most difficult of situations. This awareness of God’s immanence allowed David to live with a sense of expectation and eager anticipation that God was going to act on his behalf. There’s little doubt that much of David’s firm assurance in God’s presence was the result of hindsight. He could look back on his life and recognize the evidence of God’s handiwork. That is why he was so willing to confidently attribute his current success to God’s past actions in his life.

You gave me victory… – vs 44

You preserved me… – vs 44

You hold me safe… – vs 49

You save me… – vs 49

You give great victories… – vs 51

You show unfailing love… – vs 51

David had learned that God reveals Himself through the grace, peace, and mercy that He pours out in times of difficulty. These displays of God’s love aren’t always recognizable and readily attributable to Him. Sometimes it comes disguised in the form of a friend who encourages and comforts us. He sends His children to act as His representatives, expressing His love and providing tangible evidence of His existence.

Seeing God requires that we look for Him. God told the Israelites, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:13 NLT). But we have to make the effort to seek evidence of His presence. We have to assume He is there, even when the circumstances tell a starkly different story. When David sat in the damp, dark recesses of a cave in the Judean wilderness, attempting to hide from King Saul, it would have been easy to doubt the presence of God. He could have easily assumed that he had been abandoned by God.

When facing difficulty, our first impression is to assume that God has left the building; He has turned His back on us. But He is there. He is always there. And He is always active because He is the living God. He is not a lifeless idol sitting on a shelf. He is not a dead deity whose story is bound up in an old, out-of-touch book written thousands of years ago. He is the living God of the Bible, which itself is a living, active document that reveals His divine nature and tells the incredible story of His plan for redeeming and restoring humanity.

The author of Hebrews describes the Bible as “alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12 NLT). Everything about God is alive, from His Word to His Spirit who lives within each and every believer. Unlike the false gods of this world, our God is a living, breathing, active, and all-powerful God. He has no equal. There are no other gods who can compete with or compare to Him. All other gods are man-made, powerless, and poor substitutes for the one true God. The prophet Jeremiah pulled no punches when describing the futility of worshiping false gods.

Their ways are futile and foolish.
    They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
They decorate it with gold and silver
    and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
    so it won’t fall over.
Their gods are like
    helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
    and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
    for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” – Jeremiah 10:3-5 NLT

But Jeremiah goes on to differentiate the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David.

But the Lord is the true God;
    he is the living God and the everlasting King. – Jeremiah 10:10 ESV

He is the living God. In other words, there was no point in time when God was made or manufactured by someone else. It is not just that He has life or existence, but that He is the preexistent one. He was not made. God is not the result of man’s creative capabilities. In fact, God is the Creator of all things. He doesn’t have to be carried about and propped up on a shelf. He isn’t restricted to a specific location or limited in any way. God is not isolated and insulated from His creation. He is not stuck in heaven and dependent upon our efforts to call Him down. As followers of Christ, the living God lives within us; we are His temple. Paul reminded the Corinthians of this fact in his second letter to them.

For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:16 NLT

He lives within us and the proof of His presence should be evident all around us. Paul told the Galatians exactly how to spot the evidence of God’s life within us:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… – Galatians 5:22 ESV

That is all the proof we need that our God is alive. He reveals Himself in us and through us. But He also shows up all around us, in the daily affairs of life. We can see Him in the many blessings we enjoy. We can sense Him even in the difficulties that show up in life, as He comforts, corrects, encourages, and perfects us. God is always there. We just have to learn to look for Him.

David had become adept at looking for and seeing God in the everyday affairs of life. He had trained himself to seek God and to expect to find Him. David wasn’t surprised when God showed up; it was his expectation. And his response to the presence of God was to praise Him.

For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
    I will sing praises to your name. – 2 Samuel 22:50 NLT

David’s awareness of God’s active involvement in his life flowed out in praise. He couldn’t help but brag about God. Rather than boast about his own accomplishments, he gave God the credit. He literally sang God’s praises. But David didn’t operate in a vacuum. His words of acclimation and adoration weren’t relegated to his personal quiet time or some secluded spot in his palace. While he directed his praise to God, he wasn’t afraid for others to hear what he had to say. He wanted his people to know and experience the power and presence of God as well. He wanted the nations to hear about the glory of Yahweh.

For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
    I will sing praises to your name. – 2 Samuel 22:50 NLT

David’s God was alive and powerful. His God was worthy of praise, glory, and honor. Unlike the false gods worshiped by the enemies of Israel, Yahweh wasn’t sitting on a shelf somewhere; He was actively involved in the lives of His people and working out His sovereign will among the nations. He was powerful, present, and providentially carrying out His perfect will according to His predetermined plan.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Time of Reformation

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1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. – Hebrews 9:1-10 ESV

In verse ten of this section of Hebrews, the author makes an interesting statement. He refers to “the time of reformation.” The Greek word he used was diorthōsis and it means “a making straight, restoring to its natural and normal condition something which in some way protrudes or has got out of line, as broken or misshapen limbs” (Greek Lexicon :: G1357 (KJV) Blue Letter Bible).

It could also mean to straighten thoroughly, rectify or restore. Some Bible translations refer to it as the “new order” or the time “when things will be put right.” But it is clear that the author is referring to the new covenant. The old way has been replaced by something new and improved. The author gives a brief description of the old way by listing some of the more important characteristics of the Tabernacle and the worship that took place there. He mentions the Holy Place which contained the golden lampstand and the table of shewbread which held the bread of the presence. He brings up the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, in which there was the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant. He includes a reference to the priests and the high priest, who were responsible for making sacrifices on behalf of themselves and the people. But he can’t help but remind his readers that “according to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper” (Hebrews 9:9 ESV).

The sad reality was that the old covenant could never provide the worshiper with intimate access to God or the assurance that their sin debt was paid in full and their relationship with God was completely restored.

The very fact that the average Jew could not enter the Most Holy Place, but had to rely on the high priest to minister on their behalf, paints a picture of the inadequacy of the old way. It could not make the worshiper fully justified before a holy and righteous God or provide a personal experience of His presence. By these things “the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing” (Hebrews 9:8 ESV). As long as the Tabernacle or the Temple were still in use, the people would never fully experience the joy of access to and intimacy with God. These man-made structures could only emulate or model something greater to come. Even the priests who ministered in the Tabernacle and the Temple “serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven” (Hebrews 8:5 NLT).

Yet, Jesus “ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands” (Hebrews 8:2 NLT). This “heavenly Tabernacle” was what the earthly version was intended to model. It was designed by God and based on the true Tabernacle located in the heavenly realm. But it was made by human hands and required constant purification from the sinful influence of God’s chosen people. In this earthly Tabernacle, access to the Most Holy Place, where the presence of God dwelled over the mercy seat, was highly restricted. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest was allowed to pass through the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. But only after he “offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance” (Hebrews 9:7 NLT).

Even the high priest was restricted from entering God’s presence. There were conditions that had to be met and regulations that had to be obeyed. 

By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. – Hebrews 9:8 NLT

It seems that the author is using the separation between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place as a metaphor for the difference between the earthly Tabernacle and the one that exists in heaven. As long as the Tabernacle or Temple were still in use, the people of Israel would never enjoy access to the true Holy of Holies in heaven, where God Himself dwells alongside His resurrected Son, the Messiah. And as long as the Jewish Christians to whom this book was written continued to harbor thoughts of returning to their former adherence to the law and the sacrificial system, they would be erecting a barrier between themselves and God. The Tabernacle and the Temple were meant to be temporary.

The Tabernacle that the Israelites utilized during their years traveling through the wilderness was eventually replaced by the Temple that Solomon constructed in Jerusalem. But even that glorious structure was eventually destroyed when the Babylonians entered and plundered the city of Jerusalem. More than 70 years later, it was rebuilt by the remnant of Israelites who returned to Judah. But this new Temple was a far cry from the grand architectural wonder that Solomon had built. And it would be centuries later that King Herod instituted his plans to remodel and expand the Temple. It was to this structure that Jesus referred to when speaking with His disciples in the latter days of His earthly life.

John’s gospel records an encounter Jesus had with the Jewish leadership outside Herod’s Temple just after He had chased out the money changers. With the Temple as a backdrop, Jesus boldly declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19 ESV). 

Angered and more than a bit confused by Jesus’ statement, the Jews responded, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” (John 2:20 ESV). But John provides insight into the meaning of Jesus’ statement.

But he was speaking about the temple of his body. – John 2:21 ESV

In this brief exchange, we are provided with a glimpse of the “time of reformation” to which the author of Hebrews refers. Jesus was the temple of God through which men would enter into His presence and receive full acquittal for their sentence of death and complete forgiveness for their sins. In other words, they would be made right with God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Not only is He the high priest and the sinless sacrifice, but He serves as the Temple of God. He alone can provide access to the Father. This is why, when He breathed His last breath on the cross, something truly significant took place.

At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart. – Matthew 27:51 NLT

With the death of Jesus, the barrier to God’s presence was removed. His blood provided atonement for the sins of mankind – once and for all. This is why Paul reminds us, “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” (Ephesians 3:12 NLT). That is why the author of Hebrews was able to write, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT). The veil was torn. The barrier was removed. Access to God was restored. But it was all due to the sacrificial death of Jesus – the sinless Lamb of God, the High Priest of Heaven, and the true earthly Temple in which God’s presence was made available to all men.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. – Romans 5:1-12 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Glory of the Lord

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34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. – Exodus 40:34-38 ESV

The book of Exodus ends with a somewhat small but highly significant section of verses that provide the conclusion to the Israelite’s Sinai experience. They had been camped at this location for more than a year and, during that time, much had taken place. And this region had a special significance to Moses because it was at this same spot that he had received his commission from God to serve as the deliverer of Israel. Long before he had taken on this formidable responsibility to lead the Israelites from captivity in Egypt to the land of Canaan, Moses had been shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep near Mount Sinai. On one occasion, Moses’ attention was drawn to a strange and inexplicable sight.

He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” – Exodus 3:2-4 ESV

Much to Moses’ surprise, the bush spoke to him, and little did he know at the moment that the voice he heard was that of Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” – Exodus 3:5 ESV

Moses had entered a holy place because God Almighty had graced it with His presence. His divine glory appeared in tongues of flame that engulfed an ordinary bush but left it fully intact and unharmed. In a sense, that bush had become an earthly sanctuary for God – if just for a moment. Its original purpose had been dramatically altered as it was transformed into a temporary repository for God’s holy presence.

For a brief moment in time, God had turned a common and otherwise insignificant bush into a sanctuary in which Moses might commune with Him. By God’s grace, that remote desert location had become a place of worship and intimate fellowship with Him. It was holy ground and, from that spot, God spoke to Moses.

“I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.” – Exodus 3:7-8 ESV

Yahweh revealed His glory and His will to Moses. And now, more than a year later, God was going to reenact this divine encounter yet again. But this time, the place of meeting would be the newly erected Tabernacle and not a burning bush. With the Tabernacle now complete, it was time for God to fulfill His promise and take up residence within it. During his initial encounter with Yahweh at the burning bush, Moses had received the following promise.

“I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” – Exodus 3:12 ESV

God had kept His word. Moses had served God on Mount Sinai. It was there, on the top of the mountain, that God had revealed His glory once again.

All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. – Exodus 19:18 NLT

The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain. – Exodus 19:20 NLT

God called and Moses obeyed. He climbed to the top of the mountain and entered into God’s presence, where he received God’s laws and His plans for the Tabernacle.

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.” – Exodus 25:8-9 NLT

Moses had kept his end of the agreement, having successfully overseen the fashioning and erecting of the Tabernacle. He had inspected every facet of the project and given it his approval. But now, it was up to God to give His Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval by blessing the Tabernacle with His presence. And Moses rather matter-of-factly records, “the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34 ESV).

It was as if the glory of God had descended from the top of Mount Sinai and settled upon the Tabernacle. The same manifestation of His divine presence that had guided the Israelites ever since they left Egypt had now come to rest over the Tabernacle. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire would appear over the top of the Tabernacle, providing the Israelites with a visual reminder that God was home and dwelling in their midst. Moses states that “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:35 ESV). He was unable to provide an explanation as to how this glory manifested itself, because he was not allowed to enter the Holy of Holies where God’s glory rested above the Mercy Seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant. But all the people were given a clear and unmistakable sign of God’s presence in the Tabernacle. As long as the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire appeared over the Tabernacle, they would know that their God was near. He had not left or forsaken them. 

But as soon as the pillar lifted up from the Tabernacle, they knew it was time to pack up and prepare to go.

Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. – Exodus 40:36-37 ESV

The Tabernacle had been designed and constructed to ensure its portability. It was to be a temporary and transportable structure that could be moved from place to place. But once God’s glory settled at a new location, the people were to stop and immediately reassemble the Tabernacle. God’s house was to be their highest priority because God’s presence was their greatest need. Without Him, they were hopeless, helpless, directionless, and powerless. Any hopes they had of making it to the land of promise and conquering the nations that lived there would be dashed if the Lord ever left them. His presence wasn’t a pleasant perk but a life-or-death necessity. The only thing that set them apart from the other nations was the presence and power of God. Without Him, they were no different than the many pagan people groups that occupied the land of Canaan.

The book of Exodus ends with the Tabernacle completed, the law given, the priesthood established, the sacrificial system inaugurated, and God’s presence in place. Everything was just as God had planned it. His will had been obeyed and He had blessed His people with the reality of His divine presence among them. Now, it was time to complete the rest of their journey to the promised land. The Tabernacle and Sinai were not their final destination. God had more in store for them, and the best was yet to come.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Plea for God’s Mercy

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1 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” – Exodus 34:1-9 ESV

As Moses stood in the tent of meeting at the outskirts of the camp, God agreed to give Moses a glimpse of His glory. But if Moses wanted to see his request fulfilled, he would first have to replace the tablets of stones he had shattered. The God-inscribed tablets lay in pieces on the valley floor where Moses had thrown them in anger when he discovered the sordid scene taking place among his people. Moses may have broken the tablets, but the law of God remained fully intact and in place. The holiness of God had not diminished and His holy expectations of His chosen people had not been altered by their actions. If anything, God’s righteous laws were more important than ever.

The people of Israel had shown their true colors. Their allegiance to God had been exposed for what it was, weak and vacillating. It had taken no time at all for their faithfulness to Yahweh to wane and their commitment to keeping His laws to disappear like the manna did when the sun came up in the morning. So, God demanded that Moses carve out two more tablets of stone and return to the top of Mount Sinai.

“Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. I will write on them the same words that were on the tablets you smashed. Be ready in the morning to climb up Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain.” – Exodus 34:1-2 NLT

And as before, God restricted access to the mountain, warning that no other Israelite was to come anywhere near Sinai. Not even the flocks and herds of Israel were allowed to graze near the base of the mountain. God was going to descend on Mount Sinai, transforming the entire mountain into a sacred place or sanctuary. This warning was intended as a not-so-subtle reminder to the people of Israel that they served a holy and transcendent God who deserved their reverence and whose power should elicit fear and awe. This was the very same God who had promised to dwell among them in the Tabernacle that He had designed and commissioned them to build. At the moment, that sacred structure remained unbuilt but when completed, it too would become a holy place because it contained the glory of God’s presence.

Moses obeyed God’s command and chiseled out two new tablets to replace the ones he had broken. The original set had been hand-carved by God.

The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. – Exodus 32:16 ESV

This time, by having to do the difficult work of crafting the replacement stones, Moses would have skin in the game. Perhaps he would treat God’s laws with greater respect if he had some sweat equity in their creation. But there is something else going on here. When Moses returned to the top of the mountain, he would be carrying stones that he had crafted with his own hands. They would be poor facsimiles of the ones he had broken. There is no way that Moses could craft stone tablets that were equal in quality to those made by the hand of God. Yet, God promised to write His law on the flawed stones made by human hands.

Centuries later, the prophet, Jeremiah would write the following words from God concerning the people of Israel.

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – Jeremiah 31:33 NLT

God was speaking of a future day when He would restore His rebellious people to a right relationship with Himself. They had broken His commands time and time again and were subject to His judgment for their disobedience. He was going to punish them for their failure to obey, but He also promised to restore them. But notice what God said. He would write His laws on their hearts. And the author of Hebrews picks up on this idea when he writes:

But when God found fault with the people, he said:

“The day is coming, says the Lord,
    when I will make a new covenant
    with the people of Israel and Judah.
This covenant will not be like the one
    I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
    and led them out of the land of Egypt.
They did not remain faithful to my covenant,
    so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.
But this is the new covenant I will make
    with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
    and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.” – Hebrews 8:8-10 NLT

In a sense, those stone tablets carved by Moses’ hands were meant to symbolize the hardened hearts of the people of Israel. When Moses carved those stones out of the mountainside, they proved to be stubbornly resistant to the blows of his chisel and hammer. But when he carried them up the mountain, they would become the receptacles of God’s divine law. God’s intention all along was the change the hearts of His people. Laws without willing hearts to obey them become nothing more than regulations that condemn.

The apostle Paul spoke of this very issue from a personal perspective. As a former Pharisee, he had done his best to try and obey the law, only to discover that it was impossible. His heart wasn’t in it.

I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. – Romans 7:10-12 NLT

He wrote the believers in Galatia: “If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it” (Galatians 3:21 NLT). But the problem was not with the law; it was with the hearts of those who refused to obey the law.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. – Romans 7:14 NLT

It’s interesting to note that, until God had given the Decalogue to Moses, there were no prohibitions against having any other gods than Yahweh. But once God had given the Ten Commandments to Moses and the people had agreed to obey them, the law became binding and irrefutable. They were non-optional. Not only that, they made sin indefensible. No Israelite could say he acted out of ignorance. All those who participated in the worship of the golden calf did so in spite of their understanding of God’s law and their verbal commitment to obey that law. They stood justly condemned.

And yet, God was graciously offering to provide them with another copy of His commands. This time, they would be written on hard, cold stones carved by the hands of Moses. But they would be just as binding and unbendable in their scope.

Before God inscribed His law on the new tablets, He kept His promise and revealed His glory to Moses. And His glorious presence was accompanied by the following speech.

“Yahweh! The Lord!
    The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
    and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
    I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
    I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
    even children in the third and fourth generations.” – Exodus 34:6-7 NLT

If you recall, God had earlier told Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose” (Exodus 33:19 NLT). Now, as He revealed His glory to Moses, God expanded on that statement. He describes His own commitment to show compassion and mercy to His people. He declares His unfailing capacity to show love and to forgive. And yet, He affirms His right to judge the wicked and unrepentant. He declares His intention to hold the guilty accountable for their actions. Not only that, He states that future generations will inherit the guilt of their forefathers. But what is going on here? How do we justify this statement with God’s earlier promise of forgiveness? The key lies in the Ten Commandments themselves. In giving the first two laws, God had added the following condition.

“I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.” – Exodus 20:5 NLT

There was one sin that God would not forgive, and that was any rejection of Him as the one true God. He knew that this sin was particularly infectious. God knew that when the parents turned their backs on Him, the children would be prone to follow their example. And this hereditary sin would be passed down from generation to generation, with each subsequent generation bearing the guilt of their forefathers.

What had happened in the valley of Sinai was a serious breach of God’s law, but what made it even more dangerous was its potential for spreading a spirit of rebellion among the people of Israel. If it happened once, it could happen again and if it did, God would hold all those who rejected Him guilty and worthy of condemnation.

This foreboding word from God caused Moses to cry out, “Yes, this is a stubborn and rebellious people, but please forgive our iniquity and our sins. Claim us as your own special possession” (Exodus 34:9 NLT). He knew that without God’s presence, the people would be helpless, and without God’s forgiveness, they would be hopeless. So, he begged God to show mercy and extend forgiveness because he understood that the people of Israel were worthy of judgment. According to the law, they stood condemned. Which led Moses to appeal to the Law-giver to extend mercy and grace. It was their only hope.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Loss of God’s Presence

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1 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

4 When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’” 6 Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. – Exodus 33:1-11 ESV

Israel’s ill-advised decision to abandon God proved to be far more costly than they could ever have imagined. Three thousand of their own kinsmen died as a result of their leadership role in the rebellion, while an undisclosed number of other Israelites lost their lives in the plague that God sent among them. These divine judgments must have left the people of Israel in a constant state of fear and anxiety. Had God’s wrath been satisfied or were more deaths to be expected? And would they be next? Yet the greatest judgment was yet to come, and it would appear in an unexpected form.

God commanded Moses to break camp and begin the next phase of the journey to Canaan. Their time at Sinai was complete. They had the Decalogue, the Book of the Covenant, and God’s plans for the Tabernacle. Now, it was time to complete their quest for the promised land. But notice how God changed how He referenced the people of Israel. He told Moses to depart and to take “the people you brought up from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 33:1 ESV). He no longer refers to them as His “treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5 ESV). Rather than “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6 ESV), they are simply “the people” whom Moses brought out of Egypt. Their decision to abandon God has dramatically altered their relationship with Him.

God will keep the covenant promise He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Canaan will become the Israelite’s homeland, and to bring that outcome about, God will drive out all the inhabitants who currently occupy the land. He promises to send an angel ahead of them, who will “drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites” (Exodus 33:2 ESV). But the announcement about this divine agent is markedly different that what God had told them prior to their debacle with the golden calf.

“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.” – Exodus 23:20-21 ESV

Earlier, God had promised to send His angel to accompany them on their way to Canaan. He was to guide and guard them as they traveled. But the angel’s presence had come with conditions.

“But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” – Exodus 23:22 ESV

And God had told them that their conquest of Canaan would require the destruction of all the inhabitants, the elimination of every idol, and complete allegiance to Him.

“When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the Lord your God…” – Exodus 23:23-25 ESV

But the people’s rejection of God at Sinai proved to be catastrophic and in ways that were completely unexpected and unnerving. God informed Moses, “I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I did, I would surely destroy you along the way” (Exodus 33:3 NLT).

And God had Moses command the people to remove all their fine clothes and expensive jewelry. They would no longer be allowed to adorn themselves with the trinkets and treasures they had brought with them from Egypt. This prohibition seems to have direct ties to Aaron’s request for the Israelites to donate all their gold earrings so that he could make them a false god (Exodus 32:2-3). God wanted nothing to do with their fancy ornaments and fine clothing because they served as reminders of their rejection of Him. So, he told them, “You are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I were to travel with you for even a moment, I would destroy you. Remove your jewelry and fine clothes while I decide what to do with you” (Exodus 33:5 NLT). And this command would remain in effect all the way to their arrival in Canaan.

But the most devastating part of God’s message was His decision to rescind the promise of His divine presence. Back in chapter 25, Moses recorded God’s plans for the Tabernacle.

“…let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” – Exodus 25:8 ESV

And when Moses had descended from Mount Sinai, he brought those plans to the people of Israel. But now, the construction of the Tabernacle was put on hold. The place of God’s presence would not be built. Up until that moment, Moses had been accustomed to meeting with God at a place called the Tent of Meeting. This was another structure that was located on the outskirts of the camp where Moses would intervene on behalf of the people.

Whenever Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting, all the people would get up and stand in the entrances of their own tents. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. – Exodus 33:8-9 NLT

The Tabernacle had been designed to replace the Tent of Meeting. It would become the new dwelling place of God among His people. But their actions at Sinai had changed all that.

“The significance of this turn of events cannot be stressed too highly. The whole purpose of the Exodus was for God and his people to be together. God’s presence with them will be firmly established in the proposed tabernacle. By saying, ‘go ahead, but you’re going without me,’ the events of the previous thirty-one chapters are being undone. This is not merely a setback; it means the end of the road.” – Peter Enns, Exodus

This announcement left the people in a state of mourning. They were shocked and dismayed to find out that Yahweh would no longer dwell in their midst. They did as God had said and removed their fine clothes and expensive jewelry. They went into a state of mourning and tried to assuage the anger of their unhappy God with their outward display of contrition. But the damage had been done. Their rejection of God had been costly. They were now facing the prospect of traveling all the way to Canaan but without God in their midst. Their decision to replace Yahweh would haunt them for some time to come, and only time would reveal whether they learned the lesson God intended for them.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Purified For His Presence

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22 “You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), 23 and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord. 24 You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. 25 Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the Lord. It is a food offering to the Lord.

26 “You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord, and it shall be your portion. 27 And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests’ portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron’s and his sons’. 28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the Lord.

29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. 30 The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days.

31 “You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. 34 And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them, 36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” – Exodus 29:22-46 ESV

God has revealed how Aaron and his sons were to be prepared for their roles as priests. They were to be washed, dressed, anointed, and atoned for, all before they could even enter the front gate of the Tabernacle complex. But even then, God mandated three separate sacrifices offered over a period of seven days to fully consecrate these men. By the time this elaborate ceremony was complete, Aaron and his sons would be drenched in oil and covered in blood, a sight that would have left an impression on all those who saw them.

“They were washed with water. They were robed in righteousness. They were anointed with oil. They were sprinkled with blood. They were purified, sanctified, anointed, and justified, and in this way there were consecrated for the holy service of God. In a word, they were ordained.” – Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved For God’s Glory

With this elaborate procedure completed, Aaron and his sons would be considered holy and officially ordained for service.

“He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.” – Exodus 29:21 ESV

What happened next is significant and should not be overlooked. God commanded that His newly consecrated priests make yet another offering that would complete their ordination.

“…take the fat of the ram, including the fat of the broad tail, the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat around them, along with the right thigh. Then take one round loaf of bread, one thin cake mixed with olive oil, and one wafer from the basket of bread without yeast that was placed in the Lord’s presence. Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons to be lifted up as a special offering to the Lord.” – Exodus 29:22-24 NLT

After the final lamb was sacrificed and dismembered, the fat, liver, kidneys, and right thigh were to be placed in the hands of Aaron and his sons, along with bread from the Table of Presence. This rather grotesque-sounding ceremony had a purpose. Placing these elements in the hands of the consecrated priests was a sign of ownership. The best parts of the animal were given to Aaron and his sons but they were to offer them back to God as “a special gift for him” (Exodus 29:25 NLT). These elements were placed on the Bronze Altar and burned with fire, creating a pleasing aroma to God. This gift was given by Aaron and his sons, a sign of their commitment to give their best to God.

But God would reward them for their service. Aaron was allowed to keep the breast of the ordination ram, but only after lifting it up to God as a wave offering. In doing so, he acknowledged God’s ownership of all things, including himself and his sons. The breast of the ram was to be seen as a gracious gift from God. And Aaron’s sons would also receive a gift, in the form of the thigh of the ordination ram. These gifts, originally given by the people, were to become a form of divine compensation for Aaron and his sons. God would take care of His servants by meeting their physical needs.

“This was God’s permanent provision for the priesthood. The people brought their offerings to God, and God in turn gave the priests their share.” – Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved For God’s Glory

These gifts from God were reserved solely for the priests. No one else was allowed to consume any part of the ordination ram or the bread of the presence.

“Then Aaron and his sons will eat this meat, along with the bread in the basket, at the Tabernacle entrance. They alone may eat the meat and bread used for their purification in the ordination ceremony. No one else may eat them, for these things are set apart and holy.” – Exodus 29:32-33 NLT

These men were to be considered completely holy. From their outer robes to the literal inner recesses of their bodies, they were fully consecrated to God. They were covered in robes of righteousness, anointed with the oil that represented the Spirit of God, sprinkled with blood that atoned for their sins, and filled with food from the table of God. There is tremendous symbolism in this ritual. It pictured the future consecration that would be experienced by all those who placed their faith in Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29 ESV).

Jesus would later describe the process by which someone could experience the transformation from a sinner to a priest of the Most High God.

“I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” – John 6:53-58 NLT

And the apostle Peter provided further insight into this remarkable transformation.

…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

“Once you had no identity as a people;
    now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
    now you have received God’s mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10 NLT

For a Christian, this process is immediate and permanent. It is a one-time event that never needs to be repeated. But for Aaron and his sons, the sanctifying process was to last seven days and required repeated sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people and to purify the altar of God. Sin would be a constant problem for the people of Israel and, therefore, the sacrifices would be an ongoing necessity.

“These burnt offerings are to be made each day from generation to generation.” – Exodus 29:42 NLT

And the author of Hebrews explains the reason for this perpetual and never-ending cycle of sacrifice for sanctification.

The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. – Hebews 10:1-4 NLT

Then he adds the fantastic news regarding Jesus’ once-for-all-time sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand… – Hebrews 10:10-12 NLT

Centuries ago, God made a provision for dealing with the sinfulness of His chosen people. In order that He might dwell in their midst, He provided an elaborate process for cleansing them from their sin and preparing them to enjoy the pleasure of His presence. His presence was predicated on their purification, and their purification was dependent upon the shedding of blood.

“Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the Lord their God.” – Exodus 29:44-46 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Price of God’s Presence

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1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, 5 tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.” – Exodus 25:1-9 ESV

With the giving of the Law, God provided His people with clear guidelines for how they were to live their lives before Him. Now, beginning with chapter 25, God will give them His plan that will ensure His ongoing presence among them.

Ever since leaving Egypt, the people of Israel had grown accustomed to God’s presence in the form of the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. These two manifestations of God’s glory had led them from the Red Sea all the way to Mount Sinai. Then, upon their arrival in the wilderness of Sinai, God’s glory had taken up residence at the top of the mountain, in the form of a storm cloud. This atmospheric display of God’s glory, with its crashing thunder and flashes of lightning, had so intimidated the Israelites that they refused to draw near the mountain.

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. – Exodus 19:16 ESV

Moses makes it clear that God was in the midst of the cloud.

The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain… – Exodus 19:20 ESV

And God had explained to Moses why He had chosen to reveal Himself in this way.

“I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” – Exodus 19:9 ESV

And God had Moses place boundaries around the base of the mountain, to prevent them from coming anywhere near His divine presence, upon pain of death.

“…you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’” – Exodus 19:12-13 ESV

It was this holy, majestic, and all-powerful God who had just given them His Law. He was not to be trifled with. Rather, He was to be feared and obeyed. His glory was so great that it caused an entire mountain to tremble. His presence was so awesome that it could only be displayed by flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. Smoke and fire rose from the top of Mount Sinai as if it was an active volcano, but these fear-inducing displays of power were visual manifestations of God’s glorious presence.

The Israelite’s concept of God had been dramatically influenced by these supernatural climatic phenomena. God had been in the mobile pillar of cloud that had led them through the wilderness. He had been in the static storm cloud that for days had darkened the peak of Mount Sinai. But at this point in the narrative, God announces His plan to create a new place for His glory to dwell.

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.” – Exodus 19:8-9 NLT

For the next seven chapters, God will His detailed plans for the construction of the Tabernacle. This new structure was to be a “sanctuary” (מִקְדָּשׁ – miqdāš), a sacred or holy place, reserved solely for God’s use and to serve as His temporary dwelling place on earth. This unique structure was designed to be transportable so that the people of Israel could move it from place to place as they made their way to Canaan. It was to be the “tabernacle” ( מִשְׁכָּן – miškān) or dwelling place of God. In a sense, it was a large tent designed to accommodate the presence of Yahweh. When the Israelites broke camp, they were to dismantle God’s “tent” and move it to the next location. Once they arrived at their new camp, the first thing they were to do was to erect God’s tent and then place their own tents around it. It would become the focal point of their community.

But for now, God was giving His plans for its construction, and it would begin with each Israelite making a personal sacrifice to see that the Tabernacle became a reality. God was giving the details for its design, but the people would provide the resources for its construction.

“Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.” – Exodus 25:2 NLT

These gifts were to be given voluntarily and not under some sense of obligation. They were to be heartfelt and not guilt-driven. It was important that the gifts reflect the attitude of the giver, demonstrating their willingness to place a higher priority on God’s glory than on their own financial security.

God was asking for a lot. The cost to construct this “tent” for God was going to be high and it would require a great deal of sacrifice on the part of God’s people. They were going to have to dig deep and give away the very best of what they had. Even by today’s standards, the list is staggering.

“…this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting…” – Exodus 25:3-7 ESV

It’s important to remember that these people were former slaves who had left Egypt in a hurry. During their more than 400-year stay in Egypt, the Israelites had not been wealthy landowners and successful merchants, but they had made their living as shepherds. In the latter years of their Egyptian exile, they had been little more than indentured servants, working as an unpaid labor force for the Pharaoh. So, how were they supposed to come up with this formidable list of building materials? Where did God expect them to get these kinds of luxury items in the middle of the wilderness?

The truth is, God had already provided all the resources they would need. Years earlier, at the very same spot in the wilderness of Sinai, God had called Moses to be the deliverer of His people, and He had given His servant the following promise.

“I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” – Exodus 3:21-22 ESV

And God kept that promise. Just before leaving the land of Egypt, Moses passed along God’s instructions to the Israelites.

The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. – Exodus 12:35-36 ESV

They literally stripped the Egyptians of their wealth – just by asking. And it seems that the Egyptians had been compelled to give up far more than just their silver, gold, and clothing. In their desperation to see the Israelites leave so that the deadly plagues would end, the Egyptians handed over everything of value. And this was all in keeping with the promise that God had made to Abraham hundreds of years earlier.

“Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.” – Genesis 15:13-14 ESV

So, when Moses unveiled the list of building materials required to construct God’s tent, the people didn’t panic or express disbelief. They gave – willingly and sacrificially.

All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments. Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord. All those who owned the following items willingly brought them: blue, purple, and scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth; and tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather. And all who had silver and bronze objects gave them as a sacred offering to the Lord. And those who had acacia wood brought it for use in the project.

All the women who were skilled in sewing and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen cloth. All the women who were willing used their skills to spin the goat hair into yarn. The leaders brought onyx stones and the special gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense. So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord. – Exodus 35:21-29 NLT

The people responded with eagerness and unselfishness. They freely gave up their most valued possessions so that God might dwell in their midst. The very materials they had been transporting through the wilderness in hopes of constructing their own future homes in Canaan, would become the resources for building the dwelling place of Yahweh. And little did they know at the time, that this “temporary” tent would serve as God’s house for nearly 500 years. It would not be until the reign of Solomon that a permanent Temple would be constructed to house the presence of God. Their gracious gifts of gold, silver, cloth, oil, and wood, all plundered from the Egyptians, would be transformed into a sacred structure to house the glory of their sovereign God and ensure His presence among them.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.