I wasn't sure of the bible verse when I last posted this picture but I was delighted when Cheng Cheung helped me find the reference to Numbers 9:15 to 23. Then suddenly, this whole picture came alive!
"On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire.
Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord.
Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on.
Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses."
It reminds us to let God lead us and not to be wise in our own eyes.
Christ entered the perfect tabernacle (the holy of holies/ heaven) for us. He is the perfect high priest. He is now at the right hand of God always interceding for us. Leong Tien Fook says this intercession is not Jesus always praying for us but He is also always interceding for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12 He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels).
The earthly tabernacle needed to be cleansed with blood of bulls and goats. So the heavenly tabernacle need also be cleansed i.e with Jesus Christ there always interceding for us and He has also paid the price for us. That’s why we can come boldly before the throne of grace and He will listen to us when we pray in Jesus’ name.
In Hebrews 11:10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
Revelations 21:1-3 says “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them”.
It will be the fulfillment of Leviticus 26:11 “I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.”
We will have a new Jerusalem, a heavenly city to look forward to. Is the new Jerusalem a city or church in heaven? Leong Tien Fook says it is both but we are not there. For now, we have the holy spirit dwelling in us (Corinthians 3:16) and we can have that experience of dwelling with God if we allow Him to. By faith we can experience God spiritually through the holy spirit and the only way is to soak in His word daily and let His word sink into us. And these baptized Christians who do and who collectively make up the true & genuine church will one day dwell with God in the new Jerusalem. There will be no temple /tabernacle in heaven for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Thank you Jesus for guiding me to understand the purpose of the tabernacle which points to your holiness and the joy of knowing one day we will be in your city with you dwelling amongst your people. Thank you for showing what a personal God you are as you have woven Leong Tien Fook's message, the Galatians bible study, Cheng Cheung's sharing and even yesterday's daily bread (http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2010/05/10/devotion.aspx) on the SAME subject. Indeed you are a powerful and mighty God and I can't thank you enough for guiding me so closely and leading me. In Jesus' name I pray Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment