And then,
The Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Moses couldn't enter the Tent of Meeting because the Cloud was upon it, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Whenever the Cloud lifted from The Dwelling, the People of Israel set out on their travels, but if the Cloud did not lift, they wouldn't set out until it did lift. The Cloud of God was over The Dwelling during the day and the fire was in it at night, visible to all the Israelites in all their travels. (40:35-38)I can't even comprehend the fact that God was willing to move in with them, in the middle of the desert no less! As 66 LL says, God was willing to go camping with His people. For some reason, that gives me a completely different perspective on it. I don't live in heaven (although Austin is close), but you can't pay me enough to go camping, especially in a desert. Not a chance. I hate camping.
Yet, the Creator of the Universe, the Great I-AM filled The Dwelling with His Glory! God was willing to leave His perfect home in heaven to live in a tent in the desert, to be with these imperfect people who had already complained against Him. How crazy is that!?!
I love what Eugene Peterson, the translator of The Message, has to say about this in Conversations:
"'Then the Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of God filled the Dwelling.' (v.34) This is the work God does among us. The Spirit of God invades our lives with healing, forgiving, saving, renewing love. Grace is released, knowledge is given, peace is realized, hope is recovered. All life, real life, has this deep, rhythmic movement: Our work before God; God's work among us. Israel built a tent; God filled it with his glory. We build a church; God fills it. We build a family; God fills it. We build a marriage; God fills it. We build a life; and God fills that, too.
That is who he is. That is what he does. He gives us the blueprints with which to build, he stirs us to build, then he fills what we build with his glory." p. 15Lord, You've given us your blueprints in these Love Letters to us. Thank You that Your Word is Truth - beautiful, detailed, and so alive. Stir us, I pray, to know You more deeply, and fill us with Your Glory!
So what about you? Before we begin Leviticus, what is God stirring in you as we finish up Exodus? What lingers in your heart?
We'd love to hear your thoughts.
6 comments:
Two things in particular linger from Exodus:
1) That God is "unswervingly loyal." (20:6) He doesn't change, and He doesn't forsake me. He is true and faithful. I just love that phrase. (And I think of Bev's comment about swerving all over the road. haha That's me too!)
2) The reminder that idols of this world will cause me to sin. "That's a huge danger." (23:33) I need to be vigilant so that I don't offend God by worshiping my pet idols. I know me - the only way that stays forefront in my mind is if I'm in God's Word regularly, applying what He's showing me. That's one of the reasons I so appreciate this community.
And Tressa, I do the same thing as you! I make myself read the chapters before I read others' comments. I just love hearing what others are getting out of the chapters. You guys always cause me to think more and to thank God more for all that He's done.
What lingers for me from Exodus is that God will accomplish His plans - no matter what! It's all so messy: the exodus from Egypt, the plagues, the complaints and outright rebellion of the Israelites, all of the sacrifices. I want to picture holiness as shiny and neat; the picture of holiness in Exodus seems inefficient and crazy. Apparently, there are some adjustments I need to make in my mind and heart about God's holy, enduring, merciful love for me in the midst of my mess.
The thought that remains in me is thinking through the huge detail and ordeal for God's presence to be among the people. Now, here's the big part for me...reading in 1John that God's seed is in me. Why me? It's crazy love! It overwhelms me that He desires relationship with me. wow!
One other thought which maybe someone could share is about Aaron. He coordinated the making of the golden calf. All those involved died but not Aaron. He was spared and became priest. God spared him....I wonder about this.
My main thoughts after reading Exodus are the following:
1) God is HOLY - even in the design of the temple, with objects of pure gold and cloth of rich purple, His Holiness is reflected. The cloud on the mountaintop, the story of His passing by Moses (just His backside being seen or Moses would've died!), and the sheer anger and judgment of God when the people worship idols instead of their Lord...all of these remind me of God's HOLINESS.
2) My sin - Knowing the previous fact, I am reminded of the depths of my sin. It is ugly, it is deep, it betrays me, it condemns me.
3) God is My Redeemer - I love how redemption is present even in Exodus: leading the Israelites out of the bondage of slavery to the Egyptians, God sparing the people and allowing Moses to make a 2nd set of 10 commandment tablets, God being gracious with the Israelites as they complained again and again, and even in Moses' own life - God using him to lead the people out of Egypt, even after killing a man. All of this speaks to me of forgiveness, salvation and redemption.
This is the GOOD NEWS! How clear it is, even in the Old Testament!
Lisa - Loved your thought on Aaron. I wonder about that too! It just goes to show us, one more time, that God's favor isn't about our behavior, huh? He blesses whom He will bless. I don't get it.
Amanda - I agree with your focus on God's holiness and my sinfulness. It's amazing how the two are so connected. The more I see of God's holiness, the more I see of my own wretched sin, and the converse is true as well.
And Staci already knows that I appreciate her insight, right??
I love, love, LOVE engaging with you guys on this stuff! So encouraging.
My take-away is 20:6 from hearing you say it, Cici. Two verses jump out Exo. @ my unholy self: Exo 17:6 "I'm going to be present for you." He's Here--so Humbles me. Exo 33:14 "My Presence goes w/you. I will give you Rest." How do we find Rest in midst of relational, financial,& health problems?? IDK but I am. Crabb stirs my ♥ when he says: God is detaching me from everything that numbs my hunger & makes me hungrier for something other than God. So Grateful reading this to a Good God in midst of my mess. Oh, but we are all glorious messes. Thanks Stace/Cici for an awesome exigent exodus.
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