FRIDAY
Some important changes occur in the New Testament on this theme of the tent of meeting and the tabernacle. First of all, John uses tabernacle language to talk about the incarnation of Jesus.
John 1:14 (NIV) 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Greek word translated “made his dwelling” is the same word the Septuagint, Greek translation of the Old Testament, uses for the tabernacle. So John is saying that Jesus “tabernacled” among us. With the context of the tabernacle that we talked about this week in mind, this is a huge statement. Jesus, in his incarnation, is the embodiment of God and, therefore, God’s glory. He is the second person of the Trinity—God in flesh. He is full of grace and truth as well—next week we will see God’s self description to include these two words.
So Jesus is the fullest revelation of God, including the presence and the glory of God. He proved this by performing great signs like healing the sick, calming the storm, multiplying food, and casting out demons. Ultimately, Jesus proved that he was God in flesh—the embodiment of the glory of God—by rising from the dead, defeating death once and for all.
So Jesus tabernacled among us. For the New Covenant believers the story gets even better. The Holy Spirit, the personal, powerful presence of God in the third person of the Trinity, indwells believers.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV) 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
Therefore, believers always have access to the presence of God. God’s presence is no longer concentrated in a single space of a tent or a temple. His presence is concentrated in his people. This means the church building is not the only place to experience the presence of God. We should experience the presence of God at church, not because the building is holy, but because holy people, filled with the Spirit of God gather together to worship. We bring the presence of God with us wherever we go. We can experience the presence of God at home doing chores and in our prayer room. We can experience the presence of God at work in the midst of a stressful day. We can experience the presence of God in our cars, at the park, at the coffee shop, etc. God is always with us.
Paul takes this a step further in 2 Corinthians 3:
2 Corinthians 3:7–18 (NIV)
The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
I’m not going to exposit this whole text, no matter how much I want to. I want to focus on verse 18 as his conclusion to what he says prior. In the New Covenant, the people of God who are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, are being transformed into the image of Christ. As we are transformed more we experience and reflect more of God’s glory, like Moses face. As we are beholding the glory of the Lord we are being transformed. The unveiled face means that we see the glory of the Lord on the faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ. So, we all, by beholding the glory of the Lord in private worship and in community worship, are being transformed to take on the character and glory of Christ. As we do we shine all the more with his glory. All of this is a work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
This is a far better covenant relationship that we have with God today. We can all experience the presence of God like Moses did in the Exodus.
Reflection
Contemplate the glory of the Lord in private worship by perhaps singing praise songs to God or admiring his creation or thanking him for what he has done. Then, contemplate the glory of the Lord on the faces of your brothers and sisters in Christ. How have you shone with more of Christ’s glory in your life? How have you seen Christ’s glory shine on the faces of your brothers and sisters in Christ?