SCRIPTURE: Exodus 40
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [John 14:16-17] The cloud that filled the temple and led the people through the wilderness symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
The Tent of Meeting and its furnishings symbolizes the restored personal relationship we can have with God through Jesus, by the Spirit.
• Tent of Meeting: we meet face to face with God, through Jesus
• ark of the Testimony: God’s communication of truth, of Himself
• altar of incense: our communication of faith, prayer
• altar of burnt offering: the sacrifice for atonement, Jesus’ death
• water for cleansing: baptism, for forgiveness and renewal
• anointing oil: the Holy Spirit renewing, sanctifying us
We may meet with God, hear God and talk with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit.
In this restored relationship, the Spirit of God is with us and in us. The cloud of fire that filled the tabernacle and led Israel symbolized the Spirit of God. As children of God and followers of Jesus (the New Moses), we are now baptized (filled) with God’s Spirit; we are now the tabernacles (or temples) of the Spirit. Like Israel, we see (or sense) the Spirit everywhere, during all our travels. Those who do not follow Jesus cannot understand this, they cannot see or sense the Spirit.
Like Israel, the Spirit of glory is with and in us [2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 1 Peter 4:14]. We are led by the Spirit [Galatians 5:18]. He is our Counsellor, our guide, our source of truth. We are not alone, we are not helpless.
Do I sense the Spirit within me? Do I feel filled, surrounded, empowered? This is the reality for every believer, baptized with the Spirit. Do I walk with God through life, talking with Him face to face through Jesus? This is the life that we can now live? And yet so many people live as if they were not filled, anointed, empowered. Living in the Spirit is a blessing we can enjoy now. All we have to do is seek it [Luke 11:13, John 7:38-39]
PRAYER:
Lord, open my eyes so that I may see the Spirit of glory in me, with me, throughout the journey of my life.
A refrain I hear time and time again is that Moses did everything that the Lord commanded him. Stop. Look. Listen. Stop and listen to the Lord God speaking to me and do what He asks. Am I listening? Do I see Him? Do I see His glory each and every day? Lord, open my eyes that I may see You and do what You have asked of me.
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him,
And say that we love Him.
Open our ears, Lord
And help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus.