Seeing God’s Dwelling Place

Seeing God’s Dwelling Place

When I worked in manufacturing engineering, if I didn’t see the object in the blueprint the first time I looked at it, nine times out of ten, I had to see the finished product before I could finally see it on the blueprint. That’s just the way it was.  Well, it’s been that way for me with the Boards and Poles of the Tabernacle!  I just could not visualize it by reading the instructions God gave Moses.  I looked at various pictures and read it in every book and passage I could find that described it; but I have found it difficult to see how it all went together!

In my searching, though, I did find other interesting scriptures that makes it even more exciting to me! Noah and his family built an alter to God after they were saved from the flood.  Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma..” Gensis 8:20 NIV

Do you remember the story of the twins, Esau and Jacob? You will find it in Genesis.  When Jacob had tricked Esau into giving away his birthright; Jacob fled the camp.  In Gensis 28:16-17: “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”  He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”  Then again: “Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed Himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.”  Gensis 35:6-7 NIV

Now Jacob had gone down to Egypt to be where Joseph had enough food for them.  A few hundred years passed and finally the people had to “Exodus” Egypt. It seems that God has always wanted to “dwell” with people and found the smell of oil and an offering pleasing! Here, finally, with the Tabernacle in the Wilderness is an actual place for Him to come and dwell with His people as they worship and adore Him! (Exodus 25:8-9)

It would be the first Tabernacle, but it wouldn’t be the last. King David wanted to build a Tabernacle, but instead God told him He would build a “house” for him. “The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish His kingdom.  He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7: 11b-14 NIV  Of course, He was talking about Jesus; but David made a lot of preparation for a Temple to be built.  His son, King Samuel, would be the one to finish the first Tabernacle Temple in Jerusalem.

God then dwelt in the Temple on Mount  Zion in Jerusalem: “For the Lord has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His dwelling, saying, “This is My resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.” Psalm 132:13-14  NIV However, due to the repeated sinfulness of Israel and her kings, God’s glory departed from the Temple and it was no longer His dwelling place.

But, God does not desert His people. He leaves this for them in Malachi 3: 17-18 On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be My treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

I hope to explain to you, Pilgrims, how that promise also includes you and me!  I hope you are interested enough to search the scriptures about the Temple!  It actually can be found in many places including Revelation!!

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