After forty chapters, the condition of physical Israel is totally different than it was at the beginning of Exodus. In the first chapter, they were slaves. Now, they are freedmen. Earlier, they were a group of refugees. Now, they’re a nation.
Identity is one of the recurring themes throughout the Bible. Just as the Israelites have their identity in Jehovah, so we have our identity in Christ. We wear the name Christians because He’s the One that binds us. We come from different backgrounds, but His sacrifice and our obedience make us one in Him.
The end of Exodus brings about a temporary dwelling place for God—not because He needs a home, but because God wants a place where He can be amongst His people. The Tabernacle serves a religious purpose by offering forgiveness from sins, and it’s that forgiveness that creates the intimacy.
Let’s say that again: It’s only through forgiveness of sins that we can have intimacy with God.
The scene where God takes possession of His house is dramatic. Just like on the mountain, a cloud covers over the tent and the “glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” It’s exactly the same thing that happens when Solomon dedicates the Temple in 1 Kings 8.
God’s presence is what makes the previous fifteen chapters worth it. Before God’s presence fills the Tabernacle, all the furnishings are just religious decorations. When He comes into the Tabernacle, that’s when they become holy.
Kinda like our lives, isn’t it? Before we come to Christ through obedience and baptism, we’re just out there doing our own thing. There’s probably some beauty in our lives, but when we come to Him, that’s where the real beauty starts. That’s where we become sanctified, glorious, and holy.
God doesn’t dwell in our hearts through some supernatural force of will, but His Word does. It resides deep within us, creating within us a desire for Him that grows over time. Our bodies that were once nothing more than “decoration” are now being used for a spiritual purpose. We are holy, and our lives should reflect it.
