For our family (like many families), this week has been something of a re-orientation. The kids are back in school. Football practices and open houses are requiring new strategies to divide-and-conquer. Lunches need to be packed. Puppies make a break for it when the kids head to the bus. Oy! And yet, this need for re-orientation is part of the larger story of God.
One-third of the Book of Exodus is devoted to a detailed description of the Tabernacle because the place of God’s dwelling is a major priority for God. And then the Book of Exodus closes with the presence of God invading the tent and forcing everyone out (Exodus 40:34-38) until the Book of Leviticus re-orients the people in terms of how to re-enter God’s presence (Leviticus 1:1 starts, literally, with the words, “And then the LORD called to Moses…”. Why start with “And then…” unless Leviticus is picking up where Exodus left off?). There is another shift (and another re-orientation) in 1 Kings 8 when the Tabernacle is replaced with the Temple.
But the New Testament presents us with another shift, another re-orientation; one that we still do not fully comprehend. Jesus is pictured as the new tabernacle (John 1:14) and the new temple (John 2:19) until He shifts His presence over to the church. You and I are a new temple (1 Corinthians 3;16-17)!! All who are in Christ are the new dwelling place of God’s presence! Can you imagine what the significance of this means? Just the thought calls us to ponder what it means to be the new “Holy of holies”. Time to re-orient again!
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