Daniel R. Hyde |

Reformed Catholic Theology

God’s Glory in the Tabernacle Entrance

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The tabernacle of the Old TestamentIn 1667 John Owen wrote that “the right and due observation of instituted worship is of great importance unto the glory of God, and of high concernment unto the souls of men.”[1] To observe all things that our Lord has commanded (Matt. 28) should be of great importance to you. Worshipping God according to his Word brings him glory, honor, and praise because you’re submitting to his will and wisdom. It’s also because you’re giving him what he requires and desires. But there’s more to worship. It’s a high concern because in doing what he commands brings spiritual benefits. It’s these benefits the priesthood experienced in the shadows of the morning and evening sacrifices (Ex. 29:38–46). They experienced God’s glory in the tabernacle entrance.

The Glory of Meeting with God

In verses 42–43 the Lord said he’d meet with his people at the entrance of the tent of meeting. “There I will meet with the people of Israel.” What a benefit! Think about this in three ways with me for a moment.

In Contrast to the Garden

Consider this benefit in contrast to situation between Adam and Eve and the Lord God in the Garden. After their sin, the Lord exiled them from the Garden. This meant exile from his immediate presence. Life for humanity since that time has been “east of Eden;” a wandering in the wilderness. Yet in the tabernacle the Lord promises the priests when they worship as he commands, he’ll be present! The Lord reversed the curse.

God Meets with Man

God actually meets with man in the tabernacle. The Holy One meets with sinners. Creator condescends to creatures. An Infinite Being confines himself to a finite tent. The Eternal meets with the temporal. What a God! His meeting reveals his nature. He’s more willing to meet with us than we’re with him. In grace he draws his people to meet. Remember, they didn’t make this tabernacle out of their own free will or ingenuity. God drew near to meet.

We Enter the Heavenly Tabernacle

We, too, enter the tabernacle to meet with God. But our meeting is in heaven. We don’t come to be passive spectators or to be entertained. Worship is coming face-to-face with the living God. The key to this for the Israelites was that it happened in the place where sacrifice was offered. Now that our Lord has come, his once for all sacrifice opens wide the place of meeting. Our Lord opened wide his arms on the cross to grant access to a personal and perpetual meeting. In this age, worship is the closest fellowship we have with God. God’s glory in the tabernacle entrance is now ours!

The Glory of Sanctification from God

The second benefit of God’s glory in the tabernacle entrance was sanctification. What is sanctification? The root word means to set apart. Perhaps in your dresser drawers or closet you have two kinds of clothes. Some you wear everyday but other you only wear on special occasions. Sanctification is God’s setting apart his people from the world that they might serve him.

In the Old Covenant

At the tabernacle the Lord set apart his people. Note, though, that this sanctification was located in the tent, altar, and priests. There’s nothing said about sanctifying all the people. In Old Covenant worship things were very restricted. For example, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year.

In the New Covenant

The same benefit has differences now. When we come to worship, we’re God’s sanctified people. Additionally, we come as high priests with access to the Holy of Holies. Because of that, we all receive a special blessing from the Holy Spirit. One passage in particular shows this. Hebrews 10 says we have confidence to enter the Holy Holies because we’re all high priests (v. 19). We enter by means of Christ’s sacrifice (v. 20) and high priestly ministry (v. 21). Therefore we’re exhorted to draw near “with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (v. 22). Because we’ve been set apart by the Lord we draw near; but because we draw near we’re sprinkled again. Although our cleansing is a past event that gives assurance, this sprinkling and washing leads to sanctified lives (vv. 23–25). This life is expressed as confessing the name of Jesus in the world, stirring each other to love and good works, and assembling together as Christ’s return draws near.

When you come to worship God, he then thrusts you out into the world to confess Jesus in the midst of unbelief and the pressures of your life. When you come, he then sends you out to love your brothers and sisters. What can I do to exhort your fellow members to be loving and to do good works? When you come, he strengthens your desire to assemble yet again! Can you imagine what God could do through such a church? People come, are set apart for service, then self-consciously ask what each member could do to build up another? This is God’s glory in the tabernacle entrance applied to our lives.

The Glory of Dwelling by God

We shouldn’t think God’s meeting with his people was just a passing moment or two. The Lord went on to reassure his people: “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God . . . that I might dwell among them” (Ex. 29:45, 46). This promise has come to reality for us: “In him [Christ] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22).

Application

What do you think it means for you as part of a congregation in which God dwells? How should that cause you to think, speak, and act? Hopefully you’re thinking something like this: “I know God is holy and I’m still an imperfect sinner. Obviously God’s dwelling among my congregation shows me my sins.” How about his presence should also make you want to be like him? He’s your father and you’re his child.

Because God has promised to dwell in our midst we should want to dwell with him! He’s holy and I should want to be holy as well. If you go on to read in Ephesians 4–6 you’ll see what life is to be like as those among whom the Lord lives. If you go on in Exodus and Leviticus you’ll read a familiar line: “Be holy as the Lord your God is holy.” That exhortation continues today (cf. 1 Peter 1). One of the consequences of God’s promise to dwell among us is that we should desire holiness. Hebrews 12:14 says we should “strive…for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” This is a benefit of coming into his presence in worship. There God meets with us in a special way to forgive, assure, and embrace us.

The Glory of Knowledge of God

The fourth benefit of God’s glory in the tabernacle entrance was knowledge. “And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt” (v. 46). The Lord would speak to the priests (v. 42) at the tent of meeting. Then all the people would know the Lord was God (v. 46). This knowledge comes through the means of preaching the ministers Word. It’s not information. Preaching communicates God’s Word; his living and active voice. I know it’s foolish, weak, and not (always) exciting. Yet through preaching God has ordained that we might know his voice and know him.

Conclusion

Let me conclude where we began. Are you desirous and highly concerned to experience the glory of God by meeting with him in worship? If so, there are wonderful blessings in store for your soul. Come to worship expecting to meet with God. Expect that he’ll sanctify you. He sanctifies that we might dwell with him. God dwells with us that we might know him. As Owen said, “God’s love will not rest, until it hath brought us unto himself…we are made for him, and cannot rest until we come unto him.”[2] This was God’s glory in the tabernacle entrance then. It’s our privilege to approach his throne of grace for all eternity.


[1] Owen, Works, 15:471.

[2] Owen, Works, 1:153.


For previous articles in this series:

  1. God’s Glory in Exodus
  2. God’s Glory in the Sea
  3. God’s Glory in the Manna
  4. God’s Glory in the Mountain
  5. God’s Glory in the Garments

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