Notes

The Presence, the Tabernacle and Jesus

The tabernacle plays a very important part in redemptive history. Adam and Eve choose not to be faithful to the covenant God makes with them in Eden, which results in the loss of God’s presence with humanity. From this point, God begins an elaborate rescue plan, with the goal of once again living among the creation he loves. He begins with Noah, covenanting with one man. Then he engages Abram (Abraham), which results in an extended family participating in a covenant. The next person’s life in which God chooses to intervene is Moses. Through Moses God brings an entire nation into a covenantal relationship with himself. This is where the tabernacle fits into the picture…

Here’s one reason (among many!!) the tabernacle is so significant: After the presence of God leaves the Garden of Eden, it (the presence/God) does not return to dwell among creation until the construction and implementation of the tabernacle! This is a very, very significant event!! The presence of God returns in the tabernacle. So, what we need to do in response is to take the tabernacle seriously. Every element means something. We could literally spend months talking about every little detail. One of the key truths the tabernacle does is foreshadow/set up the importance of Jesus. The presence of God was completely with Adam and Eve. The presence leaves but returns with the tabernacle. Even though the presence was with God’s people again, it was only partially accessible in the tabernacle; everyone could not experience God, only the High Priest once a year. But, the amazing fact is that God finally decided to return.

So, what’s one way we can tie Jesus into this story of redemption? How might the tabernacle and Jesus be related? One way to answer this is found at the beginning of John’s gospel. John wants us to understand the significance of the incarnation. John 1:14 reads, ”And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” This is obviously an important verse, and it seems like everything is communicated on the surface. But, if you dig just a little deeper, you can recognize that John is using the tabernacle in this verse!! The Greek meaning of the English words “lived among” in verse 14 are actually more accurately translated “tabernacled” or “pitched a tent among.” This means that God in Jesus was tabernacling among his creation once again. John was intentionally using a word or group of words that literal meant “to tabernacle among”!! But, the key difference is that in Jesus everyone can come into the presence of God, not only the chosen few. Jesus was/is a new tabernacle, a tabernacle that allows all people, priest or not, to come and experience the presence of God on Earth. We will only fully understand the significance of Jesus if we first spend some time reflecting on the tabernacle.

Questions

1) Do you think there ever was a time in history that God was not continually dwelling with his people? Answer – Yes. Between Eden and the Tabernacle.

2) What do you think is the difference between God’s presence in the tabernacle and God’s presence with us in Jesus?

3) What similarities do you see between the sacrifices in the tabernacle and the final sacrifice of Jesus?

4) How is the sacrifice of Jesus superior to the sacrifices performed in the tabernacle?


Take Away Points…

1) The tabernacle is the return of God’s presence among humanity.

2) The partial presence of God in the tabernacle foreshadows the complete presence of God in Jesus.

3) The unblemished sacrifices represent and foreshadow the sacrifice God makes in Jesus.