God's Presence

Good morning. Good morning. Welcome to coffee and devotions. You know what I've realized? I think I found my favorite mug. I was thinking about this. How do you know something is your favorite? Maybe it's got something to do with like subliminally how frequently you use the thing or something. I don't know, but that's how I feel. I've just noticed that this is, I like the way it feels. I like the way it holds the heat. I like the way it looks. I think Deborah got me my favorite mug.
But anyways, this is where every day you and I, we get into God's word. We grow in our love for the Lord together. In this year, 2023, Lord willing, we're gonna make it from Genesis through Leviticus. I'm so glad to be with you today. We finish up the book of Exodus today. I'm so glad that we've gotten to this point. It's an awesome passage to finish the book of Exodus. Let's have some coffee, we'll pray, and we'll get into God's Word. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day. What a joy it is to get to read your word. We pray that you would please help us to understand it.
In Jesus' name, amen. Some of you might be wondering, where are the kids? Hopefully tomorrow they'll join back in. So we'll see how that works out. Scheduling always is determining there. But I think we'll be OK. So they'll be back. They'll be back, I promise. OK, here we go. End of Exodus. Exodus chapter 40, beginning at verse 34.
Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it. And the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of Jehovah was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
We need to ask ourselves, A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do? Well, what is this passage about? God had commanded them way back in the beginning, a portion of the book of Exodus, the pattern for all these things, how they were going to be made, what they were going to look like, stuff like that.
Then we got to that passage of covenant disobedience, and then Some more regulations on God revealing himself as a God of mercy and compassion. The people start giving of their free will, all these things. And then Bezalel and Aholiab start assembling their team and making everything according to the pattern of the Lord. And over the last couple weeks we've been going through, and they've made it, they did exactly as the Lord commanded Moses.
And now something happens. Last time we got together they actually erected the tabernacle. And now something amazing happens. Moses isn't a liar. God is with his people. The covenant king that they heard from his voice in Exodus chapter 20 fills the tabernacle. That's what this is about. This is about God filling the tabernacle. God's visible presence being with his people. Now, of course, God is an omnipresent God. He's everywhere at all times, right? He's not confined to the tabernacle.
Solomon will say at the dedication to the temple that the heavens of the heavens cannot contain you. And yet, here he is choosing to dwell in the midst of his people. Because he's their covenant king. Because he's their sovereign. Because he's the one who is going to watch over them, protect them, rule them, and love them. I'm not sure the relationship always goes both ways, as we'll find out.
But what we find here is God blessing them. It's not just Moses who blesses them. At the very end of all this, right, the last verse of chapter 39 said, And Moses blessed all the people when he saw it, but now God blesses them with his presence. What's the best verse to summarize this? Well, in my Bible, you don't Probably underline verse 34 and 35.
It also tells us that if the cloud stayed there, they stayed there. If the cloud went up and moved, they went. He was the one leading his people. But what are we called to do? You know, I gotta say, sometimes when I read these passages, I think, man, how cool would that be? To actually see the tabernacle, to see this pillar of cloud come and to fill the tabernacle so much so that Moses can't even go in there. How cool would that be to see these things?
But then I have to remind myself something better has happened. This is similar to John chapter 14 when Jesus tells his disciples, I'm going to my father and where I'm going you can't come. You're going to come eventually. But it's better for me to go than to stay with you because when I go I'm going to send the Holy Spirit.
This cloud filling the tabernacle is a picture of his spirit dwelling in the midst of his people. But what they trusted in signs and in patterns you have today. That same Holy Spirit, if you are in Jesus Christ, is in you. You. If you are one of Jesus' people, if He has called you out of the world, He's poured out His Spirit into your heart, the one that has adopted you to cry out, Abba, Father.
And that is no less remarkable I love this about being a pastor. I love people coming to love the Lord and to have their eyes filled with His glory and to realize how magnificent He is. And when they stumble and when they fail to see their hearts turn to new obedience, I love it. I mean, it's the joy of my life. I love it when I see my kids do it. I love it when I see people in the church do it. It's because the Holy Spirit is still working in the midst of His people. because our covenant King Jesus Christ sits on His throne in the Holy of Holies and ministers today.
Do you believe that? Does His grace fill your heart? Does His presence lead you and guide you still where He goes? Do you go when He stays? Do you stay? I hope you do. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much. that you have poured out your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that you have given us a hope of dwelling with you forever. Lord, we long to join those myriad of angels in that chorus of your people to cry out, worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Father, we pray that you would please let us love you and let us know of your presence here in our hearts and in our lives. and teach us to walk in that same type of obedience that we found in these last few chapters, that it might be said of them, though they stumbled and they failed and sometimes they messed up, they repented and did just as the Lord had commanded, loving you and loving their neighbor. In Jesus' name, amen. May God bless you. May you be comforted knowing that His Holy Spirit is with you if you are in you next time. Bye.
Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue. Morning Sun, Iowa, 52640. May God richly bless you this week.