Exodus 39-40

In todays reading Moses and Aaron put together all the constructed pieces of the tabernacle just as God instructed, for visual learners I found this resource last year to be helpful in better understanding what the tabernacle may have looked like in 3D. One theme that stands out is obedience. Moses relayed to the Israelites instruction from God and their response was obedience, obedience to gather and present offerings of dyed goat skins, gold, silver and bronze; obedience to hewn acacia wood precisely according to the measurements that God outlined; obedience to assemble the tabernacle in all it's detail exactly as God said. The result is awesome: the glory of the LORD fills the tabernacle - God was physically present with His obedient people.

Exodus 40:34 (NIV) "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."

Understanding that God is omnipresent we know throughout scripture that God is always with us, though it seems that sometimes he is nearer (see Isaiah 55:6), I wonder at this if the tangible presence of God is known to be near due to our obedience? The amazing truth about the glory of God not only filling the temple and his cloud by day and fire by night covering the tent of meeting is that God desires to reside with His chosen people. There had to have been a sense of security and comfort in the hearts of the Israelites knowing that God is their refuge and protector, the visual representation of God persisting in the form of his shining glory, fire and cloud incited great faith and certainty that their obedience brought great pleasure to the king Creator. 

So what does this look like for us today? The gift and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the presence of God that is available to the believer. We see time and time again through the book of Acts how the baptism of the Holy Spirit imparts great power to the believer to do great miracles that no naturalistic theory can explain away. How does a believer receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Acts 2 testifies how the Holy Spirit fills and falls on believers unified in one accord in prayer, Peter and John in Acts 8 placed their hands on the believers in Samaria who received the Holy Spirit, Ananias laid hands on the blind Saul in Acts 9 who by the power of the Holy Spirit restored sight and filled him with the Holy Spirit. Countless examples of the Holy Spirit being received by men and entire families by the laying on of hands through prayer. The obedience for the believer to enter into the presence of the living God and to be filled with the presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit is through earnest prayer. 

Acts 1:4-5, 8 (NIV) "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit... But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Obedience to the LORD begins with humility in prayer and daily surrender to the will of God through a fresh daily filling of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and help the believer to actualize all the plans and purposes that God has for each day. When we obey and yield willingly to the Holy Spirit's leading and prompting, God is glorified and pleased because His kingdom advances, so we must desire to do His will. We must be a faithful people living moment by moment by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, 16 hours of faithfulness at a time. May this be your prayer today, for it has been mine:

Psalm 40:8 "I desire to do your will, my God;"


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