The Tabernacle: The Tent of Meeting (Interlude)

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31 KJV

Have you ever been really hot and looked forward to going into some place cool and be revived and refreshed? In the desert where the Israelites wandered for 40 years it was hot. It was dirty. The wind blew the sand into eyes and mouths and tents. In the tabernacle area it was dirty with the offal of the sacrifices and the smell of death was all around. But there was a refreshing place where the priest had to go every day. It was into the tabernacle tent proper. Here layers of coverings kept out the hot sun and the noise and smells. Here it was cool and the light was soft. Behind one more veil was where God dwelt.

The New Testament tells all believers that they are priests. It calls for all of us to go into the tabernacle tent and come before God. There is no longer a veil of separation. That was ripped apart by God when Christ died for us. Now we can meet directly with Him. We can come into His presence and be refreshed. The heat of this world’s woes can be left outside. The smell of this world’s sins can be left outside. Inside we find the pure bread of life, the true light of life, the blessed access of prayer and the mercy seat open to us.

To get here we had to come through the blood of the sacrifice. We had to come through the laver of cleansing of confession. Now we can come to feed on the bread, the word of God. We can come to see the light of our way, the Christ of God. We can come to offer up our prayers as fragrant incense to the Father who is right there before us welcoming us to His throne.  This is our place of private worship with Him. O the refreshment and renewal we find here every day.

Dear Father, Thank You for inviting us into Your presence to meet with you each day. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

You may also enjoy the Gospel dog blog, “The Gospel According to Molly”, and the Alzheimer’s blog, “Taking Care of Joe” both found on my website.