Today's Reading: Exodus 40
The Tabernacle
has just been completed and consecrated. And then something remarkable happens:
the glory of the Lord fills it! The presence of God is so powerful that Moses
is not able to even enter the tent of meeting, which is the area of the Tabernacle
where God's presence was believed to be most concentrated. The cloud that
settled on the tent of meeting was a visible manifestation of God's presence.
When the
glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, it was a sign to the Israelites that
God was with them and that He had accepted their obedience in constructing the Tabernacle
and consecrating the priests. The cloud was a reminder of the Israelites' need
to reverence and respect Him.
In other
instances, the cloud symbolized God's judgment. In Isaiah 19:1, for example, it
says, "Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and
the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence." This verse suggests that
the cloud is a symbol of God's wrath and judgment against those who oppose Him.
In the New
Testament, the cloud appears again at the transfiguration of Jesus, where a
bright cloud overshadowed Peter, James, and John, and a voice from the cloud
declared, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to
him" (Matthew 17:5). This event emphasized the divinity of Jesus and His
connection to God the Father.
The fact
that Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting due to the presence of
God's glory highlights the importance of holiness and purity in approaching
God. It emphasizes that God is not to be taken lightly, and that His holy presence deserves our reverence.
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