“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8).
God chose Israel above all other nations to be a peculiar people to Himself, among whom His divine revelation and religion would be established. Among such a people, God would dwell and be their King. As their King, He had already given them laws for the government of themselves and their dealings with one another, as well as some general rules for religious worship. But these laws were not sufficient to distinguish them from other nations, or to explain the extent of the covenant which God would make with them. God would not only be their Deliverer, as He had been in leading them out of Egypt, but He would be their King, dwelling among them and ruling over them. Likewise, God is not only our Redeemer, but He is our Lord, the One who rules over us. As Christians, therefore, we are not free to live as we wish, but we live under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Speaking to Moses from within the cloud, God ordered a royal palace to be set up among them for Himself, which was to be called a sanctuary, or holy place, of which it was said, “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary” (Jer.17:12). This sanctuary was considered to be ceremonial, for it was a sign and token of His presence. While they had the tabernacle in the midst of them, never might they ask, “Is the Lord among us or not?” In the wilderness, they dwelt in tents, and the royal palace was a tabernacle so that it might move from place to place with them. And so God showed His condescending favor to them by going with them through the wilderness. In the same way, God is always with His children today as they travel through the wilderness of life. His throne is in our hearts, and wherever we go, God is with us. He is with us at work, at home, at church. He is with us when we are alone or in a crowd. And He is with us through the good and the bad, through the joys and the sorrows.
To erect the palace, the people were to bring offerings to the Lord, not under compulsion, but freely. God had enriched them with the spoils of Egypt, and now they were to use their wealth in service to the Lord. The best use we can make of our worldly wealth and our God-given abilities is to employ them to honor God in works of service.
The church is the dwelling place of the Lord. This means that Christians are set apart from the rest of the world, that we are holy, and that we are consecrated to God for His service. How does God rule your life? Do you behave like a subject in His kingdom, or do you act more like the world? Thank God today for dwelling among His people.
