When God brought His people out of Egypt He declared His intent to dwell with them. “They are to make a sanctuary for me so that I can dwell among them” Exodus 25:8. God has always longed to be near and dwell with His people. 

Can you imagine being the people of Israel - not yet knowing who this God is that had brought them out? Moses had to ask God to declare His name to him so he would know who to tell Israel who He was. Then with a mighty hand Yahweh showed His great power to His people and the nations and showed them again and again who He was. 

All the peoples gathered around the mountain and saw the fierce glory of God descend upon it. No one could touch the mountain and live. 

I wonder what it would have been like to see that. I imagine a young boy, born in Egypt and witnessing first hand the liberation of his people and family. He was there when Moses went up on the mountain. He saw the smoke and felt the earth shake. Maybe he hid in his mother’s arms while all the people wondered “who is our God? Is He safe?”

Then fast forward to when the Tabernacle is built. Offerings are taken from every family and he watches as the blacksmiths and woodworkers create the Tabernacle. He witnesses the Levites being cleansed, the sacrifices being made. In wonder and awe he sees the glory fill the temple so strongly that Moses was unable to go in. 

“The cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.” Exodus 40:38

I imagine him trembling. That great cloud that used to be on the mountain is now right here in their camp. He can slip out of his tent at night and see the fire burning inside the cloud. No one dares go near. The presence of the Lord is intense and holy and fierce and yet something also draws him. Curiosity maybe? Or maybe the echo of desire woven into all of our hearts? The desire God has to be with us; the desire we have to draw near to God. 

First He was not just on the mountain, He was in the camp. Now He’s not just in the tabernacle, He’s dwelling in us. 

Think of explaining to this boy, or Moses, or any Isrealite at that time, that one day God would make people His dwelling place. We don’t understand the gravity of this incredible gift to be called the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). He didn’t get any less holy or any less fierce than when He came down on the mountain in fire. His level of holiness and our level of unholiness proves just why Jesus’ blood is required for atonement and intercession on our behalf. Without Jesus it just wouldn’t be possible to be the dwelling place of God. 

Our heart’s should explode with thanksgiving at this audacious gift Jesus has provided for us. We get to be God’s dwelling place.