THE MEETING PLACE OF GOD AND MAN

"The Lord spoke to Moses: 'You are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month'....Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. ...The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." (Exodus 40:1, 2, 16, 34 HCSB)

Moses was told by God to build a tabernacle. There at the mercy seat, in the most holy place, God's glory would dwell--the meeting place of God and man.

Yet, that tabernacle was only an elaborate tent. Never meant to be permanent--neither it, nor its furnishings exist any longer. God has raised up a superior tabernacle--Jesus Christ--the ultimate, enduring meeting place of God and man! John wrote of Him, "The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 HCSB) The Greek word rendered "took up residence" is literally, "tabernacled"! All that was foreshadowed in that former tabernacle is fulfilled in Christ's fleshly tabernacle--in a surpassingly superior manner.

The tabernacle in the wilderness was a temporary structure. Likewise, Christ was only on earth for around thirty three years. But, though Christ's earthly ministry ended when He ascended to heaven, that tabernacle was not terminated, but had been transformed! Jesus is resurrected, glorified humanity! It was the same Jesus who appeared to His disciples after He rose. Why, Thomas even felt the wounds of the crucifixion that remained! Think of it--the glorified Son of Man and Son of God, ever-living to be the meeting place of God and man! Paul stated it this way, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human..." (1 Timothy 2:5 HCSB).

The rich symbolism of the Mosaic tabernacle can fill a book and so is beyond the scope of these devotional thoughts. But, what we can say is that all which the tabernacle represented, is seen in Christ, but in His tabernacle, infinitely greater.

To underscore that, a final thought concerning access into the Holy of Holies. Under the Old Covenant, only one man, the High Priest, could enter behind the veil, and that with fear and trembling that he might die, only by means of a sacrifice, and only once each year. But, when the flesh of Christ's tabernacle was torn on Calvary, God reached down and tore the veil from top to bottom, having opened the way, once for all into His glorious presence! Now, any who come through Christ--not one, not a few, all who will--can approach God--not once a year, not a few times, but any time--not just in one sacred spot, but anywhere--not with terror, but in confidence--needing no sacrifice, for the Lamb has been sacrificed and never will be offered again, and need not be!

So, the writer of Hebrews stresses, "Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time." (Hebrews 4:16 HCSB) Jesus is the meeting place of God and man!