Moving In, Journeying With

What a wonderful adventure it has been to travel with Israel from Egypt's land to Sinai, and along the way to meet with God. We have been touring this book of the knowledge of God for nearly three years now; I preached the first sermon on Exodus on Sunday, November 22, 2020. We have seen how God brought His people from slavery to worship, how He revealed Himself first at the burning bush, then in the ten plagues, in the passover, in the Exodus, and in His words establishing a covenant with Israel at Sinai. Now we approach the final climax of the book as God's glory moves into the tabernacle to dwell among His people — the very thing for which He brought them out of Egypt. "And they shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God" (Exodus 29:46). He wanted to dwell with His people — and He is. That, my friends, is where the book closes. But though it's a great stopping place from a literary point of view, it is not the end of the story the Bible tells. God's residence with Israel in a tent was temporary — but His residence among us in Christ is permanent. Meanwhile, the book ends with the word "journey," pointing forward to Numbers and the route to the Promised Land, and reminding us that we are called to journey with Christ, our true tabernacle, toward the Father, deeper into the knowledge of God.