2013 Advent Devotions from the Lutheran Hour Ministries – Christmas
Day Wednesday, 25 December 2013 - "THE TABERNACLE OF THE LORD” - Read
Exodus 40: The Cloud and the Glory
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of
the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of
meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the
Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; 37 but if the cloud
was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up.
38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the
cloud[a] by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of
their journey.
Footnotes:
a. Exodus 40:38 Heb it. TEXT: And the Word ... dwelt among us
(see John 1:14).
When God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt by the hand of
Moses, they traveled through the wilderness until they reached Mount Sinai. On
that mountain the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets, and
gave Moses the design to build the Tabernacle-a special tent that served as the
place of worship in the wilderness. When Moses set up the Tabernacle with all
its furnishings, all Israel could see the glorious presence of the Lord
entering and filling that tent-a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by
night.
John has this Tent of Meeting in mind when he writes of Jesus'
birth. In Greek he writes, "The Word became flesh and 'tabernacled' among
us." Jesus' infant body is the tent in which God's glory dwells night and
day. Like the Old Testament Tabernacle, He moves from place to place among His
people revealing His glory through word and deed until His work of salvation is
complete.
Of this same human body Jesus will later tell His enemies,
"Destroy this temple, and I will rebuild it in three days" (see John
2:19). Indeed they nailed His body to the cross and put Him to death. But
through His suffering and death Jesus satisfied God's wrath at our sins, and
freed us from hell. But His body didn't remain dead. On the third day He rose
it to life again, promising one day He will raise our bodies and make them
glorious like His own.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to dwell among us
as our Brother, revealing Your glory, and turning away Your Father's wrath by
taking our place on the cross. Fill us with peace and joy this Christmas and
always. Amen.
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Mail:
Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141 United States
Telephone: (800)876-9880
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