Knowing God Wants You

If anything, the details in the tabernacle in the wilderness paint a portrait of God. Many people consider its layout to represent the path we use to approach Him. We enter through the courtyard gate, confess our sins at the laver, and receive atonement at the bronze altar. Only then do we enter the holy place and draw near to His presence.

There’s certainly truth to this pattern. In many ways, we do draw near to God from without. Repentance prepares us to receive the atonement and forgiveness available at the altar and laver. These processes serve to make our experiences within the holy place more profitable. Freed of guilt and shame, we are better able to receive nourishment and light from His presence and worship more boldly at the altar of incense.

I find it significant, however, that God chose to describe His dwelling place by starting at its center. Three times Scripture details how to create and set up His tabernacle. Starting in Exodus 25, the blueprints begin with specifications for the ark. Exodus 36 initially describes the curtains and walls of the inner rooms, then immediately shifts attention to the ark. In Exodus 40, the Lord talks about the holy place and the Holy of Holies before any other part of the tabernacle.

Why would He do this?

I think it’s because God wants to convince us His welcome awaits us inside the tent. Without this certainty, we may believe drawing near to God only means sacrifice and death. Worse, we may believe God does not wants us if we can’t perform the outer duties perfectly. Without a glimmer of what our place looks like inside the tent with Him, we may hesitate at the gate.

Why would we dare approach His altar, go through the rigors of confession and repentance without knowing for sure it would be effective? It’s not enough to believe God can be merciful and forgiving, we must know He is.

Getting a peek at the glory of the ark, the light of His life, the smell and taste of His bread, inspires us to attempt the effort. The sight of wooden walls and furniture wrapped in gold doesn’t just foreshadow a savior who is both human and divine, it shows God’s innermost desire to forever marry humanity with Himself.

The shielding mercy seat covering the judgmental nature of the Ten Commandments reveals a God of justice who nevertheless wants to protect. The table, lampstand, and incense altar in the holy place are not just suited for Christ the Great High Priest, but for the human brothers and sisters who will worship by His side and dwell in His Father’s house.

He first shows us the welcome radiating from His heart, knowing it will encourage us as we face the challenges of the outer court. We’ve seen what awaits us. Now we know that, no matter the cost, what comes next will be very good.

Want to learn more about your place in God’s tabernacle? Check out my devotional A Place for Me in God’s Tent. Available now on Amazon.