GIVE GOD A PLACE TO DWELL

 

 

1. The Old Testament gives us many object lessons to teach us what God wants to do in our lives. God brought the Israelites out of Egypt so He could dwell among them.

 

Exodus 19:5-6 NLT “Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation…”

 

Ex 25:8 “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. 

Ex 29:43-46 “I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence.44Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.45Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, 46and they will know that I am the lord their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the lord their God.”

 

 

 

2. The “Tent of Meeting” was a divine meeting place for God’s leader Moses to receive instructions for the people.

 

Ex 33:8-11 NLT “Whenever Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting, all the people would get up and stand in the entrances of their own tents. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. 9As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the lord spoke with Moses.10When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. 11Inside the Tent of Meeting, the lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.”

 Ex 34:34 NLT “But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the lord, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the lord had given him”

 

 

 

3. God still calls and ordains leaders to Himself in the New Testament who must have a personal “Tent of Meeting” to hear from God so they can properly lead God’s people.

 

Eph 4:11-13 NKJV “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ¹³ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”

 

1 Pet 4:11 NKJV “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

 

 

 

4. The 5-fold ministry is to train the Body of Christ to do the work of the ministry.

Eph 4:12 “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”

 

5. Ultimately God has called all of us to be a believer/priesthood, to hear from God for ourselves, our families, and for the ministries we may lead by having our own “Tent of Meeting.”

 

1. This is seen in the gathering of daily Manna. Exodus 16

 

1. It is also seen in the teaching of the Sabbath Day. There are to be individual “Tents of Meeting” throughout the week, and a corporate one to gather together with others on the Sabbath Day. Notice the Bible says this is a covenant obligation for all time.

 

Ex 31:13 NLT “Tell the people of Israel: ‘Be careful to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you from generation to generation. It is given so you may know that I am the lord, who makes you holy.

Ex 31:13, 16-17 NLT “The people of Israel must keep the Sabbath day by observing it from generation to generation. This is a covenant obligation for all time. 17It is a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.’”

 

 

6. What is God trying to teach us through these Old Testament Object lessons?

 

1. He is teaching us that He wants to dwell among us so He can take us into our promised land. When we are in divine alignment we may go through SEASONS, but never CIRCLES like the Israelites did for 40 years.

1. The cloud of God’s presence is moving again, and we must move with it.

 

1. Divine assignments come from divine alignments. God love’s you too much to give you the promotion without the pruning. Make sure you are in proper alignment with the leaders God has placed in your life so you don’t miss this next visitation.

 

1. Remember that God disciplines every son/daughter He receives so that we can become partakers of His holiness. Correction is never rejection, it is the litmus test for humility, which is being teachable.

 

1. Answer your call to your personal “Tent of Meeting” and the corporate “Tent of Meeting” which is the local church.