Not yet reviewed
This transcript was produced automatically and has not been checked by a person yet. Some words — names and places especially — may be wrong. Please treat the video above as the message as preached.
What we'll do today is like we will trace God's story from very briefly from Genesis till Exodus, because Genesis till Exodus is the narrative background of for the book of. So the title of today's sermon is, um, the Return of God's Dwelling, the Return of God's Dwelling. For that we will turn our Bibles to Exodus chapter 40, and we'll read from verses 34 till Leviticus chapter 1 verse 1.
Exodus chapter 40 verses 34 till Leviticus chapter 1 verse 1. I'll read it, you can follow it from your Bibles. Exodus 40, verse 34. “The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
“All their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,” Right? Let's pray. Father, we commit our souls in your hands as we look into your word.
Bless us with your grace. Help us behold your glory. Give us grace, Lord, our hearts to your word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. The book of Exodus ends with a different, completely a different note. You know, it's like a, it's like a mystery.
Up until now we see that it was Moses who entered into the Lord's presence, right? He was called on, onto the mount, into the Lord's presence. He communed with God, communed with him. God gave him the law. But hereafter the story is going to change. Moses is not going to enter into the Lord's presence, because God is going to introduce a new system, and that is called as a Levitical system. We're going to see more on that in the coming weeks as well. So the book of Leviticus is the third book in the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible.
It's also called as the Torah, or the law in English. In Hebrew the book of Leviticus is titled as Wayikra. Wayikra means, it simply means, “and he called,” or “and he proclaimed.” That's the title of the book, right? But the book Leviticus, the name is derived from the Greek Septuagint. Greek Septuagint is a Old Testament of, you know, it's an Old Testament in the Greek language. The Leviticus is derived from that old Greek Septuagint. It means that things concerning the Leviticus, and, sorry, the Levites. That's a name of the, that's a meaning of the title. And this book is very
important for us, because it answers us one question, that is, how can a sinful humanity approach a holy God? How can a sinful humanity can approach a holy God? And if a sinful humanity can approach God, if that's a yes, how can we approach God? What is required of us to approach God? In the next series of sermons we will try to answer these questions. And why are these questions, or why these questions matter today? Because today's church in general has become slack. We are so casual about our corporate gathering.
Now, if we examine our lives, an average church goer, we come however we like, whenever we like. We come only if we like. Our convenience is more important than the gathering itself, right? The book of Leviticus, it shatters this kind of complacency. It reveals that approaching God demands reverence, preparation and holiness. It is not limited to the Old Testament saints. There is a beautiful trajectory and a redemptive historical progression from the old to the new covenant.
While the forms of worship have changed, but the character of God didn't change. Right? And His holiness remains immutable, which means unchangeable. And His people must reflect His holiness. In Leviticus chapter 19, verse 1 and 2, we read that the Lord... And this is one of the major themes of the book of Leviticus. It says that, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.”
And we also see that this verse was also often quoted in the New Testament as well. To be holy is to be distinct, to be different, and to be wholly set apart for the purposes of God. That's exactly how God is — incomparable to any of his creations, is incomparable in perfection, without deficiency in ethics, wisdom, justice or any of his attributes. And because God is holy, his worshipers must pursue him in holiness. Why? Because as his people we bear his name, as his people be we bear witness to his character before a watching world. Leviticus, the book of Leviticus picks up right where Exodus left off.
Look at how chapter 1 and verse 1 begins. It says that “then the Lord,” or it can also be translated as “and the Lord.” In the original language it’s just “and the Lord.” It shows whenever something starts with “and” it shows a continuation. Right? Leviticus is not an isolated legal code, but it’s an organic group outgrowth of the Exodus narrative itself. Israel has been camped at Mount Sinai for about one year, and this single year began in Exodus chapter 19. So they came out of Egypt, wandered in the wilderness, camped at Sinai, had the Meribah event, and also you see there that the 70 elders were appointed there.
And now Moses is up on the mountain in Exodus chapter 19, getting the covenant started. So from Exodus 19 through Numbers 10, Israel is camped at the base of Mount Sinai, and Leviticus picks up right where Exodus ends. Leviticus 1 verse 1 says, “And he called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of the meeting.” See, Moses is not in the tent of the meeting, is at the tent of the meeting, and he heard the voice from the tent of the meeting. That’s the difference. And while the book of Leviticus is not a narrative, it consists of instructions on religious requirements
and is set within the narrative framework of Exodus, the wilderness wanderings and the eventual conquest of Canaan. It is essential to recognize that all the laws are set within this historical framework. As the students of the Bible we want to recognize the narrative arc that stretches from Genesis to Eden—sorry, Genesis to, or Eden to Exodus, or Genesis to Exodus, right? It is, it is one story. The entire Bible is one story. And from Genesis 1 to Exodus 40, one could read the entire story as a tale of two movements.
Humanity expelled from God’s presence in Eden and then finally brought back into the presence through the tabernacle system of worship. And this morning I want to trace the story with you. I want to show you how God’s great purpose to dwell with his people has been driving every chapter of the biblical narrative. And I want to ask, what does it mean for us who live on this side of the cross that God has made a way for a sinful humanity to dwell in his holy presence, to dwell in his holy presence? And if you remember—I don’t know if you remember—in the book of Ephesians you see there also that God is making a beautiful dwelling place, right? God is building a beautiful dwelling place
no where people from different tribes that is both Gentiles and the Jews come together and are made into one people of God and you see a grand picture also in the book of Revelation where no people from many tribes come together and dwell in the presence of the Lord firstly what we see in the book of Exodus is that a story of redemption People were in slavery and God seeks to redeem his people. But it's not primarily about redemption itself.
It's primarily about revelation. Revelation of who God is. God reveals who he is to his people and also to the Egyptians. The book of Exodus unfolds this grand theme through brilliant Hebrew wordplay. The lives of God's people would be transformed now from slavery to worship.
both words using the same Hebrew word abad, meaning to serve. There is a linguistic connection here and it is theologically very intentional. In the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 2 verse 15, God placed Adam in the garden to work and keep it. And the word for work is abad, and he has to work and keep it in the presence of the Lord.
Then when he was expelled after the fall, he was expelled from the garden also to toil under curse. He has to labor under curse, right? And the word to serve there is also, uh, or the toil is also abad, right? But he has to, he has to toil outside the presence of the Lord, which means, uh, outside the manifest presence of the Lord, that we see in Genesis chapter 3 verse 23. Now in the book of Exodus, Israel is a new people of God, is a new humanity, is being redeemed from slavery to worship God. And, and if you, if you turn your Bibles to Exodus chapter 7 verse 16, you see there it says, “You shall say to him, the Lord, the God of Hebrews, sent me to you,”
saying, “Let my people go.” These are the words of Moses and Aaron to the Pharaoh, they say that, “Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness.” And the word again here is abad. The word again here is abad.
Right? So God created man, placed in the garden to work in his presence, abad in his presence. Expelled from God’s presence, His manifest presence, is driven out of the manifest presence, out of the garden, to labor or to abad under curse. But now, when God calls a people, He redeems them, and He calls them to go and serve.
Abad. Right? Right? So I think the biblical author here intentionally uses this word. But eventually, you see there that in the story of Exodus, the Israelites were redeemed by God’s powerful hand. And when Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and said, “Thus says Yahweh,” in Exodus chapter 5 verse 1, Pharaoh was proud and he was dismissive and Pharaoh said, “Who is this Lord that I should obey his voice?”
He dismisses, but Pharaoh’s question, it sets the theological agenda for the entire book of Exodus. First great theme of Exodus is not liberation but revelation. The plagues, the signs and wonders, the parting of the sea, all of it is an answer to Pharaoh’s question. The question is, who is this Yahweh? And God would reveal himself so powerfully that he to both eat that Egypt, Israel, and that nations also would know him. In Exodus chapter 7 verse 5 it says that “the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.” And not only that, there is a far-reaching impact of what God did
in the land of Egypt. There were no news channels at the time. I don’t know how word spread, right? And also how the word spread also about what God did in the wilderness. And if you turn your Bibles to Joshua chapter 2, verses 9 and 11, 9 till 11.
Joshua chapter 2, verses 9 till 11. The far-reaching impact of this revelation is captured in the remarkable testimony of Rahab the harlot in Jericho, a Canaanite woman, a woman from among the nations. She says these words in Joshua chapter 2 verses 9–11 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land and that the terror of you has fallen on us and all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what two kings of the Amorites who were
beyond the Jordan and to Sihon and Og whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”
You know, Rahab uttering these words, but it was not — what God did in Exodus was not recent news. A generation past, right? It took almost 40 years for them to come here, and these men who are standing here before Rahab are the second generation people, right? But this news of what God did almost 40 years ago is still fresh before their eyes.
It’s still fresh before their eyes. They’re so awestruck at the works of the Lord. So one of the greatest purposes of God’s work is to reveal who He is so that people are captivated by the knowledge of the true and the living God. And the knowledge of the Lord proclaimed through the Exodus reached the far corners of the earth.
And then in that story, after this revelation, and while this revelation is ongoing of who God is, we also see that God redeems His people through the blood of the Lamb. At the heart of the Exodus narrative stands the Passover, a ritual laden with so much of theological significance. The Passover, if you look into your notes, contains three essential elements. Number one is the slaying of the lamb. It signifies substitutionary atonement. The lamb died in place of the firstborn male, bearing the judgment that should have fallen on the household.
Secondly, the blood on the doorposts. It signifies purification and protection. The blood did not merely satisfy divine justice. It cleansed the household and marked them as belonging to God, set apart from Egyptian judgment. Thirdly, the eating of the lamb. It signifies consecration. The sacrificial meat was holy and those who ate it were made holy. The ultimate goal of the Passover and of the entire redemption was Israel’s consecration to
So the Passover was never merely about escape from Egypt or slavery. It was about Israel being set apart for God. It’s about Israel’s sanctification. To be hereafter. They are marked off by the blood of the Lamb. They’re going to live as God’s witnesses. Going to live as people marked off by God himself. They are now a set apart people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. They bear God’s name. And thirdly, secondly, you see in the book of revelation is that after redemption from slavery, they were brought to the mountain.
We see this narrative from Exodus chapter 15 till Exodus chapter 24 verse 18. And they are at the mountain in till Numbers, right? So when Israel arrived at Mount Sinai, they encountered the overwhelming holiness of God, the consuming fire. No? When the Lord's presence descends on the Mount Sinai, there was consuming fire, there was darkness, there was thunder, and there was quaking mountain — the mountain was quaking, and it was such a terrific sight. Immediately a boundary is established so that the people would not approach the holy mountain. The mountain is holy because the Lord has descended there. And the, and they stand at the mountain's base while Moses
alone. You should observe this. Here Moses is allowed to enter into the Lord's presence. Moses is allowed into the Lord's presence. Moses alone ascends into the fire of God's glory. While there is thick darkness, there was consuming fire, Moses enters into that fire. For 40 days and 40 nights, Moses abides in the divine fire without being consumed.
Yet Moses does not ascend merely to enjoy God's presence. he ascends to represent Israel before God and descends to represent God. He was like a mediator. The mountain became the stage for this crucial mediation. Moses ascends and descends repeatedly, bearing Israel on his heart before Yahweh. way and then in Exodus chapter 2 you see the crisis of the golden calf right the golden calf episode it represents the books central crisis it reveals the persistent idolatry at the heart of fallen humanity idolatry is at the heart of fallen humanity and this episode
is structurally positioned at the midpoint of the tabernacle account. The tabernacle account starts from Exodus chapter 25, you know, uh, and uh it is sandwiched between the divine instructions about tabernacle, that is from Exodus chapter 25 till 31, then in 32 we have the golden calf episode, and then instructions about actual construction of the tabernacle, or actual construction about of the tabernacle is recorded in Exodus chapter 35 till 40. And this incident of golden calf is theologically significant. It exposes the depth of Israel's sin even while God is revealing his plan to dwell among them. They saw a glorious sight of
God's presence descending on the Mount Sinai, right? It was terrific. It was not an easy sight to behold. There was consuming fire, and this man of God enters that consuming fire, is not consumed. There is thick cloud, the mountain is quaking, it is a terrific sight. And in midst of all this, while seeing all this, the fire is still there on the mountain for 40 days, 40 nights, but you see the sin of people: they made a golden calf at the base of the mountain. In Exodus chapter 33 Moses intercedes with extraordinary self-sacrifice. After wrote this sin, he offered himself as a substitute for Israel. In Exodus chapter 32 verse 32 Moses says, “But now, if you will forgive their sin — but if not, please blot out, blot me out of your book that you have written.” This is a essence of the work
of the mediatorship intercession, which typologically points toward Christ, who would actually accomplish what Moses could only symbolize. The resolution of Exodus 33 is not the promise of land but the assurance of God's abiding presence. And in Exodus chapter 33 verse 14, then, this is a resolution to the problem. After Moses intercedes for the people, the Lord says, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then as the tabernacle is being erected, then we get to see how the life in this new house of God is going to be. We see a key transition that occurs in Exodus chapter 24 verse 16. Exodus chapter 24 verse 16, it says the glory of the Lord dwelt
on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days. What is the transition here? The transition is this: the word “dwelled” here in the Hebrew language is the root word for tabernacle, and the word is mishkan for tabernacle. And if you come to the New Testament, the biblical authors have carefully use these words, because you know it is the Holy Spirit who inspired them, who gave them these words. The word “dwelled” here is the root word for tabernacle, and if you come to the New Testament, Jesus Christ is that tabernacle. In John 1:14 it says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” and the word means tabernacle among us, is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament for tabernacle. Jesus tabernacle among us. I, we do not know whether the biblical authors understood this, but the divine author supplied these
words to the biblical authors, because he is writing one grand story, right? So earlier in presence descended, but now God's presence came to dwell, and this shift of the linguistics, it foreshadows what God would accomplish through the tabernacle. So firstly we see in the house of, the house of God, the tabernacle as a new Eden. The tabernacle is intentionally designed as a microcosm of Eden, God's original dwelling place with humanity. Consider the parallels. You can look into your notes there.
It says that after Adam and Eve's expulsion, God stationed cherubim at Eden's entrance to guard the way to the tree of life, in Genesis chapter 3 verse 24. And where else do you see cherubim in Pentateuch? Any thoughts? I heard one.
Yeah, that's in the Ark of Covenant, right? In the ark of the, in the tabernacle, the curtains were embroidered and fashioned in gold upon the mercy seat in the most holy place. And then the tree of life in the garden finds its echo in the golden lampstand, menorah, which, no, uh, glows with light in the holy place. It's like a perpetual glowing with light. And the terms used for the work in the tabernacle, that is for the work of the priest, is to serve and to guard, are the same words given to Adam in the Eden, that he has to work and to keep it, or in other words serve and keep
it, same words. And the tabernacle is like the Eden restored. Not fully restored, but it's like a glimpse of the future heavenly tabernacle. A place where God and redeemed humanity can dwell together mediated through sacrifice and priestly ministry. What is the ultimate purpose of God in doing so?
Before establishing a covenant with the house of Israel, in Exodus chapter 6 verse 7, God declared, “I will take you to be my people and I will be your God.” Once the covenant is ratified, established, God said these words to Moses in Exodus chapter 25 verse 8: “Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst.”
Israel's service would be transferred from building storage houses to Pharaoh in Egypt, which is a picture of slavery, to building a house of the Lord, where God would dwell in their midst, a tabernacle, building the tabernacle, the house of God. and God did not redeem Israel primarily to give them a land the land is not a focus the focus is God's dwelling place God would dwell among them he redeemed them to be with them it is God's desire to dwell with redeemed humanity. We read this in Exodus chapter 29 verse 26. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of land of Egypt that I might dwell among them I am the Lord their God.
I am the Lord their God. Michael Morales, in his excellent work called “Who Shall Ascend to the Lord,” he says these things in this context. He says that the height of the wonder that unfolds with the remarkable closing paragraph of the book of Exodus is that for the sus—for the first time since the flood, since the expulsion from the garden of Yahweh, God through the tabernacle will dwell amidst humanity. The maker of heaven and earth, who had once walked among humanity in the cool of the olden days, before the flood, returns once more, now in history, relationship with Israel mediated by Moses.
And when the glory of God Yahweh descends upon the tabernacle, the God of heaven in all his thunderous majesty has arrived. The advent of Yahweh to dwell with his people on earth, Eden regained. There is a transformation in Exodus chapter 40. The tabernacle was erected and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, but Moses was restricted from entering the tent of meeting.
The presence is now too glorious, too consuming. Even Moses, the great mediator, cannot approach God. So this raises a question: who can approach God’s presence? And this question sets the stage for the book of Leviticus. Then we see in the book of Leviticus the solution, and eventually the biblical story, a greater solution to this problem. Leviticus 1 verse 1 says, “The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of the meeting, saying,” and all the instructions that he heard, he heard at the tent of the meeting, tent of the meeting.
Not from inside the tent of the meeting. He was outside the tent of the meeting. Earlier, the Israelites could not approach the presence of the Lord. Right? They only heard the voice of God. Right? From the mountain. But now, even Moses hears the word from the tent of the meeting. God is now going to establish a new Levitical, and before establishing all the laws of the Levitical system, God dwelled—sorry, God delivered them to Moses. He delivered all the instructions to Moses, and Moses hears the voice from the tent of the meeting, is not allowed into the holy place. Afterward, the
priests will enter the high, uh, will enter the holy place, and the high priest will enter the most holy place once in a year. Right? And now this Levitical system is just a copy of something greater. As it is good, it is only a shadow, a pattern. How can anyone gain access into the presence of God without being consumed by the holiness of God? That should be the question lingering also in our minds. How can anyone gain access to the presence of God? It’s going to require a priest to intercede on your behalf and somehow gain God’s access to you. It requires sacrifices, because
we are sinners, and so we are permanently, because we are so permanently unclean. Even these Levitical priests were fallible and in need of atonement of their own sins. But ultimately the answer comes not on the pages of the Old Testament, but in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is a great tabernacle. He’s that great priest and the great sacrifice. Jesus is the better tabernacle. Jesus is a better priest. Jesus is the greatest sacrifice. Look at Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 1. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 1, the writer of Hebrews says, “Now even the first worship and an earthly place of holiness.” The writer of Hebrews
is actually talking about the Levitical worship. Even the first covenant—he’s talking about the covenant that God made with house of Israel through Moses. And look at verse 9 in Hebrews chapter 9. Verse 9, he says, “that which is symbolic for the present age, according to this arrangement, gifts and that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshipper.” Look at verse 10. “But deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.” They are imposed until the time of reformation. And the reformation is a new covenant. The Levitical system is only a temporal and a typological institution.
Then why are the Zionists fighting for the land to resurrect another temple which is only a symbolic? I have a problem with that kind of interpretation. Ok, that's not a topic now. Look at Hebrews chapter 9 verse 11. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 11. It says, “eternal redemption.”
Dear brothers and sisters, what we see here is that Jesus is the infallible high priest. The Old Testament Levitical priests were fallible. Jesus is the infallible high priest, not of the Levitical order. He entered the heavenly tabernacle with him being the priest and also the sacrifice and god accepted his offering once for all and now seated at the right hand of the majesty you don't see the priest and the high priest being seated they stand and make offerings day after day year after year but here you see in the hebrews chapter one a beautiful picture of this priest who made sacrifice for us and is seated at the right hand of the majesty and Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ is a greater prophet than Moses who mediates a better and lasting covenant and to establish that covenant he went
to the cross and laid down his life to save many. He suffered and died in our place for our sins. Those who look to Christ Jesus will be saved from their sins. And not only that, Jesus is a true tabernacle. God dwelling among us in human flesh.
As I earlier mentioned, the same word was used for Jesus in John chapter 1 verse 14. Him and through his Spirit poured out upon us, the law is written not on the tablets of stone but on the tablet of the hearts. God's dwelling place is established not in a tent of curtains but in the community of his people, the gathered church. You see brothers, God once dwelled in the garden.
God once dwelled on the mountain for a brief time. God dwelled in the tabernacle with severe restrictions. But now through Jesus, God dwells among his people, the gathered church. God is among us. This redemptive-historical understanding has profound implications for how we approach corporate worship.
As at the start of this session I said, there is so much of slackness in our Christian gathering. So much of casualness in our Christian gathering. So much of unpreparedness for our Christian gathering. We take it for so lightly because we are not consumed by the presence of the Lord.
And every aspect of Christian worship should be regulated by Scripture, conducted according to God's Word, not human innovation. Whatever we do on a Sunday should be regulated by the Word of God, because it's about God's presence. It's about God. It's not to make people happy and satisfy satisfactory. It is about God, and we are coming into the presence of God. So everything is important. Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to see the slackness in your own heart, because there was no slackness in the system which was temporary. There was much irreverence in the old symbolic system, but in the real system there is slackness. So everything that we do is so important. Coming on time is important, brothers, sisters. Coming on
time is really important. I don't know whether you had a bad night. I don't know what happened last night, but worship is important. Gathering with the Saints is important. Don't know whether your baby, but coming to the church with the gathered people is even more important, is even more essential. So coming on time is important. Preparation of our hearts before we come is important. I don't know how many of you pray and seek the face of the Lord before you come to gather with the Saints. Is there that casualness in approaching God's presence? And in this context, in this context of God's presence, God's dwelling
in the gathered saints, in this context the necessity of the holy gathering is expressed in these words in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 25. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 25 says, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” After the writer of Hebrews paints a picture of symbolic worship, the Levitical worship, and showing how Jesus Christ is a better priest and the sacrifice which paid for the—no, the real presence of God among his people, he says, not neglecting the gathering
together, not neglecting to meet together. And he says, “as is the habit of some.” It is the habit of many Christians to neglect the gathering of the saints. But it says, “but encouraging one another.” Brothers and sisters, any gathering of redeemed people, wherever they are meeting, in a nice building or in a hut, wherever, any gathering of God's people that is the church is a solemn gathering. It is a solemn gathering. It is a holy gathering. That is the house of the Lord.
and we come to that gathering to behold the glory of God and the glory of his Son from his word. We come here not to compete with one another, to show others how better I am, how better I can sing, how better I can preach, how better I can demonstrate my talents. We are, we are not here to compete with one another or to show our greatness, for there is none great. We do not come here to demonstrate our talents with whatever we have. We come here to serve. We serve the most high God. We are all servants of the most high God, and we
are here to serve God and serve one another. And dear brothers and sisters, in one day, one glorious certain coming day, the tabernacle of God will be with the humanity permanently. We live with the—we should live with this eschatological anticipation. There will be no longer any kind of distinction, no more veils, no more exclusions, no mediator standing between, because the mediator himself will be our light, our temple, our all in all. We will dwell in the house of God and gaze upon his beauty forever. Jesus, the King of kings, will rule forever. Hear these words
from John’s vision in the book of Revelation. Please turn your Bibles with me to Revelation chapter 21. Revelation chapter 21. We’ll read verses 1 till 5. Revelation chapter 21 verses 1 till 5. “When I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first time—sorry, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared
“as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore. For the former things have passed away.’
“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” From the start till the end. From Genesis till Revelation, the story is about the dwelling of God. God once dwelled in the garden. And in the Revelation, you see that out of heaven is going to come the new dwelling of God. God is going to dwell with humanity. He is going to make his abode with his people who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. From Eden to tabernacle, from the tabernacle to temple, from the temple to Christ incarnate, from the church to the New Jerusalem, God’s purpose has never wavered.
And that is to dwell with his people forever. So brothers and sisters, I want you to examine your own hearts. I want you to take these study notes with you. Sit with your family during the week. Go through that. Examine your own life.
Let us make changes according to the word. Not according to our convenience. Let us make changes according to the word. Examine your motivations to serve in the church. Examine your motivations to be in the church. Examine everything in the light of God’s word, because one day everything will be plain. God is working. Everything will be plain. Everything will be out. It’s better to set ourselves right now and serve our Lord with sincere hearts.