Exodus and The Kingdom of God (5) God’s Presence

​“Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” (Ex 25:21-22)
 
We’ve been talking about the kingdom of God from the story of Exodus. The reason God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt wasn’t only to set them free from slavery, but to bring them to the land that He had promised Abraham to give to his descendants.
 
What God wanted to achieve through the Israelites was to establish His kingdom in the land of wickedness, where His commands would be obeyed, His will would be done and His sovereignty would be established.
 
To achieve this goal, God trained the Israelites in the wilderness before leading them into the promised land. This training and preparation took place at Mount Sinai. There, God did three important things to prepare the people of Israel.
 
1) God Gives His People His Law
First, God gave them His law to obey. The reason the land of Canaan was defiled was because the people living there practiced evil. And God didn’t want the Israelites to follow their evil practices. Instead, God gave them His law so that they could obey it, reflect God’s holiness through it, and bring about His will on earth.
 
2) God Makes A Covenant with His People
The second thing God did to prepare the Israelites to be His holy people was to make a covenant with them on Mount Sinai, which we talked about last Sunday.
 
After coming down from the mountain, Moses wrote down all the laws God had told him and read them to the Israelites. And they responded with one voice, saying, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”” (Ex 24:3)
 
Based on the law and the Israelites’ response to obey it, God made a covenant with them on Mount Sinai. Two important things were used in the ceremony—the book of the Covenant and the blood of the Covenant.
 
The book of the Covenant refers to the one in which Moses wrote down all God’s laws. After reading all the words in the book and hearing the Israelites say, “We will do everything the Lord has said,” Moses took blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Ex 24:4-8)
 
By doing these two things through Moses, God made a covenant with the Israelites. It was an important moment because the people of Israel officially became God’s people through that covenant. And we become God’s people by accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ and being covered with Jesus’ precious blood of the covenant when we believe in Him.
 
So, God’s commands and His covenant are two important things through which He builds His kingdom on earth.
 
A key characteristic of commandments is that the fulfillment of a command is dependent on the person who receives it, not on the person who gives it, which means that if the establishment of the kingdom of God depended only on commandments, it would be very difficult for it to be realized. Even though God gives His commands to His people with good intentions, if they do not keep them, the commands wouldn’t be fulfilled.
 
That’s the reason God used another method in addition to commandments—the covenant or His promise. Unlike commands, the fulfillment of a promise depends on the one who makes it, not the one to whom the promise is made, which means that all the things God promised in the Bible will perfectly come true no matter how His people respond to it because the One who promises and works to fulfill them is God almighty, with whom nothing is impossible.
 
That's why we can be confident that the day will come when God's kingdom will be fully established on earth.
 
The world we live in today may seem far from the kingdom of God. There seem to be fewer and fewer Christians, and the faith of Christians seems to be declining. Many Christian books paint a bleak future for Christianity and warn us of its decline. In light of these things, we may wonder if we will ever see God's kingdom come on earth.
 
But we can trust that there will come a day when a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language stand before the throne of God and cry out in one voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Rv 7:10). We know this will happen because the One who showed the vision as a promise to John and thus to us now is God almighty, who never fails to keep His promises but fulfills every one of them with His wisdom, power, and zeal.
 
I really want to be among those people when Jesus comes back. And I really want every one of us to be there. But, we must keep in mind that in order for us to participate in God’s great promise, we must obey His words.
 
God’s promise is open to everyone, but it doesn’t mean that everyone who knows about the promise will join in it. Only those who actively participate in it by obeying His commands to live a holy life, proclaim the gospel, and love God and love people while living on earth now, will enter His kingdom when it comes true on earth.
 
Only those who try to live in the present kingdom of God in their daily lives by obeying Him and following His will under His sovereignty wherever they are will enter the future, glorious kingdom of God.
 
Just remember, God’s promise to enter the promised land was given to both the first and second generations of the exodus, but only the latter could actually inherit the land while all of the first generation died in the wilderness.
 
What was the difference between the two? The same promise was given to both generations with the same command to go into the land and conquer it. But only the second generation obeyed the command while the first generation refused to do so. What we know from this is that obedience is the key to living in and entering the kingdom of God. As Jesus said,
 
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 7:21)
 
This is so important for all of us. There are many Christians who try to be saved without making any effort to know and obey God’s word and follow His will. They say only faith matters when it comes to salvation, which is true, but they neglect another important aspect of faith, which is that “faith without deeds is dead” (Jms 2:26).
 
So we should resist all attempts to separate faith from obedience. The author of Hebrews said,
 
“Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief” (Heb 3:17-19)
 
Here, the author of Hebrews is using faith and obedience interchangeably. Verses 17-18 say that the first generation perished in the wilderness because they “disobeyed”. Then, the very next verse says, “they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief”.
 
So faith and obedience go hand in hand, which means that we can’t believe in Jesus without trying to know and follow His commands. We can’t love God without loving His words and obeying Him.
 
We need to keep in mind that God’s promise is only for those who obey His command. In the land of Canaan, Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?” (Jos 18:3)
 
God had already given the land to the Israelites as He had promised. But only those who took action to take possession of the land would be able to live in it.
 
If they believed God's promise about possessing His land and obeyed God's command to possess it, they would see God at work among them and His promises fulfilled in their lives. That’s what happened in the land of Canaan. Joshua 21 says,
 
“So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled” (Jos 21:43-45)
 
Every one of God’s promises was fulfilled according to His goodness and faithfulness. But not all of His people enjoyed it. Only those who relied on God’s promise and took possession of the land did so.
 
Likewise, even though we are given the promise that the kingdom of God will be fully established on earth when Jesus returns and that we will enter into it and enjoy eternal rest, only those who hope for that kingdom and are doing their best to bring it about in their present lives by obeying His commands will get to experience the fulfillment of that promise.
 
So we must remember that our faith and our obedience are inseparable, just as God's promise and His command go hand in hand. We must not make the mistake of believing God's promises while neglecting to know and obey His commands. That’s not the spirit of the people of the kingdom of God.
 
3) God’s Presence in the Tabernacle
Back to Exodus, God gave the Israelites His law and made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai to prepare them and make them His holy people who would bring His kingdom to the promised land. And there’s one more important thing that God did to prepare His people: He allowed the Israelites to experience His presence through the tabernacle.
 
Right after making the covenant, God said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction” (Ex 24:12)
 
So Moses went up the mountain and stayed there for forty days. The laws God gave Moses there are written in Exodus 25 through 31, and all the laws are about building the tabernacle and the regulations for the priests who would serve there.
 
God said in Exodus 25, “Have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you” (Ex 25:8-9)
 
Here, we find the purpose of the tabernacle. It is a place for God to dwell among the Israelites. But it definitely doesn’t mean that He couldn’t live with His people without it. God is omnipresent, which means that He exists everywhere.
 
So, I think the reason God commanded the Israelites to build the tabernacle was not really so that He could dwell with them. God had always been with them without the tabernacle. So, the real reason He had them build the tabernacle was so that they could know that He was with them.
 
Because God is spirit, they couldn’t see Him. So God manifested Himself in a tangible way so the Israelites could feel His presence. That’s what the tabernacle was about. God’s presence is far more important than the tabernacle and all of its contents.
 
So, what was in the tabernacle? There were many important objects inside, but the most important one was the Ark of the Covenant. God said,
 
“Have them make an ark of acacia wood… Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you. “Make an atonement cover of pure gold… And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover…. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” (Ex 25:10-22)
 
So, here is the possible shape of the Ark of the Covenant. It consisted of three parts. At the bottom is the ark. It is called the Ark of the Covenant because God commanded Moses to put the tablets of the covenant law in it.
 
Above the ark is the golden cover. This cover is called the atonement cover because the high priest sprinkled the blood of animals here for the forgiveness of sins.
 
Above the atonement cover were two angels or cherubim made of gold. The part above the angles is also called ‘the Mercy Seat’ or ‘the throne of God’s grace’ because it’s believed that God sat here according to Exodus 25:22, which says “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites” (Ex 25:22)
 
The Ark of the Covenant was located in the deepest and most central part of the tabernacle. It was the most important object in the tabernacle because it was where God was directly present and spoke with the Israelites. So it was placed in a room called ‘the Most Holy Place.’
 
That was where God was present with the people of Israel. God said, “There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory” (Ex 29: 43).
 
The ark of the covenant in the tabernacle was the most powerful visible evidence of God's presence with the Israelites. Even though they couldn’t see it while it was in the tent because no one could have access to the Most Holy Place, they knew that it was there because the pillars of cloud and fire were over the tabernacle.
 
Exodus 40:36-38 says,
“In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out - until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels” (Ex 40:36-38).
 
The Ark of the Covenant played several important roles when the Israelites lived in the wilderness and when they conquered the land of Canaan.
 
First, as we just read, the cloud and the fire above the tabernacle was among the Israelites, guiding them on their way and protecting them from the heat of the day and the cold of the night.
 
Second, the ark of the covenant went ahead of them to find  places for them to rest.
 
Numbers 10:33 says, “They set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest” (Nm 10:33)
 
Third, the ark of the covenant was a symbol that God Himself would fight against their enemies.
Numbers 10:35-36 says,
 
“Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” Whenever it came to rest, he said, “Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel” (Nm 10:35-36)
 
When Joshua conquered Jericho, he ordered, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it…. Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” (Jos 6:6-7)
 
The Israelites did the same thing for six days. And on the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times in the same way and when they gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed.
 
The fall of Jericho was not the result of the Israelites' own strength or military power. The message of the collapse of Jericho is that God fights on our behalf. And the best symbol of this was the Ark of the Covenant.
 
Fourth, the ark of the covenant went before the Israelites, showing them the way forward.
 
Joshua says in Joshua 3, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before…” (Jos 3:3-4)
 
Fifth, not only did the ark of the covenant go before the Israelites, but it was with them at the Jordan River and protected them when they crossed it.
 
Josua chapter 3 continues, “See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you…  Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing… So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” (Jos 3:11-17)
 
So, the ark of the covenant was the most visible symbol of God's presence among His people, His guidance and protection, and God Himself fighting against their enemies. His presence was what really enabled them to survive in the wilderness and conquer the land. That’s why Moses said to God,
 
“If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Ex 33:15-16)
 
God’s presence is what we’re to always seek as Christians because without Him, we can do nothing. But that doesn’t mean that God’s presence is not with us when we don’t seek it. The truth is that God is always present with us, even when we don’t notice it. So we don't need to pray for God to be closer to us, because He is.
 
A person with good spirituality is not a person to whom God is closer than others. It is one who is more aware that God is with them. That’s the reason we need to always ‘practice the presence of God.’
 
The Israelites didn’t need to try to find God’s presence because it was so evident in their eyes. But we don’t have the earthly tabernacle. We don’t have a physical ark of the covenant. We don’t see the pillars of cloud and fire that they saw.
 
Because God's presence is not visible, it's easy to forget that He is always with us. So it's important to keep reminding ourselves that His presence is with us wherever we are and whatever we do. That’s how we ‘practice’ the presence of God. Practicing God’s presence means that we always live as if God is right in front of us. And it’s very beneficial in Christian life.
 
A famous Christian author, Brother Lawrence, wrote a well-known book called The Practice of the Presence of God. I read it a few years ago, and it was really good. Here are some famous quotes from it.
 
“I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of GOD. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.”
 
“That we should establish ourselves in a sense of GOD’s Presence, by continually conversing with Him. That it was a shameful thing to quit His conversation, to think of trifles and fooleries.”
 
No Christian would deny the vital role of God’s presence in their life. Then, why are we not seeking it?
Coram Deo
One of the ways to practice the presence of God is to consciously make ourselves aware of His presence and to behave as if God is right in front of us. The expression ‘coram Deo’ does a great job conveying this idea.
 
 
In the Latin Vulgate, the phrase “coram Deo” appears in Psalm 56:13, which says, “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God [coram Deo] in the light of life.” (Ps 56:13)
 
So, “coram Deo” means before the face of God or in the presence of God. “Coram Deo” captures the essence of Christian life.
 
This expression has been used by many Christians as a reminder that all life is about God and that we must live our whole lives in the presence of God to glorify and honor Him. To live in the presence of God is to understand that wherever we are and whatever we do, we are living under the gaze of God. That’s what we must always seek to live out as Christians.
 
Today, we talked about the third thing God gave the Israelites to prepare them to be His people. By having them build the tabernacle and guiding them through the Ark of the Covenant, God showed that He was always with them.
 
God doesn’t only command and make promises; He is also always with us. His presence is the true source of everything we do because we can do nothing without Him.
 
So, let’s not neglect practicing the presence of God in our daily lives, but continue to seek it with all our minds and hearts until we always feel His presence in all circumstances without even trying to notice it. Then, we’ll see and experience His presence guiding us, protecting us, and fighting for us, and we’ll live for the glory of God.
 
Let’s pray.
 
[Prayer]
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us this great opportunity to remind ourselves that You are always present with us.
 
Oh Lord, let us know how precious Your presence is in our lives and how desperately we need it at all times so that we may seek it more. We want all our thoughts, words, and actions to be before Your presence so that we can live out our faith, reflecting Your holy character in our lives.
 
We want to practice Your presence in our daily lives. Let us know more about Your presence. Give us the desire to seek it. And as we seek You and find You, please let us be more aware of Your presence and stand upon it.
 
We know that You are always close to us. Help us know who You are more so that everything we think, say, and do may be in line with Your will under Your sovereignty for Your glory.
 
We pray in Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
 
[Reflection Questions]
1) Have you felt God’s presence in your life? When do you usually feel it?
 
2) What do you think it means to live “coram Deo”? What are some practical things that you can do to practice God’s presence in your daily life?