Dieu avec nous (Exode 36.8-40.38)

At Connexion, several couples are preparing for marriage.

We're delighted! It's always struck me that our spring marriage preparation course is one of our best-attended meetings. It's a beautiful thing.

If you're one of these couples, I wonder how you feel about the new phase of life that's coming up.

My wife and I celebrated 15 years of marriage this year. (Not at all the record for Connexion ...)

When I think back to the months just before we got married, I remember the mixture of contrasting feelings.

Impatience - I can't wait for this to happen! I can't wait for us to move in together. I can't wait!

But also nervousness - am I ready?

In particular, this little worry: once we're past the honeymoon and into our daily routine, why do you think she's going to put up with living with me?

How many socks on the floor will she tolerate?

And so on.

I wonder if we've ever experienced the same kind of anxiety about God.

Why should we believe that God will always bear to be present with us?

How can you be sure it will always be there?

We've come to the end of the book of Exodus, which we've been meditating on for almost a year.

Exodus showed us who our God is - the Lord.

A God who fights for his people.

A God who delivers his people for an intimate relationship with them.

A God of grace and compassion.

We also saw that the biggest part of this book is neither the 10 plagues nor the crossing of the Red Sea, the parts highlighted in the films.

The biggest part is the description of a tent - a very expensive tent - in which God wanted to dwell among his people.

Our question this morning is: what enables us to be confident in God's constant presence with us? X 2

If you're like me, there are some things that make you doubt it.

Our recurring sins.

I did it again! I've done it again! How can God bear to be present with me after this?

Sometimes I look inside myself and wonder who would want to live there? If you knew my thoughts, you wouldn't want to listen to me! And God is going to want to live inside me?

Our problems.

If God were really present with me, would he have let me go through this?

This failure? This disappointment? This suffering?

Where was he when this happened to me?

Or quite simply, we may doubt its presence because we can't see it.

What tangible proof is there? We can't see any!

What enables us to be confident that God is always with us?

I wouldn't be surprised if some of you are directly confronted with this issue.

Yes or no, is God there with me?

***

We've never stopped saying it. Exodus was the book to which generations of Israelites returned when they asked themselves this type of question.

Let's recall the story of Exodus so far.

God had led Israel to Mount Sinai, where he entered into a covenant with them.

He had invited Moses to go up the mountain to receive his commandments and instructions for the Tabernacle.

But while Moses is on the mountain, the people violate the covenant by making a golden calf.

God threatened to stop accompanying them, but Moses interceded, God forgave them and the covenant was renewed.

Imagine the question on the minds of the Israelites the next day.

That was a close one. God almost told us it was over.

In the end, he stayed, because he is full of grace ... but is his plan to settle in our midst still on track?

Won't he want to keep his distance?

According to this last passage from Exodus, we can have great confidence in God's presence with us!

God is determined to live with his people today and forever!

He changes his people to be able to welcome them

***

Four observations on this text before drawing any implications.

Firstly, this passage introduces us to ...

God's heavenly palace

That God dwells in the midst of his people is no small thing.

This text compares it to a return to the happiness and rest of the Garden of Eden!

I mentioned our couples who are getting married.

And marriage means visits from the in-laws. I hope I'm not scaring you by saying that!

I've got great in-laws. Great in-laws who, strangely enough, never ask to sleep over. Must be the socks on the floor.

But when the in-laws come to spend a little time, you who have just got married may know all that's involved. Everything has to be spotless! The best sheets, the best plates, the best cleaning. Everything has to be perfect - like heaven - to make them feel welcome.

In our case, it gives us a glimpse of what our flat is supposed to be like.

An overview lasting perhaps 2 or 3 minutes.

In this text, we see the paradisiacal perfection of the place prepared to welcome God.

Last Sunday Eduardo talked about how the Israelites set to work preparing the materials for the Tabernacle.

In the passage we have been read, the construction is being completed.

Let's look at how this is described in verse 32

"So all the work on the tabernacle was completed" ... this expression "completed" echoes chapter 2 of Genesis where it was God who completed, not the building of a tent, but the creation of the world.

Verse 43

"Moses examined all the work and saw that they had done it" ... just as God in Genesis examined his creation and saw that it was very good.

Again in verse 43 - when the Israelites finished their work, "Moses blessed them" ... just as God blessed the world at the beginning of Genesis.

See also Exodus 40 verse 1

"The Lord said to Moses: "On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle".

The construction of the tabernacle represents a new beginning. Like a new creation.

The materials used - gold and precious stones - materials fit for a king and reminiscent of those found around the Garden of Eden.

Finally, the building of the Tabernacle is preceded by instructions on the Sabbath, the day of rest, which we saw last time.

This suggests that, by moving in with his people, God aims to give them rest ... as on the 7th day of Genesis, when creation enjoys rest ... in God's presence.

That is God's purpose in dwelling among his people.

A return to the rest and paradisiacal perfection of the Garden of Eden.

On the one hand, as long as the Israelites lived in the desert, this return was only symbolic and imperfect.

They don't live in a luxurious paradise. They get up every day with sand and dust in their sandals.

But on the other hand, the tabernacle goes further than Genesis. In Eden, we see God passing by from time to time. In Exodus, he settles right in the middle of the people to whom he wants to give this rest.

But as well as God's heavenly palace, we also see ...

God's perfectly obedient people

I'll use the example of the visit from the parents-in-law.

When you're welcoming someone, you don't just have to prepare the house!

Tonight we're hosting. What behaviour are we aiming for?

Perfect behaviour.

That's something Anne-Sophie never fails to tell me.

All joking aside, this text shows an obedient people able to welcome their God.

If you've read the last few chapters of Exodus, you may have a feeling of déjà vu.

Let's go back a few pages to Exodus 25 verse 10

God gives instructions: "They will make a chest of acacia wood. It will be 125 centimetres long, 75 centimetres wide and 75 centimetres high. You will overlay it with pure gold, inside and out, and make a golden border around it. You shall cast for it 4 gold rings and put them on its 4 corners, 2 on one side and 2 on the other. etc."

Now let's move on to Exodus 37 verse 1 where the Israelites carry out the instructions:

"Bezaleel made the ark of acacia wood. It was 125 centimetres long, 75 centimetres wide and 75 centimetres high. He overlaid it with pure gold inside and out and made a golden border around it. He cast for it 4 gold rings, which he put on its 4 corners, 2 on one side and 2 on the other. "

It's almost word for word and it's the same for all the elements of the tabernacle.

We have five chapters of instructions, and then instead of saying, "the Israelites followed the instructions and made the tabernacle", the author gives us another 5 almost identical chapters on construction. Why does this happen?

To show how they carried out to the letter everything God had asked them to do.

Then look again at Exodus 39 verse 32

So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything the Lord had commanded Moses to do, and they followed it to the letter.

Verse 42

The Israelites did all this work according to all the orders the Lord had given Moses. Moses examined all the work and saw that they had done it as the Lord had commanded; they had done it exactly so.

It feels like the author is trying too hard. We get it! They did everything as the Lord commanded!

But the author doesn't want us to miss it.

A change has taken place in the hearts of these people.

A few chapters earlier, they had used the gold of Egypt to make a statue to worship. Now they are using it to make a dwelling to worship God, in perfect obedience to his commands.

These people, who were on the verge of being rejected by God for their disobedience, are now ready to welcome him thanks to their obedience.

This raises a question: where does this change come from?

Third observation

God's transforming forgiveness

What explains this change of heart since the golden calf?

Something happened between the golden calf and the building of the tabernacle.

God forgave them their sin.

Moses went up Mount Sinai, God came down and announced:

"The Lord, the Lord, is a God of grace and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and truth. He keeps his love to 1000 generations, he forgives iniquity, rebellion and sin."

Perhaps you've already had a task to do that you did badly because you lacked the will to do it and were criticised for it.

But instead of saying you're finished, we've forgiven you and given you another chance.

This time you're much more motivated to do well because you're grateful for this forgiveness and this second chance.

I have a feeling there's something like that here.

God's forgiveness transformed the attitude - transformed the heart - of the Israelites, making them a people who conformed to God's demands.

Even in those chapters that look like a copy and paste of the chapters before the golden calf, there is plenty to marvel at.

Everything is exactly as it was in the chapters before their sin ... as if their sin had never happened.

God forgave them.

Except that something has changed. The heart of the people, transformed by God's forgiveness and ready to welcome him.

I've already said that Exodus tells the story of not one but two deliverances.

The first is well known. It was the spectacular deliverance from Egyptian captivity.

The second is less well known, but it is the one that occupies the most space. It is the deliverance of Egyptian hearts.

This is not a criticism of our Egyptian brothers and sisters in the church. There was one who gave an excellent message to the men's group yesterday.

The Egyptian heart is rebellious and disobedient. The heart that rejects its creator.

It is from this heart that God wants to save us so that we can welcome his presence.

When our hearts are changed, God moves in!

Fourth observation ...

The permanent presence of God

Exodus 40, verse 34 - Moses builds the Tabernacle

"Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained over it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

At each stage, the Israelites left when the cloud rose above the tabernacle. And if the cloud did not rise, they did not set out until it did. By day, the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle; by night, there was a fire inside the cloud. It was visible to the whole community of Israel every step of the way."

We're delighted for our couples who are getting married. We're also delighted for those who are welcoming a baby! There are several of them.

The other day I saw one of your rooms being prepared for the new baby.

Everything has to be perfect for the big day! You need the cot, the changing table, the little decorations and the little TV for daddy when he wakes up at night.

It takes a huge amount of preparation.

But all this preparation only makes sense because of the person you are expecting to welcome.

What we're really excited about is the person who's going to live in it.

Exodus concludes with the glory of God coming down to dwell among the Israelites.

This is what we've been waiting for! God with us at last.

It would be possible to read these last paragraphs with the glass half empty.

When the glory of God fills the Tabernacle, Moses can no longer enter. Access denied.

In fact, you have to see the glass as half full. Moses' inability to enter anticipates the book of Leviticus, which sets out the sacrifices to be offered to allow access.

What we need to remember here is that God ... dwells ... at last with his people!

That was the aim all along.

God didn't save the Israelites and then say: ciao, see you next time, you've got my number if you ever have a problem.

No! He said to Moses: "I am the Eternal One, I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians, I will deliver you from their slavery ... I will take you to be my people, I will be your God".

God saves for life in his presence.

True rest, heavenly rest you might say, is having God living with us.

Have you noticed how the text insists on the permanent nature of God's presence?

At each of their stops, the Israelites left when the cloud rose above the tabernacle.

"[The cloud] was visible to the whole community of Israel at every step they took."

This is not a visit from in-laws who leave after a few days. God is with his people all the time!

Have you noticed how this presence is not static, but leads the people?

"the Israelites left when the cloud rose above the tabernacle. And if the cloud did not rise, they did not leave until it did."

God is present, not just to live with his people, but also to direct them towards their final destination - the promised land.

***

What all this shows ... is that our God ... is determined to be present in the midst of his people ... today ... and forever.

He's not there to keep us at arm's length. 'Not very keen.'

He is determined to live with his people, even if they are naturally disobedient, impure and idolatrous.

***

And friends, what the Israelites experienced was a teaser of what we experience as Christians.

This change in the hearts of the Israelites, which enabled them to welcome the presence of God, did not last.

The same people who had obeyed God's orders for the Tabernacle later disobeyed and died in the desert under his judgement.

Centuries later, the book of the prophet Ezekiel recounts the moment when God is so fed up with their disobedience that his glory leaves the temple and moves away.

Their experience of God's presence was just the teaser.

But Ezekiel also announced that the day was coming when God would once again forgive his people, transform their hearts and live with them, this time for good.

Ezekiel 36 verse 25 - page 558

"I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be cleansed. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you.

So I will make you follow my decrees, keep and respect my rules. You will dwell in the land I gave to your ancestors, you will be my people and I will be your God."

***

This transformed heart, anticipated in Exodus, announced by Ezekiel, capable of welcoming the presence of God, Jesus has given it to us, if we are Christians.

He has transformed our hearts to welcome his presence.

It's not that if I work super hard to clean myself up perfectly, clean everything out, then God might agree to live with me.

We have this heart transformed by God's forgiveness, thanks to Jesus. It is his gift! 🙂

In case you're thinking: Joe means that our hearts can potentially welcome God's presence when we do our best to be a good Christian, that's not what I'm saying.

If we believe in Jesus, God has given us a heart capable of welcoming his presence.

We often don't feel that we have a heart that can welcome his presence. I said that if you knew my thoughts, you probably wouldn't want to listen to me. I dare say that if I knew your thoughts, I probably wouldn't want to talk to you ... so sometimes ignorance suits everyone.

But when the Bible talks about the transformation of our heart, it's talking about something else. It's a heart that receives Jesus' forgiveness, that receives perfect obedience as if it were our own, and that gradually begins to want to please God.

That's the transformed heart.

It comes from God, because he is so determined to make his home with us that he does everything necessary in us to make that determination a reality.

***

What are the implications? Let's highlight a few.

God with us today ... and God with us always.

God with us today

Just as God was with the Israelites every step of the way to give them rest and guidance, the same is true for us today.

God promises us many blessings.

Material prosperity, perfect health, perfect relationships, a life without suffering - he promises us all these things ... but not yet. In the new creation, our promised land.

But there is one blessing that God is already giving today. His presence.

The Bible compares our life in this world to crossing the desert.

We're on our way. It's often arduous. You sweat a lot. Sometimes it's really painful

We have nothing in this world. God gives us our bread every day. Sometimes he makes us stop at oases.

It's still a life in the desert. If you find life in this world hard, that's why.

Our greatest blessing in this desert is his presence every step of the way.

You no longer need sacred buildings to access this presence, whether it's this one, Notre Dame Cathedral or the building you'd like to buy.

The only purpose of a building is to shelter us from the rain!

Nor do you need to have extraordinary spiritual experiences to access it - be it intense times of worship or ceremonies in a monastery somewhere.

You can enjoy God's presence anywhere, anytime.

On Sunday mornings here, but also on Monday mornings when I open my prayer app or my Bible app on a crowded train on my way to work.

At any time I can approach God to pour out my worries, confess my wrongs, thank him for his forgiveness, rejoice in his love.

It's the rest he offers us on our way through the desert.

Perhaps, with the local project and the work it involves, it's a rest we particularly need at the moment.

By prayer and the word, we come closer to God in the secret place ... to experience the rest of his presence.

This is the foretaste that God gives us in the desert ... of life in paradise. The restfulness of knowing he's there and we're never, ever, alone.

He is with us today to give us rest and also to lead us.

We don't have a cloud floating in front of us. If you have this above your flat, you might want to call GDF to check that there's no gas leak.

What we have is his Spirit to guide us.

He directs us by speaking to us through the Bible.

He also directs us by ensuring that all our circumstances, good and bad, point us in the direction of his new creation.

It's possible that part of our frustration in our life with God comes from the fact that we haven't understood where his presence is leading us.

Not to a trouble-free life in this world ... but to eternal rest in our promised land.

The average age at Connexion is quite young. We'd all do well to think about how we're going to stay Christian over the long term. What choices we're going to make to go the distance for the next ten, twenty, fifty years.

We have a desert to cross. We don't know how long it will take.

What enables us to embark on this journey with confidence is the knowledge that God offers us his presence at every stage, the good ones and the more difficult ones.

For several months I've been following the news of a young man I know from a summer camp for teenagers.

His name is Gabin.

Some time ago, he was diagnosed with cancer.

He passed away this week.

But it took time. Months of excruciating suffering, all the while knowing that he was going to die.

I asked myself: how is it possible to support this?

But Gabin was a Christian, which means that at every stage, God was present, not to take away Gabin's pain but to lead him.

When he found out he was ill - God was with him.

When he learned that it was terminal - God with him.

When day after day his body was wasting away - God with him.

When he finally fell asleep in death - God was with him.

I'm here every step of the way, my child, and soon you'll be home.

Thank you, Lord.

Because if his presence with us is real but invisible today, when we arrive at our destination, it will be real and visible forever.

God with us always

Mariya read us an extract from the book of Revelation about what we'll see when Jesus returns.

Let's read it again, it's so brilliant

Revelation 21 verse 3

I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "This is God's tabernacle among men. He will dwell with them, they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, death will be no more, and there will be no more mourning or crying or pain, for all that was before has passed away.

This is what awaits Gabin. This is what awaits us. God present to wipe away all our tears.

As I came to the end of Exodus, I couldn't help but think of the end of C S Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia.

If you haven't read them, they are stories about the adventures of 4 children who move from our world to the imaginary world of Narnia.

They are written as an allegory of the Christian faith.

At the end of the last volume, the children leave the world of Narnia to go to their new creation.

I'll read the last paragraph.

"This is for us the end of all our stories, and we can truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them, this was only the beginning of the real story. All their lives in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page. Now, at last, they were beginning the first chapter of the great story that no one on earth has ever read. The one that lasts forever, and in which every chapter is better than the last."

Crossing the desert is often difficult. God is there every step of the way to point us home.

But this sometimes harrowing journey is just the cover and title page.

One day we'll be with him, we'll see his face, each chapter will be better than the last ... God will be with us forever.