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Commentary on "Rejoicing Before the Lord: The Sanctuary and Worship"
Day 2: Sunday, July 17, 2011 - "That I May Dwell Among Them"
Overview
The lesson opens with a quote from Exodus 15:17 and states that this is the first mention on Scripture of a sanctuary. While this fact may be true concerning the word “sanctuary”, it is important to note that in context, the desert tabernacle was not in view. In context this passage from the song of Moses after crossing the red sea refers to the land God was giving Israel where He would dwell with them, and to which Israel’s enemies would be brought in submission.
The lesson further discusses God’s giving instructions for building the tabernacle so He could dwell among them. The author stresses that the tabernacle was not built according to human plans but according to God’s design. The lesson says, “The God who created the heavens and the earth, would now live among His people. Talk about the presence of God being near!”
The lesson ends with this:
“Imagine standing outside a building and knowing that inside that very structure dwelled Yahweh, the Creator God, the Lord of the heavens and earth. What kind of attitude would you have, and why? What should your answer tell you about the attitude you should have during worship?”
Observations
This lesson makes much of the idea that the Creator God would live in a tabernacle built by sinful men and was intended to inspire awe and reverence. The author misses the most central point: no tabernacle can fully contain the Creator God. God dwelt among Israel, but the sanctuary did not contain Him.
Within Adventism the church is typically considered sacred. After the debt is paid, it is “dedicated” for holy uses only. It is called “God’s house”, and “the sanctuary”. The final question of this lesson reveals this mindset as well; the appeal to the reader to imagine standing in front of a building and knowing that Yahweh dwells in it echoes the Adventist belief that there are holy places that are God’s “house”.
This idea is not biblical. First, the only “holy place” where God ever dwelt in a building was the tabernacle—and after than Solomon’s temple. Only these two buildings were “holy” in all of Scripture.
In the New Testament, the “holy place” is no longer a building. Jesus told the Samaritan woman (John 4:22-26) that worship was no longer at holy places; it was done by true worshipers “in spirit and in truth”.
Now the Creator of the Universe dwells in the spirits of born-again Christ-followers. Yahweh Himself indwells mortal flesh and brings our spirits to life when we place our faith in the Lord Jesus.
Adventists sometimes wish God would be as tangible and present now as He was to the children of Israel. In fact, when a person is born again, He is far more personal and present than He was in Israel’s day. Almighty God literally makes our spirits His home, and we become the body of Christ because His life and Spirit indwell us. He is far more intimate and immanent that He was during Israel’s day.
We are not to imagine feeling awe and reverence by imagining God present in a building. Rather, we meet Him personally when we know Him.
Unless one has been born again, placing faith in the Lord Jesus alone and receiving His forgiveness for sins, one cannot experience His presence nor truly worship Him.
He asks us to repent and receive Him.
When we do, He dwells in us--not in churches. We ourselves are holy because we are set apart for God for His purposes, and He Himself lives within us.
Summary
- The idea of God living in “holy space” or “holy places” is an old covenant shadow of reality.
- In the new covenant, the holy, eternal, Creator lives in those who receive Jesus.
- People are the new “sanctuary”. Those who are born again are Christ’s own body.
- We are holy, when we are born of the Spirit, because we have Christ’s resurrection life in us, and we have been set apart for His service and purpose.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised July 17, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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