Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

December 01, 2020

by Kerwin Baptist

Bible Reading – Review Exodus 35-39; Read Exodus 40

Exodus 40:34 KJV
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 KJV
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

A large portion of the book of Exodus, including chapters 35-39, is dedicated to the details of the tabernacle. We understand that the Tabernacle was designed to be where the glory of God abode, and God was very specific about the details and design. God was adamant about His dwelling both inside and out, and the children of Israel were singularly focused on its construction and care. Skillfully speaking, nearly every time God references talents in Exodus, He does so within the context of the Tabernacle. God gave men skills for the purpose of the construction, crafting, and care of the tabernacle. When wealth is mentioned, it is usually in regards to the tabernacle as well. God blessed the Israelites with the riches of Egypt, and they used that wealth to supply the tabernacle. They didn’t have to use their wealth for food, as God continuously provided. They also wouldn’t need it for purchasing property, as God had already promised them a habitation. God blessed them and expected them to use those blessings to focus on spiritual needs and their relationship with God!

As we reference this throughout Scripture it is not difficult to see the comparison between the Tabernacle in Exodus and our bodies in the New Testament. God’s focus was on a place where He could dwell with man (and ultimately that we could dwell with Him), and His focus still is a relationship and fellowship with man. Just as it was the supreme focus of Israel to care for the tabernacle it should be our focus and passion to ensure that the temple of the Spirit of God (our lives) is a suitable place for Him to dwell. Our premier task is to focus on spiritual health! We obviously cannot do this alone, as Salvation and a clean heart can come only through Christ. But once we are saved, we must focus our passion on caring for our relationship with God! It cannot become a secondary focus or passion.

It is also important to point out once again that the wealth and talents that Israel possessed came from God. Anything that Israel did for the tabernacle, they were able to do only because of the blessings of God. We can compare anything Israel did for God to a child purchasing a Christmas present for his parents using the money they gave him for that purpose. And in our life, we must acknowledge and appreciate the fact that God has done everything to facilitate our relationship with Him. As is evidenced by the cross and the gifts of prayer, Scripture, and talents with which to serve Him, He wants our fellowship! We have only to respond! We cannot go to God in eternity saying we couldn’t have a relationship with Him because of our sin, because Christ died to cleanse us from our sins! We cannot go to God and claim our lack of spiritual gifts as reason to neglect our relationship with Him because He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings! Any excuse that we may use as reason not to have a relationship with God was eliminated by God Himself, and we have only to respond to His love and goodness! And in our response, with joy and exceeding gratitude, we ought to dedicate ourselves wholly to caring for the relationship for which God so dearly paid! And in those moments when we allow God to dwell freely in our lives, may His glory be revealed to the world around us!

— Eli Faulds