Thursday: Jesus Tabernacled With Humanity
Daily Lesson for Thursday 25th of September 2025
Read John 1:14. How is Christ’s incarnation compared to the tabernacle?
The incarnation of Jesus is a mystery as well as an exclusive science that the redeemed will study throughout eternity. The apostle John states that Christ, by taking upon Himself our body, revealed that He dwells with us in a tangible way. Jesus here in the flesh resembles the God of the Old Testament, who dwelt with the Israelites in the tabernacle at Sinai and in the wilderness as they journeyed to the Promised Land.
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
During His incarnation, Jesus tabernacled with humanity. What an unfathomable concession! The eternal God comes down to us, as one of us, in order to assure us that He truly is “Immanuel, God with us.”
In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said that if two or three are gathered in His name, He will be there among them. Christ is with His people through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Christ invites His followers to be in close relationship with Him: “ ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me’ ” (Revelation 3:20, ESV).
Read Revelation 21:1-3. What is presented to us here?
The New Jerusalem will come down from heaven to the earth, and John declares: “ ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God’ ” (Revelation 21:3, NKJV). There is no temple in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22) because the whole city is the temple, God’s sanctuary. The city’s length, breadth, and height are equal (Revelation 21:16) as it was with the Most Holy Place in the sanctuary, which was in the shape of a cube, with all sides equal. For eternity, in a world without sin, death, or suffering, we will dwell in the immediate presence of our God.
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Looking at what we have been promised in Jesus, how can we learn to endure to the end? |
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The idea that God wants to live with us is a key part of Christianity. It is not a metaphor for good behaviour or even imitating Christ. Rather it is a transformative experience. Jesus described this as being born again. This idea is so radical that even Nicodemus, a respected Jewish Rabbi had difficulty in accepting it.
C S Lewis described the concept this way:
I don’t think we have really thought enough about the idea of transformation. So much of our Christian morality talk is about doing better rather than transformation. We need to ask ourselves: If Christ is dwelling in us, as we so often quote, what difference does it make? Would my husband, wife, cat, dog, neighbour, work colleague, best friend see the difference?
Thank you for your inspiring and insightful posts which my wife Kay and I have read nearly daily as an adjunct to our lesson studies. I have even commented on occasion having been inspired to share a personal thought. By the way, I want to ask a question of you regarding your photography endeavors and ask a small favor, which is, if you can let me know where I can access a post you made of your fascinating bird photos or send me a link. I want to share this with my 16 year old grandson who has had an interest in photography, especially birds, from a very young age. I have told him about you and your works and he may be visiting your area soon on a summer trip and perhaps get a chance to meet you if presented with the opportunity. God bless you and your family, Brother Ron lopez
Maurice occasionally shares videos on YouTube of his bird photography. His channel is under his name, so it's easy to find. I always enjoy seeing God's beautiful creatures in their natural settings.
Thank you for your kind words. I have a YouTube Channel: @mauriceashton
Which is mainly bird photography. Happy to meet up with your grandson if he is in the area.
- Revelations 21:3
These are beautiful words. The tabernacle was representing Christ all along. It's my prayer that after all our journey we arrive at the Tabernacle, which is Christ.
Jesus came down to the planet (earth), that He created, that He may give humanity a more abundant life (John 10:10). He who was God and is God, become Son of man so that his abundant life which He had in heaven might be ours too. He tabernacled with humanity that He may empower us to live a more fulfilled life. By defeating sin on the cross, we were given a chance to live an abundant life in Him. Sin makes life miserable both spiritually and physically. Sin is an opportunity destroyer. Knowing Jesus is the essence of true abundant life. His physical presence (John 1:14) was meant to assure humanity that the invisible God is real. As God filled the tabernacle in the wilderness with His glory, Jesus came to fill the earth with the hope of abundant life.
Jesus tabernacling with humanity is indeed a profound reality to reflect upon. God is not an abstract concept, but He is real, tangible and meaningful. Jesus changed both the spiritual and physical lives of real people. He can do the same for us too. God’s glory is now not confined to structures but in the hearts of men/women. God is not distant that He cannot be touched by our grief because He is now Son of Man (Hebrews 4:15). As Jesus became tangible and touched people, now we also have been called to become tangible and touch those who are afflicted by the cares of this life. Now let us make our Christian faith tangible, real and meaningful as Emmanuel did.
The thought occurred to me this week that the ultimate goal of God was not to just tabernacle with us. His goal is to cuddle or snuggle with his family.
As a father, when I came home from work, my kids wanted that contact. Either on the couch or even on the floor.
I understand that ancient rulers often had what we would call a couch for a throne. Their friends would sit with them.
I can imagine God in all three forms once we get to Heaven snuggling on the 'couch' in the throne room with their arms about us.
Jesus is not a distant idea or phantom illusion, He truly entered our world to be our life and light. By extension the gospel is not a human invention, imagination or myth, but the eternal plan of God. Before the world was made, God ordained that His Son would come, take on flesh, and give His life for His people. John 1:1 reminds us that the Word is God, and John 1:14 tells us that this Word became flesh and “tabernacled” among us.
This is why early errors like Docetism and Apollinarianism fell short: if Jesus only appeared human, or if He lacked a full human nature, then He could not redeem us fully- Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” But in His true incarnation, God the Son dwelt with us in all the fullness of humanity and divinity. Because He became what we are in body, soul, and spirit. He is able to save us completely. In Christ, God pitched His tent among us so that He might rise us up to dwell with Him forever.
The discussion question at the bottom of the lesson asks; "Looking at what we have been promised in Jesus, how can we learn to endure to the end?"
How did Jesus endure? Hebrews 12:2 encourages focusing on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him, and is now at God's right hand. What was that joy? It wasn't merely going back to heaven. It was the knowledge that his sacrifice would reconcile the human race to God and thus give opportunity that mankind could one day again meet face to face with their Creator/Redeemer.
In high school I ran on the Cross Country team. The race then was 2 miles (3.219 km). The first part of the race was fairly easy but grew increasingly difficult as the race progressed to the point that in a couple of races, when I hadn't paced myself, and used up all of my energy, I had to walk for a while. But when I saw the finish line with the crowd of spectators cheering, the banners and the flags, I was encouraged to run again, to finish strong. My last bit of adrenaline had me sprinting for the finish line and collapsing in the grass after crossing it.
The Christian race is similar. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Yet when we see the finish line drawing near we must keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus to patiently finish the race, instead of dropping out. The joy set before us is so much more than streets of gold, a mansion, no more pain, sorrow, or tears, or eternal life. It is in knowing that our Lord and Savior, who has run the race before us, is waiting to welcome us Home with a hug and a "well done good and faithful servant." To at last see our Lord and our God face to face, and hear his words of affirmation is the joy set before us.
In the words of the old hymn, "It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus." You think about that as you listen to that encouraging hymn.
"It Will Be Worth it All"
It has been, is, and always will be God's desire for His Spirit to reside with man. It was God’s Presence, His Spirit, which was withdrawn from Adam and Eve, this same Spirit withdrew as the Flood destroyed all living things. Sodom and Gomorrah experienced the devastation of the withdrawal of God’s Spirit and so did, ultimately, the nation of the people of Israel.
But God never forsook man. A spokesman, a prophet, a willing vessel to convey His Will was always present to give man spiritual guidance. Then came the time for the New Covenant to reveal His Presence among man by His Son, Jesus Christ – the embodiment of the New Covenant’s Spirit. He came to fulfill God’s promise to again dwell with His People - Heb.8:13.
From the Beginning, our Creator designed man to be His Dwelling Place - His Temple (1Cor. 6:19-20) - to reveal His Glory. As He guided Israel on their way to the Promised Land, so will He guide all who love Him. Ultimately, Jesus Christ, God's Son, reveals that man is able to again become the Dwelling Place of the Holy Spirit's Presence - 2.Cor.6:16; Rom.8:9; Rev.21:3,22.
There are many things that are astonishing and beyond understanding. It is beyond understanding that God spoke and the universe and all that is, came into being. It is beyond understanding that God became Man. It is beyond understanding that God hung on a tree, died and resurrected.
But what blows my mind and brings me to my knees each time, is that this same omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God literally loves me to death! Me! That he longs more than anything to spend eternity with ME! That realisation for me is transformational.
That El Roy – the God Who Sees Me- would become sin for ME that I might become the righteousness of God. Oh, how my heart sings:
If that isn't love
Then the ocean is dry
There's no stars in the sky
And the sparrows can't fly
Oh, the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me
… Oh, the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all
Just to think that God loves me!
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
Looking at what we have been promised in Jesus, how can we learn to endure to the end?
I suppose the complete answer to this question lies in grasping God's glory through Jesus' unfathomable earthly walk. Jesus tore down all human concepts of religion and church, because humans' degenerative mind tends to turn every given step towards God into an arduous journey. The journey to God is simple: Jesus! God's Temple lies where Jesus is present.
Don't forget there is a allusion of the Cross of Christ in the Sanctuary(Tabernacle), in the middle of the camp of Israel. God instructed the move to the middle of the camp, because the people had a forgiving spirit, as expressed by their giving spirit, with a change of heart. God in His mercy and kindness forgave them. The allusion is a line from Altar of Burnt Offerings, and the Laver basin(baptism by total immersion as Christ exemplified)to the Ark of the Covenant, and the Mercy Seat. And the line drawn from the Table of Showbread, to the Golden Lampstand. The top of the Cross depicting us standing with Christ before the throne of the Father, Christ interceding for us before our Father in Heaven.
Encouragement plus, for us in our journey in this life. Life is good, cause we're His. Romans 8:16.
24Yet He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever.
25Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25.
Now, we move on to the study of Joshua more lesson for us to learn from God's Word. Enjoy.