The Daily Word of Righteousness

One in Christ in God, #39

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? (I Corinthians 6:19)

Tabernacles, and the Habitation of God

A second concept common to the feast of Tabernacles and the new heaven and earth reign of Christ is that of the dwelling of God with mankind. It can be seen that the idea of the tabernacling of God with people is central to all we are saying to the reader.

God finds rest in us and we find rest in God. We abide in God and God abides in us. The main concept that stands out as we think about the new heaven and earth reign of Christ is the abiding and resting of God Almighty and the Lamb in the new Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb.

There will be nations of saved people on the new earth.

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (Revelation 21:24)

God will be able to dwell among the nations of the saved because He now has a tabernacle, the Wife of the Lamb, the new Jerusalem, that is able to please God perfectly. The tabernacle of God will be placed among the nations of the saved, and God thus will be able to wipe away the tears of mankind.

The churches of today are a very imperfect form of the eternal house of God that one day will be present on the earth. The churches are a poor representation of God in the earth. In the future, God will be dwelling in His Church, the new Jerusalem, to such an extent that all saved peoples may be able to approach God in a satisfying and beneficial manner.

During the feast of Tabernacles the Israelites dwelled in booths. The Jews were commanded to build little booths of tree branches outside their houses and to live in them for seven days. The term tabernacles (temporary dwellings) is derived from the booths in which the Hebrews dwelled during the celebration.

Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:42,43)

Each year the Israelite family, no matter how rich or poor, was to put together a small booth of palm and willow branches, and other foliage, and live in it for a week. The change in their routine of living gave them the opportunity to bring to mind their history ("that your generations may know I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt"); and also to think about their special relationship to God as His chosen people.

Also, the booths pointed toward the day when the people of God become the eternal Tabernacle of God (Revelation 21:3).

To be continued.