A few days ago I wrote in our Bible Journal about the Pharisees and Sadducees wanting to see a sign from Jesus that He was who He said He was. They believed the sky could predict the weather, but they doubted that Jesus was really the Messiah. Sometimes we are the same. We just want a physical sign that God is real and among us.
In today’s reading Exodus 40, we see the physical sign that God provided to the Israelites. In this final chapter of Exodus, Moses and the Israelites are putting the finishing touches on the tabernacle. It is like when you move and finally have the boxes unloaded and everything organized. You can finally decide where that special decoration, plant, or pillow fit best. Moses had direct instructions on where to place every item in the tent. Once everything was in its place a cloud covered the tent of meeting.
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 had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:34-35
The cloud was a visible sign that God was with them. The cloud was the presence of God in their midst. The cloud would tell the Israelites when to move and when to stay put.
In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would se out; but if the club did not lift, they did not set out=until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.
Exodus 40:36-38
Sometimes I would like to see a physical manifestation of God. Can you imagine seeing an actual fire in a cloud? The news stations would be all over that! But, if we constantly had visible signs of God we would not need faith. We have to look for signs of God in our daily life.
Where do we see Him show up in our experiences?
Where do we see Him show up in our daily interactions with others? Where do we see Him show up in our Bible reading?
And where do we see Him show up in our worship.
We have to be looking and expecting Him to show up.
We now have the presence of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit is now how we experience the glory of God. We have to be looking for the Holy Spirit to show up. God’s presence is always with us, will you look for Him today?