What connections exist between Exodus 29:46 and the New Testament's view of God's presence? \A Dwelling God in Exodus 29:46\ “They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.” • God’s rescue was never an end in itself; freedom from Egypt served the higher purpose of shared life with Him. • The verb “dwell” (šāḵan) underlies the word “tabernacle.” From the start, redemption and residence are woven together. \Jesus: God’s Presence Made Flesh\ • John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” The Greek verb skēnoō echoes the Hebrew idea of the tabernacle. • Matthew 1:23 – “They will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). Israel’s wilderness experience pointed to a greater, bodily visitation of God in Christ. • John 2:19-21 – Jesus calls His body “the temple,” declaring Himself the definitive meeting place between God and humanity. \Deliverance for Dwelling: The Deeper Exodus\ • Luke 9:31 (lit. “exodus”) speaks of Jesus’ cross as His “departure” He would accomplish at Jerusalem—another rescue whose aim is fellowship. • Revelation 5:9-10 – By His blood He “purchased for God” a redeemed people who will “serve our God,” echoing the purpose clause of Exodus 29:46. \The Spirit Within: God’s Presence Now Personal\ • 1 Corinthians 3:16 – “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” • 1 Corinthians 6:19 – Each believer’s body is “a temple of the Holy Spirit.” • 2 Corinthians 6:16 – “We are the temple of the living God,” followed by a direct quotation of Leviticus 26:11-12, the companion promise to Exodus 29:46. Result: the tabernacle’s external glory cloud has moved inside God’s people, fulfilling the ancient longing. \The Church Together: A Growing Sanctuary\ • Ephesians 2:19-22 – Believers are “being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” • 1 Peter 2:5 – Living stones “being built into a spiritual house.” Individual indwelling flows into corporate indwelling; the congregation becomes God’s residence on earth. \Open Access Through Christ our High Priest\ • Hebrews 10:19-22 – Because Jesus has opened “a new and living way,” we “draw near” with confidence. The priestly consecration of Exodus 29 finds its final, perfect expression in Him. • The curtain once shielding God’s glory is torn (Matthew 27:51), announcing unrestricted fellowship. \Creation’s Finale: God Dwells Forever with His People\ • Revelation 21:3 – “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with men, and He will dwell with them.” The closing vision of Scripture repeats the purpose statement of Exodus 29:46 almost word-for-word. • No temple is needed (Revelation 21:22) because the Lord Himself and the Lamb are its temple; the goal of all redemptive history is realized. \Bringing It Together\ Exodus 29:46 sets the trajectory: God redeems in order to reside. The New Testament shows the steps along that path—Incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, Pentecost, church growth, and final restoration—each one intensifying the nearness promised at Sinai. From a tent in the wilderness to the Spirit in our hearts, and finally to an unveiled new creation, the storyline remains constant: “I will dwell among them.” |
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