Out From Egypt: Freedom In The Wildernessনমুনা

Out from Egypt: Freedom in the Wilderness

A Dwelling Place

Although it had not been that long since the people had rebelled with the golden idol and suffered the consequences of that sin, Yahweh still gave them the directive to build the Tabernacle at the center of their camp. He didn’t wait for them to be perfect before they created the most unique construction project in history—a beautifully crafted dwelling place for the glorious presence of Yahweh—in fact, they continued to struggle for the next forty years with obedience. But judging by the way they gave so many materials for the project that Moses had to tell them to stop giving, they certainly had willing hearts.

Therefore, Yahweh took the skills they’d learned under the heavy hand of the overseers back in Egypt and used them for His glory. He took a broken-down, hurting, confused multitude of people and transformed them into a nation from whom the entire world would be blessed, in spite of their flaws—a nation that was blessed to have the presence of Yahweh reside at the very core of its camp in the Tabernacle.

When we enter into a covenant relationship with Yahweh, we too are giving the privilege of having the Holy Spirit, or the Ruach HaKodesh which literally means the “holy breath,” reside within us (1 Cor. 3:16)—at our very core.

This is the same Breath that brought life to Adam in the Garden of Eden. The same Breath that spoke the rest of Creation into being. The same Breath that revived Yeshua after three days in the tomb. What a strange, mysterious, and wonderful thought—that because of Yeshua’s death, we are now the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

So let’s leave our chains behind and embrace the truth of our identities as royal priests, new creations, bearers of the Light, Kingdom builders, and a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. We are no longer slaves to sin and death. We are free! So let’s live like we are!

Questions to Consider:

How has God transformed your past brokenness and wounds into something beautiful? What hard-learned lessons or difficult experiences have you been able to use to help encourage and build up others around you?

What broken pieces do you still need to “lay at the altar” to allow true healing, embrace who you are in Christ, and walk in the freedom you’ve already been given? Ask God to reveal what is hindering you from relinquishing those to him today.

How does the realization that, like the Tabernacle, the Holy “Breath” of God resides within you change your perception of your own identity?