ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu‘apulelulu Ma’asi 30, 2023

God Goes Tent Camping

FOKOTU‘U TENITI ‘A E ‘OTUA

EXODUS 24:16

THE GLORY OF THE LORD DWELT ON MOUNT SINAI, AND THE CLOUD COVERED IT SIX DAYS. AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY HE CALLED TO MOSES OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE CLOUD.

‘EKISOTO 24:16

Pea na‘e toka ‘a e kolōlia ‘o e ‘Eiki ‘i he funga mo‘unga ko Sainai, pea na‘e ‘ufi‘ufi ia ‘e he ‘ao, ‘o ‘aho ono: pea ‘i hono fitu ‘o e ‘aho na‘a ne ui kia Mōsese mei he loto ‘ao.

The Lord is not some far-off, hands-off deity in a celestial resort a million miles away. He's in the thick of things, pitching his tent among his people. The Lord's glory shakan on Sinai. To shakan is to settle, reside, pitch a tent. At this point, Mt. Sinai is God's tent. Its peak is like the Holy of Holies (where only one man, Moses, can go); its slopes are like the Holy Place (where a few, like the priests, can go); and its base is like the forecourt and area around the tabernacle (where the Israelites worship). When God's tent-the tabernacle-is built, it will be a portable Sinai. God's glory cloud will fill it (Exod. 40:34), as that same cloud enveloped Sinai. Every Israelite knew where God had located himself. They knew precisely where to find him.

When the Father's Word became flesh, he pitched his tent (tabernacled) among us (John 1:14). "We have seen his glory," John adds. The glory of God is no longer in a tent but a man. The Messiah is where God has located himself, where we find him. Indeed, the Messiah is Yahweh embodied. He is Emmanuel, God-with-us.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and dwell among us, that we may find mercy and holiness in you.