7-23-17 Tent Camping…with Jesus!

10 pics 01-10 / 3 seconds each (transition from song to preaching as I walk to the platform)

Scripture:      2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Who has ever been tent camping?

As a kid, we used to tent camp at Kelly’s Island with my dad.

As a youth, I tent camped a few times.

As an adult, I have not done tent camping much. When I was a youth pastor in Kansas City we went tent camping in the Ozark mountains – it was so cold Kim stayed in the van.

Camping in a tent can be miserable – or it can be wonderful…it brings you closer to nature, and closer…literally to your family or friends.

It seems God enjoyed tent camping and that style of camping (not like todays’ popular glamping which is glamorous/camping), but the simplicity of a tent is where God seems to relate to us. It is also a perfect way for understanding our theme text:

Hebrews 1:1-3a

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets

at many times and in various ways,

but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,

whom he appointed heir of all things,

and through whom he made the universe.

The Son is the radiance of God's glory

and the exact representation of his being,

sustaining all things by his powerful word.     

          The omni-present or Everywhere present God – came to a specific people/person (Jews/Moses), at a specific time (Over 3400 years ago), in a specific place (foot of Mt. Sanai = Gulf of Suez & Aquaba)…a tent.

          Before there was a formal Tabernacle – Moses had a simple tent where he met with God:

Exodus 33:7-11

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. (Ex 13:21-22 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. [Pillar is designed to hold up a building – temple of God / Were these pillars man made or divine?]) Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Tents of Israel pic Notice that the people all lived in a tent – and God was showing that he came to them in a form that is understandable yet miraculous – a miracle pillar of fire and cloud but also residing in a tent even as they did.  As the community moved toward the promised land and had an understanding that God came to live among them – God instructed Moses to have them build Him a more permanent Sacred Tent called the “Tabernacle”. mishkan: dwelling place, tabernacle. 

RNM – the tabernacle video 3:00 minutes

          God was serious about “tabernacling” dwelling with the people in a way that was familiar to them – in a tent.  As the video said, this lasted until David – through his son Solomon, built the first more permanent Temple – designed very much like, and for the same purpose as the mobile tabernacle – it was a sacred tent made from stone, wood and gold instead of canvas. The pillar of smoke and fire were no longer present, but the shekinah glory of God still rested in the holy of holies.

          When the Babylonians destroyed the temple, Ezekiel describes it as the glory of the Lord leaving the scene (tent) and going back to heaven. The Greek word skenoo used in John 1:14 literally means “to pitch a tent.” In Greek, the word for tent is skene — which is the word from which we get our English word, scene. Early Greek actors used tents as changing booths for their performances; and eventually, when scenic backdrops were used for their plays, the same word was applied. Over time the word skene began to be applied to any scenic background, and hence the word scene has come down to us with that meaning.

This word skene (tent) is the very word used in the New Testament to refer to the tabernacle of God used by Israel in their early worship of God. In the Greek NT therefore, the word translated “tabernacle” is skene — “the tent” The writer of the book of Hebrews calls it “the true tent [skene] that the Lord set up” (Hebrews 8:2).

Hundreds of years later God returns to pitch his tent – this time not made with human hands but God himself in the flesh. John wrote that the glory of God had come back—this time in a new tent — in the body of Jesus Christ. “…and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father…” (John 1:14). God’s presence was bound by a little tent outside the camp to a larger tabernacle to the temple – all mere representations of the true tabernacle/tent – Jesus himself.

Now the Mt. of transfiguration makes sense – When Moses and Elijah appear to Peter James and John = Peter wants to build TENTS for them to stay in so they can worship them. However – a “cloud” appears and hides Moses, Elijah and Jesus form their view and God says: “This is my son, worship him” and the cloud is gone and only Jesus remains.

And what did Paul say? (who was BTW a...“tent” maker)  2 Cor 5:1-5  Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Spoke thru prophets in the past – now thru his son – the old tent / the new tent!

CONCLUSION

          We began talking about that first TENT where Moses met with God. Do you remember where it was located?  Exodus 33:7  Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting."

          Now we know that God has tented among us in Jesus – where do we meet Jesus?  Hebrews 13:11-14   The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.