God's Desire: Dwelling Among His People

Devotional

Day 1: The Transforming Presence of God

The book of Exodus culminates in the awe-inspiring moment when the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle, signifying that God’s presence is not distant or abstract but comes to dwell among His people in tangible ways. This presence is not merely a comforting idea but a reality that both convicts and transforms, calling us to live in holiness and reverence. The Israelites’ journey was marked by the visible cloud by day and fire by night, a constant reminder that God’s presence leads, guides, and distinguishes His people from all others. Without His presence, all religious activity is empty—just a rearrangement of furniture in a lifeless room. But with His presence, every step, every act of worship, and every moment of obedience is infused with divine purpose and power. [00:33]

Exodus 40:33-38 (ESV)
And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to invite and recognize God’s transforming presence today, rather than simply going through the motions of religious activity?

Day 2: The Danger of Idolatry and the Tragedy of God’s Absence

The golden calf episode stands as a stark warning of how quickly hearts can turn from God’s presence to the allure of idols—whether comfort, success, or self-made religion. When the Israelites chose to worship what their hands had made, they not only broke God’s commands but also experienced the horror of His threatened absence. The absence of God is the most devastating judgment, leaving us empty and exposed, cut off from the source of life. Yet, this warning is not just for ancient Israel; it is for us whenever we prefer the immediate and the temporary over the eternal and the holy. The call is to confront anything in our lives that would cause us to exchange the living presence of God for the fleeting pleasures of the present. [22:18]

Exodus 32:1-8 (ESV)
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”

Reflection: What “golden calf” might you be tempted to trust or serve in place of God’s presence, and how can you turn from it today?

Day 3: The Power of Intercession for God’s Presence

Moses’ desperate intercession after Israel’s rebellion reveals the heart of someone who cannot bear the thought of God’s absence. He pleads with God not only for forgiveness but for the restoration of His presence, knowing that without it, there is no favor, no distinction, and no direction for the people. True intercession is born out of a deep knowledge of God and a willingness to stand in the gap, pleading for mercy and restoration even when judgment is deserved. This kind of prayer is not just about words but about a heart that values God’s presence above all else and is willing to contend for it on behalf of others. [24:14]

Exodus 33:12-17 (ESV)
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

Reflection: Who or what situation in your life needs you to intercede today for God’s presence to break through, and how will you pray specifically for that breakthrough?

Day 4: The Restorative Power of God’s Mercy and Forgiveness

Despite the people’s rebellion and the breaking of the covenant, God’s mercy is greater still. He invites Moses—and all of us—to walk past the rubble of our failures and receive His forgiveness, restoring us to relationship and purpose. The repetition of the tabernacle instructions after the golden calf incident is not mere redundancy; it is a declaration that God’s promises and calling are not revoked by our failures. His mercy recovers for us all that was lost, and His invitation is always to come up again into His presence, leaving behind the brokenness and shame. [28:00]

Psalm 103:8-12 (ESV)
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Reflection: What brokenness or failure do you need to walk past today, trusting in God’s mercy to restore you to His presence and purpose?

Day 5: Living as Agents of God’s Presence on All Our Journeys

The closing of Exodus is a call to recognize that God’s presence is not just for a moment or a place but for all our travels, all our days. The cloud and fire did not depart from Israel; God’s presence was their assurance of approval, guidance, and ultimate arrival at the promised land. In Christ, we are promised that He will be with us always, and our lives are to be marked by a continual presenting of ourselves to Him. We are not called to manage religious furniture but to be agents of His transforming presence wherever we go, assured that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion. [37:11]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection: As you go about your day, how can you intentionally present yourself to God and be an agent of His presence in your home, workplace, or community?

Sermon Summary

The journey through Exodus draws to a close with a powerful reminder of God’s relentless desire to dwell among His people. The final chapters, though seemingly repetitive, are a deliberate echo of God’s instructions for the tabernacle, underscoring the importance of His presence and the patterns He establishes for relationship and worship. The narrative moves from the heights of Sinai, where God reveals His heart and holiness, to the depths of the valley, where Israel’s idolatry threatens to sever the bond of presence. Yet, even in the face of rebellion and brokenness, God’s mercy prevails, restoring what was lost and inviting His people back into intimacy with Him.

Exodus is not merely a historical account; it is the central paradigm of redemption, shaping the entire biblical narrative and providing the lens through which we understand Jesus and the gospel. The story of deliverance from Egypt, the giving of the law, and the construction of the tabernacle all point to God’s longing for a people who will know Him, love Him, and carry His presence into the world. The repetition at the end of the book is not redundancy but grace—God’s way of embedding His truth deep within us, knowing our tendency to forget, to be stirred but not sanctified, convicted but not changed.

The contrast between the mountain and the valley, between the glory of God and the golden calf, confronts us with the reality that God’s presence cannot coexist with idolatry or compromise. Yet, the story does not end in judgment. Through Moses’ intercession, we see the power of pleading God’s promises, His past faithfulness, and His prophetic word. God’s response is not only forgiveness but a renewed invitation: “Come up.” The broken tablets are not the end; there is a way back, past the rubble of our failures, into restored relationship and purpose.

Ultimately, the presence of God is not a mystical atmosphere but the nearness of His character—His goodness, mercy, and love—made manifest among us. The tabernacle, and by extension our own lives and communities, are not meant to be empty showrooms but dwelling places for the living God. As we move forward, the call is clear: to present ourselves to Him, to walk in the patterns He has set, and to trust that His presence will go with us on all our travels, assuring us of His approval and our arrival at the promised destination.

Key Takeaways

1. Exodus as the Heartbeat of Redemption: The Exodus narrative is foundational for understanding the entire Bible and the mission of Jesus. It is the paradigm through which redemption, deliverance, and the presence of God are revealed, shaping both Old and New Testament theology. To know Exodus is to know the heart of Christ’s redeeming work. [03:11]
2. The Tragedy and Restoration of Presence: The greatest judgment is not merely punishment but the loss of God’s presence. Sin and idolatry create a chasm, yet God’s mercy is greater, offering restoration and renewed intimacy even after the deepest failures. The way back always passes through honest confrontation with our brokenness and a willingness to respond to God’s invitation. [23:33]
3. The Power of Repetition and Pattern: God repeats His instructions not out of redundancy but to engrain His truth in our hearts. Spiritual growth requires more than inspiration; it demands the embedding of God’s patterns through repetition, obedience, and remembrance. The details matter because they catechize us into a life that can truly host His presence. [13:26]
4. Intercession Flows from Intimacy: True intercession is birthed not from technique but from knowing God face to face. Moses’ prayers for the presence of God arose from a place of desperation and deep relationship, teaching us that effective prayer is rooted in friendship with God before it is warfare against the enemy. [25:32]
5. God’s Presence Requires Our Presence: The tabernacle, and by extension our lives, are only meaningful when filled with God’s presence. We are called not to manage religious “furniture” but to be agents of His transforming presence, presenting ourselves to Him in obedience, worship, and faith. His presence is both a gift and a calling, inviting us to walk with Him through every season and journey. [38:26]
** [38:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - The Glory Fills the Tabernacle
[01:12] - Why Study Exodus?
[02:33] - Exodus and the Identity of Jesus
[03:48] - Exodus in the New Testament and Worship
[05:08] - God’s Purpose: Presence for the Nations
[07:01] - Warnings from Israel’s Failures
[08:56] - The Depth of Knowing God
[10:15] - The Law as Love and Relationship
[12:47] - The Purpose of Repetition
[16:36] - God’s Desire: Bringing Us to Himself
[18:32] - The Valley of Idolatry
[22:18] - The Tragedy of Absence
[23:33] - Moses’ Intercession for Presence
[26:46] - Mercy, Restoration, and Repetition
[30:01] - The Way Back Past Brokenness
[33:17] - God’s Patterns and Our Worship
[35:10] - The Tabernacle: More Than Furniture
[36:28] - God’s Approval and Assurance
[38:26] - Our Presence in Response to His
[39:41] - Benediction and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Exodus 40:33-38 (ESV) — > And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.
> Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
> Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up.
> For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

Exodus 33:12-17 (ESV) — > Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.”
> And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
> And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”
> And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

Observation Questions

In Exodus 40:34-35, what happened when Moses finished the work on the tabernacle? What was the visible sign of God’s presence?
According to Exodus 33:15-16, what did Moses say was the one thing that made Israel distinct from all other nations?
The sermon mentions that the final chapters of Exodus repeat earlier instructions about the tabernacle almost word for word. Why does the preacher say God uses repetition at the end of the book? [[13:26]]
What was the consequence for Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf, and how did Moses respond? [[23:33]]

Interpretation Questions

The preacher says that the greatest judgment is not just punishment, but the loss of God’s presence. Why is God’s presence so central to the story of Exodus and to our lives? [[07:39]]
The sermon describes Moses’ intercession as “face to face with God before it is about head-to-head with the devil.” What does this teach about the foundation of effective prayer and intercession? [[25:32]]
The repetition of tabernacle instructions is described as God’s way of “embedding His truth deep within us.” How does repetition help us move from being “stirred but not sanctified, convicted but not changed”? [[14:44]]
The preacher says the tabernacle (and our lives) are not meant to be “empty showrooms but dwelling places for the living God.” What does it mean for a church or a person to be filled with God’s presence, rather than just going through religious motions? [[34:32]]

Application Questions

The sermon says, “God’s presence cannot coexist with idolatry or compromise.” Are there any “golden calves” in your life—things you turn to for comfort, security, or identity instead of God? What would it look like to confront and remove them? [[18:32]]
Moses pleaded with God for His presence to go with the people, even after their failure. When have you felt distant from God because of your own choices? What would it look like to “walk past the rubble” of your failures and accept God’s invitation to restored relationship? [[30:01]]
The preacher says, “Spiritual growth requires more than inspiration; it demands the embedding of God’s patterns through repetition, obedience, and remembrance.” What is one spiritual practice or truth you need to repeat or return to this week to help you grow? [[14:44]]
The tabernacle was only meaningful when filled with God’s presence. In what ways do you sometimes “rearrange the furniture” in your spiritual life—focusing on activity or appearance rather than God’s presence? How can you shift your focus? [[34:32]]
The sermon says, “God’s presence requires our presence.” What does it look like for you to present yourself to God in this season? Is there a specific step of obedience, worship, or faith you sense God inviting you to take? [[38:26]]
The preacher describes God’s mercy as making a way back, even after deep failure. Is there an area of your life where you need to receive God’s forgiveness and start again? What would it look like to accept His “renewed invitation” today? [[28:00]]
The story of Exodus is described as the “heartbeat of redemption” and the lens for understanding Jesus. How does seeing your own story in light of Exodus—deliverance, failure, restoration, and presence—change the way you view your relationship with God? [[03:11]]

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