THINK TOGETHER
Who do you live with? What do you like/dislike about living with other people?
READ TOGETHER
Did you know that God has always wanted to live with us. It’s true. That’s why he created us and made a beautiful garden for us to live in. Do you remember the name of that garden? (Eden)
But when Adam and Eve sinned they couldn’t live in God’s presence anymore because they were full of sin. God is so perfect that he can’t live around sin, especially sin that hasn’t been punished.
But God really, really wants to live with us because he loves us.
Do you see the problem? God wants to live with us but can’t because we are so sinful. What would you do to fix this problem?
Listen to what God told the Hebrews to do in order to fix the problem:
Exodus 25:8. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle.
God told his people, the Hebrews, to build him a “tabernacle.” A tabernacle is a tent. Back then the people all lived in tents as they travelled from place to place together. God wanted to live in a tent right along with his people. So God told them to build him his own special tent. It looked like this:
God’s tent, the tabernacle did two important things. First it allowed God to live with his people. He could be near them at all times and love them, and protect them, and take care of them.
But second, it also kept God away from the people because they were sinful. You see no one could go into God’s tent except specially chosen men called priests. And they could only go into God’s tent at special times and only after they had offered a sacrifice for sins on a big altar outside of God’s tent.
Every day the tabernacle reminded the people of two truths about God: he is good and hates sin (so stay away), and he loves us very much (so come near).
Does that sound confusing? It is. But the tabernacle was meant to be a picture of Jesus and his cross. When Jesus died on the cross it showed us how perfect God is and how much he hates sin, and it shows us how much he loves us and wants to forgive us and live with us forever.
The Bible says that because Jesus died on the cross, paying for all of our sins, we don’t ever have to be separated from God ever again. In fact, the Bible calls all who trust in Jesus the new “tabernacle of God.” When we trust in Jesus as our savior God dwells in our hearts. We don’t need a special tent anymore for living with God – we become God’s tent! God lives IN us. Now we are the place where God’s goodness and his love come together for all to see.
Because of Jesus we never have to be separated from God.
With Jesus we can show God’s goodness and love to others.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Here’s a picture of the tabernacle that you can color together.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
Because I trust in you, you live in my heart. Help me to trust that you love me. And help me to show others your goodness and love today.
Amen.
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