As Christians, we are called to be continually on the move. Jesus invites us to follow Him, learning and growing in our relationship with Him, constantly being transformed and changed into His likeness. We are not supposed to stop and “camp” at any point of our journey with Him.
Journeying with Jesus
At the beginning of his Gospel, John reminds his readers of the Israelites, and their travels through the wilderness under Moses. Just as God’s presence dwelt in the tabernacle among His people during their 40 years in the wilderness, John maintains that now God has come to dwell (or tabernacle) among his people in Jesus Christ. Here’s how John puts it:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 (NIV)
The word for “made his dwelling” is the word “tabernacle.” So John is clearly saying that Jesus has fulfilled and replaced the both the tabernacle and temple. Everything the tabernacle and temple signified and expressed is now found in Jesus. It’s radical, and it is glorious!
A glorious encounter
Fast-forward a few years to Galilee. Just before Jesus set out on his final journey to Jerusalem, Peter, James and John had an encounter with Jesus that was like no other. God opened up the heavenly realm to them – a reality which is totally outside time and space. They suddenly saw Jesus as He really is, in all His glory and splendour, talking with Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:28-36). They were standing in Galilee, yet they saw into heaven. And they had no idea what to do!
Notice Peter’s reaction:
But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw [Jesus’] glory and the two men who stood with Him. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
Luke 9:32-33 (NKJV)
Peter instantly wanted to build three tabernacles (or tents) to remember the glory he had seen. In other words, he wanted to set up man-made structures as a monument to the occasion. To stop and set up camp. But these tabernacles could only become hollow replicas of the reality. That’s because the glory was not housed in a place or at an event. God’s glory was in a person, and that person is Jesus Christ.
Don’t stop on the journey
I wonder if sometimes we can be guilty of something similar to what Peter wanted to do? We get a word from God, or have an incredible encounter with Jesus. But instead of propelling us forward, we want to recapture it. We stop and make camp. Inadvertently, we build a monument that we can come back to, or try and replicate it in some way. We camp around the glory of the experience rather than the person of Jesus Christ.
If Peter had halted at that point in Galilee, he would have missed out on the amazing journey Jesus was about to take them on. And he would have stopped short of experiencing the even greater glory of cross, the resurrection and all that would follow.
Focus on Jesus
As Peter was speaking, the Father interrupted him. He needed correction. He had to be pointed back Jesus.
While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.
Luke 9:34-36 (NKJV)
I wonder if God has interrupted you in any way lately? Has He been endeavouring to get your attention in order to point you fully back to Jesus, or get you moving forward again?
It’s tent moving day, and God is calling us to move forward in our journey with Him. So let’s keep listening and obeying. Let’s keep following and growing in our relationship with Him. That’s the only way we are going to be able to navigate our way through the ups and downs of life today, and build the capacity to endure what’s coming in the future.
