God Went Without the Camp

And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. Exodus 33:7 KJV

I dreaded writing that title for this post. May nothing make God to desire to be without our camp. Let us attempt to download that. In Exod.25:8, God had made a request for the construction of the tabernacle that He may dwell among the people. Theologians have argued that it was Moses’s tent and not the tabernacle proper that went without. We wont contest any of that issue. Throughout the journey, the tabernacle has been in the center surrounded by the people. That spoke of Gods intimate connections to His people. Now God desires to go out of the midst of the people, afar off. The people were broken. The Euphoria of the party has cleared. They could only watch,as orphans when Moses passed by go worship. They knew they had sinned, so much that God left them. The New testament compares this episode to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ( Heb.13:12-14) outside the camp as if he was a malefactor. Sin always drives God out of our lives. If you are going to enjoy the privileges of the king, you must come outside of the general activities to where the tabernacle of the congregation is: outside the camp. I just kept wondering: Why didn’t they all join Moses to go outside the camp? They were terrified of what could happen because their heart had left God. They wanted partying and immoral enjoyment. Does it sound more like us than them? That’s because the reality is closer to our times. Today, come with me outside the camp. Let’s take His reproach, but get the heart of the King.