The Transformation of Patterns

UV 1407/10,000 The Transformation of Patterns

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Revelation 21 v 3


We need to train and not strain our ears to hear the voice of the Lord. It often comes as a gentle whisper in our minds. How can we listen to a person who is not visible? We cannot watch the movement of His lips or discern the sounds of His voice. By reading, memorising, meditating and applying the Word of God in our real life circumstances, we hear Him. When we listen to His voice constantly, we will realize that He never leaves us. He is tabernacled with us and in us. The concept of God being tabernacled or residing with us is a revolutionary concept for all people hold the Almighty as awesome and unapproachable on account of His holiness and great power. It is the finished work of Jesus on the cross that makes it possible for us to continually dwell with the Lord. He is constantly in our thoughts. We are never alone for God is with us. His presence is referred to as “shadow of the Almighty” by the Psalmist as His shadow is as real as His person. We need to dwell within His shadow as His people. Our lives, our thoughts, our feelings, our actions are framed by His Word. He is our leader and we are His people. As God is with us, we need not fear. We will not lack in anything that we need. Everything we do is in the name of the Lord and it is for His sake.

The tabernacle in Old Testament times was a moving temple of God. It had a particular structure laid down by the Lord. Similarly, each of us is a moving tabernacle. The tabernacle and the presence of the Lord moved when the Israelites moved from place to place in their sojourn through the wilderness to the promised land. Similarly, wherever we go the presence of the Lord moves with us. This is how we are blessed when we are going out and when we are coming in. The tabernacle had an altar of sacrifice and worship. There is an altar erected in our hearts and our lives are the sacrifice we offer upon it. Our bodies and limbs are the approaches, courtyard and outer areas of the tabernacle. The symbols of manna or daily bread provided supernaturally to meet our natural needs and the Tablet of commandments are representative of the Word of God that we need to partake of in daily. The golden candlestick with ten upward members burning are a symbol that all our faculties and talents should be used to display the light of God’s glory. Our inner organs are the various elements kept in the tabernacle. Our hearts and minds are the areas where we cleanse ourselves to access the holiest of holies. Our spirits are the holiest of holies or the sanctum sanctorum where the priest communes with the Lord. The veil that kept us from seeing the Lord has been torn from top to bottom and our understanding of the glory of God’s power and grace is unveiled. As the revelation is given and our understanding increases, we will be transformed degree by degree or little by little into the likeness of Jesus. God’s ultimate goal is that all His adopted children become like His true and natural heir Jesus.

The words in the uni-verse, “ God himself shall be with them and be their God” implies that whatever we confront in life, we have God Immanuel alongside us, helping us overcome any challenge, solve any problem, face any crisis. God Himself and not any substitute or representative is with us. What we are is on account of the identity that God gives us. What we do is blessed by His presence. What we own belongs to Him. It is no longer “c’est sera sera, whatever will be will be” but “whatever God wills will be.” There is no longer a “Jacob-angel of the Lord” kind of struggle. We will realize that He is not against us. Rather He is with us and for us and forever. There is no distrust or doubt or fear. There is complete mutual trust and perfect submission. There is constant communication and exchange of thoughts. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and when an exchange takes place, we experience a paradigm change, a transformation of patterns of thoughts, emotions, actions, reactions, desires and the communication and logical fulfilment of these elements of our lives.

Prateep V Philip