The Glory

The glory of the Lord 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out – until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

notes

Main point summary

At the completion of the tabernacle, God's glory fills the tent demonstrating his presence, perfection and protection.

Sermon Outline

God’s presence means he has not abandoned his people. Joy of being home (Business trip, delayed train, builders move out) Tabernacle set up as instructed. God moves in (glory and cloud = pictures/visible representations of his glory) Permanent: fills, not hanging around tentatively. Altar, table and lampstand = God’s presence. Reversal of Eden. All that is wrong with the world, God is not turning his back. Opposite: he is working to restore. To dwell. To enable access. Look at world’s brokenness – God never in habit of abandoning. Confirmed in Jesus (John 1:14): God “tented” in Christ Not abandoned, but working to save. God’s perfections means our sin must be dealt with. Get toy/job/meal – not quite as good as imagined. God’s presence has a downside: if God is here – we can’t be. Even Moses who has had unusually privileged access God moved into neighbourhood. Giant NO ENTRY, NO VISITORS signs. Tabernacle set up in this way: curtains, tents, courtyards. All declare a giant: NO ENTRY sign. Eden is being undone – but hasn’t been finished yet. Ex is unfinished story: Leviticus/sacrifices/mediators are needed. Sin must be dealt with. God’s perfections are incompatible with our sin. Hebrews 10:19-22: Look forward to Christ. In him, we can draw near with confidence (not trepidation) God’s protection means he is with us for our good. Final scene gives up. Not a stand-off between God and sinners. In grace, God is still at work: presence = guidance “All their travels” looks forward to the next 40 years. Not the end of the story. NT picture, after cleansing of Christ – God dwells in us – indiv + corp To guide, steer, help. No need for a tabernacle –we can be indwelt by God the Spirit. Tabernacle speaks to us today of the comfort of knowing God. Series: knowing all about him, holiness, compassion Eph 3:17-19.

Translation

Exodus 40:34-38

mine

wlc

And the cloud covered the tent of meeting

וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד

and the glory of YHWH filled the tabernacle.

וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

And Moses was not able to go to the tent of meeting

וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד

for the cloud dwelt on it

כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן

and the glory of YHWH filled the tent

וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

And in the going up of the cloud from the tabernacle the sons of Israel set out on all their journeys

וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

and if it did not go up

וְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן

and they did not set out until the day it went up

וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃

therefore the cloud of YHWH was on the tabernacle by day

כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם

and fire was on it by night

וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ

to the eyes of all the sons of Israel in all their journeying

לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

discourse

Paraphrase

editing

Exodus 40:34-38

esv

Then l the cloud covered the tent of meeting,

Next the cloud (that had accompanied the Israelites since they left Egypt) came down and settled on the Meeting Place

and m the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

and God's own visible presence - his glory - swamped the whole tent.

And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting

Therefore, because God was really present, Moses could not possible go in

because the cloud settled on it,

because the cloud was there

and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

and the glory was there.

Throughout all their journeys, n whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.

In the coming days, weeks, months and years , when the could lifted, the Israelites set out in all of their journeying

But o if the cloud was not taken up,

But if the cloud didn't lift,

then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up.

then they stayed put.

For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day,

That is why the cloud was on the Meeting Place during the day

and fire was in it by night,

and the fire was there during the night

in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

so that God's presence was always in sight of the Israelites.

Hebrew Phrase

Exodus 40:34-38

וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד

Only mainline verb

וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־ הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

וְלֹא־ יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד

כִּֽי־

Causal

שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן

וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־ הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן

Temporal

יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

וְאִם־ לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן

Conditional (Protasis)

וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־ י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃

Apodosis

כִּי֩

Causal or Inferential?

עֲנַ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה עַֽל־ הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם

וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ

לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־ בֵּֽית־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכָל־ מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

Causal ("for..." ESV) explaining why the Israelites didn't go up. Inferential ("So..." NIV) explaining why the could was present and visible.

וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

H3588a

H5921a

3ms

וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

H5921a

H1121a

3mp

וְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃

H518a

3ms

כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

H3588a

H5921a

3ms

H5869a

H1004b

3mp

phrasing

English Phrase

Exodus 40:34-38

Then

the cloud covered the tent

of meeting,

and the glory ... filled the tabernacle.

of the Lord

And Moses was not able

to enter the tent

of meeting

because the cloud settled on it,

and the glory ... filled the tabernacle.

of the Lord

Throughout all their journeys,

whenever the cloud was taken up

from over the tabernacle,

the people ... would set out.

of Israel

if the cloud was not taken up,

But ... then they did not set out

till the day

that it was taken up.

For the cloud ... was on the tabernacle

of the Lord

by day,

and fire was in it

by night,

in the sight

of all the house

of Israel

throughout all their journeys.

Discourse

Exodus 40:34-38

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting,

וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד

and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

progression

Moses could not enter the tent of meeting

וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד

because the cloud had settled on it,

כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן

and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

ground

actionresult

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;

וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

but if the cloud did not lift,

וְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן

they did not set out – until the day it lifted.

וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃

conditional

alternative

So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day,

כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם

and fire was in the cloud by night,

וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ

in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

actionpurpose

inference

series

There seems to be a particular order to the mention of the cloud and glory which the text preserves into v35.

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