Episode 122 - Today is our last day in our Tabernacle series, as we get ready to celebrate Christmas in our upcoming season. What better way to prepare for the Incarnate Christ, than to behold one last time the symbolism of the Tabernacle for the incarnation?

So we retrace our steps all the way back from Eden, shedding yet another perspective on the essential nature of our understanding of God’s tabernacle for us today as believers.

We also take time to tie in loose ends, which point to our Lord gloriously: where is the Ark of the covenant today? What will happen in the future, according to Bible prophecy?

Stephanie takes us on a highly experiential episode by highlighting key texts from the Book of Hebrews, and their significance for the Tabernacle today. In a nutshell? The essence of being “IN Christ” and Christ being “IN” us.

More details about this final episode in our series:

It began as a garden, that became a forbidden place. It was a dwelling place, not a tent. The tent began as just a tent, the dwelling-place of Abraham … It was our first lesson, 8 weeks ago.

First came the Tabernacle, a tent whose architect was God, but whose builder was Moses; it was a copy of the future, heavenly tabernacle that would come down from heaven to be the true dwelling place of God with Man, and Man with God. His Name would be Jesus.

That first tabernacle, it was a tent within a tent, separated by a veil, a veil which protected God’s people from the nuclear-blast strength of His glory.

The Tabernacle traveled and traveled, leading Israel into the promised Land. It finally settled in Jerusalem, and became the Temple.

Then, “the Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us”; God, in the person of Jesus, dwelt with his people, and died for them. The true Tabernacle had revealed His glory.

God now dwells among his people through his Holy Spirit. We, individually and corporately as the universal church, are the Tabernacle and the Temple.

Jesus was our forerunner, the “firstborn from the dead” (Col 1.18). We are the next ones after the FIRST born. The human body is a tent, the Tabernacle, or Temple, of the Holy Spirit during life, but soon to be taken down, and replaced, “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” (2 Cor 5.1).

That’s where we are today. So, what’s next? Revelation takes us up to heaven, God’s people dwelling with him in glory. There is no veil, no separation. Revelation does not end with man going up to heaven to live forever with God. It ends with God coming down from heaven to live with man – in a tent which is now a great city.

From the garden to the city that contains a garden – that’s Revelation 21. That glorious heavenly Jerusalem, united with the New heaven and the New Earth, is glorious for many reasons; the most astounding is that God Himself dwells there—and therefore, this is the very definition of heaven.

One thing is conspicuously absent from the new Jerusalem. There is no temple, no tabernacle. John did not see a temple in the city, “for the Lord God almighty is its temple, and the Lamb” (Rev 21.22). This city is not a building, and the church is not a building. The new Jerusalem is not, essentially, a city but the church, the people of God with whom he has always wanted to dwell.

The Bible ends with the glorious promise that God will come again to dwell with His people forever—at a much more glorious level than anything we have ever experienced even in our most intense moments of intimacy through the Holy Spirit.

Can you imagine what awaits you, because you are IN Christ and He is IN you?

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About this study: Through the Tabernacle, taste and see that the Lord is good! This might be the most in-depth series yet to release on the Gospel Spice podcast. Yet, its mix of storytelling and insightful illustrations makes it easy-to-understand, approachable, and relatable. As with everything Gospel Spice, it is completely Christ-soaked.

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If you want to dig deeper, we offer a FREE resource: a 50+ page guidebook available only for those who register for free at gospelspice.com/tabernacle. It will guide you through the podcast series by providing daily readings and activities around your personal time with God this season. Get yours today!

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Every week, Stephanie shares truth from Scripture and invites you to dig deeper in your faith to delight in the glory of God.

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The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.

In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.

In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

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You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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