The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle

Exodus 40

¹⁷ Now in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. ¹⁸ Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars and erected its pillars. ¹⁹ He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²⁰ Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. ²¹ He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²² Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. ²³ He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²⁴ Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. ²⁵ He lighted the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²⁶ Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; ²⁷ and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²⁸ Then he set up the veil for the doorway of the tabernacle. ²⁹ He set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³⁰ He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. ³¹ From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. ³² When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³³ He erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

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 was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; ³⁷ but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. ³⁸ For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

There are many chapters written describing the detail of the design, construction and contents of the tabernacle. The tabernacle after all was the place where God's presence would reside as the nation of Israel journeyed toward the promised land. Remember that because they were under the old covenant, Jesus had not yet come to pay the price for sin, there needed to be something to separate man from God. The design was detailed and very specific. When the tabernacle was complete the text says, Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. This cloud had been present with them since they left Egypt. In Exodus 13:21-22 it says,  21The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Here though it says, Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses had spent time in the presence of God but he could not go into the tabernacle because  the glory of God had filled it. In the design and construction of the tabernacle there was a veil that separated the part where the priests could go from the Holy of Holies where God resided. It was that very same veil that was in the temple which was torn in two from top to bottom when Jesus was crucified.

We who live under the new covenant initiated by Christ are no longer separated from God. In Christ we can enter into the very presence of God. In fact God has also now made us His dwelling place.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17    ¹⁶ Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷ If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. 

We have in the spiritual, within us,  what the Israelites saw in the physical realm from a distance. Surely ours is a better covenant and we have the advantage of living and worshiping in God's presence.  Jesus says in John 4:23-24 -  But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

I don't think though that God intends that it be either or. Just because we now have the Holy Spirit within us and we worship God in spirit, it doesn't mean we should no longer see the visible, tangible presence and glory of God. In Isaiah 6:1-3 it says:

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. ² Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called out to another and said,

⁴ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

I know the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God lives in me and I know that I can worship the Father in spirit and in spirit enter into His holy presence in the heavenly realm. But if the whole earth is filled with His glory. I want also to worship Him in truth. I want to see, as Moses did, the physical manifestation of God's glory and presence here on earth. If God's will is done and His kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven, then we will see and feel the tangible manifest presence of God in our midst. In Psalm 27 the psalmist says

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
² When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
³ Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.