“Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself…..”
Philippians 2:6-8 (RSV)
As the Israelites travelled through the wilderness to the promised land, they took with them a tabernacle, which was a mobile tent, highly revered and used for worship. It was filled with holy relics and temple items according to all the instructions given to Moses by God.
Inside the tabernacle, there was a bronze altar with embroidered linens that were made especially to lay over the holy altar. Incense burned, filling the tent with the smoke of a scent made from a special blend of scented powders.
When Moses entered the tabernacle to speak with God, the presence of a glory cloud would overshadow it. When the people saw the cloud, they bowed in worship. All this reverence and awe surrounded a tabernacle that was brought with them on their journey to the promised land.
Fast forward now to the birth of Jesus. The same holy presence of God that dwelled in that tabernacle, fully resided in the infant Jesus. He was conceived when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary’s womb, and yet in His birth, He was introduced to the world in a common stable.
There was no scent of incense surrounding Him, only the scent of barn animals. He was wrapped in cotton swaddling cloths, instead of beautifully embroidered altar linens. His bed was not a bronze coated altar, but a manger filled with straw. No golden candlesticks lit up the dark stable, but the one lying in that manger is the light of the world.
Jesus left His kingdom and all His glory in heaven, to be born as an unknown helpless infant. He did it for us, illustrating what true humility is. This world was not His true home, but He resided in it for a brief thirty three years. He was not received by everyone with wonder and awe. Only a few bowed to worship Him while He lived among men. He was scorned, disrespected, falsely accused and constantly criticized for befriending sinners and breaking religious laws.
Although He had the power to call down a myriad of angels to punish His persecutors, His mission was to save the world, and not to judge it. He felt out of place at times, and He reminds us that we are not part of this world either. We are resident aliens, because our true citizenship is in heaven. Whenever we feel out of place, He is teaching us lessons of humility, as we journey through our own wilderness.
His church is made up of every ethnic group, speaking every language in the world, so that our prayers become the special blend of scented powders, filling His heavenly tabernacle with a fragrant scent of incense. He seals and fills us with His Spirit, and He is with us always.
Lord, as we meditate on how you humbled yourself for us, help us to embrace every lesson of humility and show us how we can be a tabernacle for you in the world today. Amen
