Move the Tent Pegs (Is. 4, 54-55; Acts 18)

The Book of Isaiah is simultaneously familiar and incomprehensible, and I love reading it and seeing more and more of Jesus that is contained within it each time I do. It becomes hard to leave each chapter for the next in our daily, chronological reading schedule because of the richness contained. There are so many ties that I just want to sit and steep in each one and dig deeper to find even more. I know more is there, and I want to see it all now, but for now, in this reading through, two prophecies struck me most.

1. God's presence over Mount Zion will one day be a brilliant "canopy [a defense, a covering of His divine love and protection]," and in His love, the cloud by day and its smoke will also "be a pavilion for shade from the head by day, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and the rain" (Is. 4:5-6, AMP).

2. God's preparations at that time in spreading out His spiritual tent, enlarging it to include Gentiles as spiritual sons, disciples of the Lord, until the time the eternal city is finished and believers dwell there with He who is the Lord of Hosts (Is. 54).

The canopy over us is Jesus, whose sacrifice covers the multitude of our sins, and repeatedly in the Bible we see that the Lord's banner over us is love. The children of Israel in their march out of Egypt toward the land promised to them camped in tents always facing the tabernacle under their identifying family banners, but one day in heaven we will dwell under the banner of Jesus in a city prepared for us facing the throne where He will reign victoriously and we will praise Him eternally. Tents, created as coverings for nomadic people, are temporary dwellings easily removed elsewhere. It is no stretch to see that we, too, are sojourners in this life, just as Abraham was who looked for a city with foundations: 

By faith Abraham, when he was called [by God], obeyed by going to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has foundations, [an eternal, heavenly city] whose architect and builder is God. (Heb. 11:8-10)

To even begin to imagine the glory of heaven with God presiding over it, Jesus enthroned, and all of His people praising Him rightly staggers my imagination. Revelation is full of hints of that day, and we long for His glorious appearing, but we also long for His compassion, His slowness in appearing, not because we don't long to be with Him, but because we long even more for Him to save those we love, to bring more into the tent He has enlarged to include the Gentiles, the nations of the world.

Currently our ladies are studying Acts, and we are slowly plowing our way through this early history of the church that is so rich in theology. This week we reached Acts 18 and saw Paul leaving Athens and heading to Corinth where he meets two tentmakers forced to leave Rome by Claudius' edict evicting all Jews. Someone had asked me why Paul worked as a tent maker on his gospel expeditions; Paul, a rabbi trained in a trade (as most were), chooses not to burden anyone with the expense of his upkeep during his long stay and engages in his trade as a tentmaker, at least until Silas and Timothy come to join him, probably bearing an offering allowing him to proclaim the gospel with a more singular focus. 

Tents are movable. Tents can also be stretched out, expanded when needed with the addition of material and tent pegs. It seems fitting that Paul so occupied his hands while witnessing to the people at Corinth, a city known to be a hub for trade, drawing many from other countries, people just passing through. Paul is literally helping stretch out the tent pegs, lengthening the ropes, stretching out the curtains of the tent to make more room for those that would come inside through his sharing of the gospel and his discipling those who would enter in. He uses his trade to gain access and invite them into the family, to come under the banner God spreads over those who would become His spiritual sons, His disciples, and he does so without charging anyone for it as he could have done. Paul moves around from place helping people's souls "delight in abundance," finding life in the "everlasting covenant according to the faithful mercies shown to David" by a nation that does not know him at a time when He may be found in His nearness (Is.55:1-6).

God has stretched out His tent to include even Gentiles in His everlasting covenant at His own cost. Won't you come in and rest under His canopy? 

If you already dwell under His banner of love, rejoice, shout for joy that He has enlarged that tent to include you! I know I do.