Psalm 15: 1 "The Tent on the Hill"

"O' Lord who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?" Psalm 15:1

The psalmist has two questions but they are really one. He's concerned about his future habitation. He knows that God has a tent (metaphorically speaking). He has in past dwelled among his people, the Israelites, for many years in the tent covered in a cloud by day and a fire by night. God was the Shikinah glory hovering over the mercy seat within the holiest of holies. He was their nightlight in a dark foreboding wilderness. He was the one who guided, guarded, and provided.

He also knew that God once dwelled in the temple in Jerusalem upon mount Moriah-the holy hill. Wherever God has tabernacled throughout history, whether in a tent or in a Temple the psalmist wants to be there. He wants to experience God within the tent upon the holy hill. He understands that to be away from God is to be away from home. There's no place like home, because there is no one like God. The deepest longing of his heart is to be in the tent on the holy hill. It's not the tent that draws him there-the beauty of it, the kingly articles inside of it, the fine linens and colorful display of fabrics of various kinds. As great as this sight would be that's not the main reason. Neither is it the location that makes it the biggest draw. It's God himself. It's the Person in the tent, its the Person who is on the holy hill that makes it attractive and savoring. The tent is a marker pointing to the tent maker; the holy hill is a marker pointing to the holy One. This is the angst in the heart of everyone who loves Jesus. He longs for the day when he can ascend the holy hill and enter into that tent and see not only the throng of all the saints- alive and smiling, but his master who waits for him so that he might join him for a grand feast in honor of the Lamb.

His tent was destroyed so that we might enter into His eternal Tent. He ascended the Holy Hill so that one day we might follow in his steps. And now as we travel throughout this world as aliens and strangers we are called to mimic the Master to copy our Commander, so that the excellencies of Christ might be plain for all to see.

The answer to the question comes in verse 2, the next blog :)