Thursday: Longing for His Presence
Daily Lesson for Thursday 13th of November 2025
Read Joshua 18:1-2. What was the activity for which Joshua interrupted the process of allotting the land?
After the description of the territories allotted to the two greatest tribes on the west side of the Jordan and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, this passage portrays an assembly of the congregation at Shiloh, where the land is apportioned to the remaining seven smaller tribes.
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
The establishment of the sanctuary, “My Tabernacle,” represents the fulfillment of God’s promise to live among His people (Exodus 25:8; Leviticus 26:11-12) and reveals the central theme of the book: God’s presence in the middle of Israel has made possible the possession of the land and is going to be a continual source of blessing for Israel and, through it, to all the earth (Genesis 12:3). The worship of God takes center stage and preeminence, even over conquest and allotment of the land! The presence of the sanctuary, and later the temple, should have always helped the people realize the presence of God among them and their obligations to follow the covenant.
Read Hebrews 6:19-20; Hebrews 9:11-12; and Hebrews 10:19-23. What can we as Christians, who do not have an earthly sanctuary enshrining the physical presence of God among us, learn from Joshua?
The appearance of the sanctuary should not come as a sudden surprise, because the theme of the sanctuary has been present in the Joshua narrative through the ark of the covenant. This was the central piece of furniture in the Most Holy Place, and it marked the first two sections of the book: the crossing and the conquest. Now, by placing the erection of the tabernacle in the focal point of the land distribution, Joshua shows that all the life of Israel revolved around the sanctuary, the earthly headquarters of Yahweh.
It is even more important for us, as Christians living in the antitypical Day of Atonement, to focus our eyes on the heavenly sanctuary as we continue our struggle with the modern (or postmodern) giants that challenge our faith, hope, and spiritual inheritance. As we constantly rely on the work that Christ accomplished on the cross and in the heavenly sanctuary, we can look forward in faith to the time when God once again will dwell among His people, but this time it will be forever. (Compare with Revelation 21:3.)
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There is an interesting little bit of history attached to this. Shiloh was in the area of Samaria and only a few kilometres from Mount Gerizem, The Tabernacle remained there for nearly 400 years. It is thought that over that period of time, the tent structure was, at least partially replaced with more permanent building materials. Much of the tent was made of textile and skin materials and would have suffered from exposure to the weather. During David’s reign, he set up Jerusalem as the seat of government and made plans for the Tabernacle to be replaced with a Temple in Jerusalem. As we know, this was accomplished during the reign of Solomon.
This move did not sit well with the non-Jewish tribes and I suspect was part of the reason for the split into two nations not too long after Solomon’s reign. It was still a raw point with the Samaritans during the time of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus responded to that contention with the observation:
And in our modern 21st Century Church we argue about where we should build our churches and what sort of liturgy we have in them. When we read the history, we are reminded that it’s not a new issue.
Here is something to think about: If we take away the physical structure, what have we got left?
And a little illustration: For 6 years I taught in a boarding academy. Towards the end of that period I realised that I was spending a lot of time changing light bulbs, cleaning oil-heaters, supervising evening study programs, running social activities, and all the other things that had to be done in a full-time boarding school, that my teaching of science and mathematics was suffering, I was spending so much time supporting the structure I was not doing my job,
Can we get like that in our spiritual lives?
For nearly 400 years, Shiloh served as the spiritual center of Israel.
It was where:
The Ark of the Covenant was kept,
The priests ministered, and
The people gathered for worship and sacrifice.
Over time, however, the focus shifted from the presence of God to the physical place and structure.
Later, the Temple in Jerusalem replaced the Tabernacle — and eventually, even that became a symbol of religious pride rather than spiritual devotion.
Just as you said in your school example:
It’s possible to become so busy supporting the structure that we forget the purpose — to teach, grow, and love.
Likewise, churches and believers can be so busy maintaining systems and activities that they neglect relationship and spiritual life.
Your illustration about the boarding academy is a perfect metaphor for modern Christian life:
> We can spend so much time “maintaining the building” — our routines, our church programs, our comfort zones — that we neglect our primary calling: to know God and make Him known.
In the same way:
We can be busy “serving God” yet not spending time with God.
We can polish the “light fixtures” of faith while forgetting to shine His light in our hearts.
We can be busy serving God yet not spending time with God.
We can polish the light fixtures of faith while forgetting to shine His light in our hearts.
Thank you!
When Israel finally entered Canaan, their experience revealed both the fulfillment and the testing of their longing for God’s presence. After forty years of wandering, they stood in the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). Yet the true victory was not merely in possessing the land, but in learning to live continually in obedience and fellowship with God. The Lord reminded Joshua, “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), emphasizing that His presence, not their military might or wisdom, would ensure their success. When Israel trusted and followed the Lord’s command, as at the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6), His presence brought miraculous victory. But when they disobeyed, as in the sin of Achan that led to defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:1–5), they discovered that without God’s presence, even the smallest enemies could overpower them.
Their life in Canaan became a spiritual mirror of their wilderness journey—a reminder that the Promised Land was not just a physical inheritance but a call to live daily in God’s presence. Joshua and Caleb had longed for this closeness in the desert, and now the whole nation was called to sustain that same devotion. God’s promise, “The Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:8), remained the heart of their covenant relationship. When Israel clung to the Lord in love and obedience (Joshua 23:8–11), they experienced peace, prosperity, and His abiding favor. But when they turned to idols, they lost the sense of His nearness and protection. Thus, their story in Canaan teaches that true rest and victory come not from a place, but from the presence of the living God who walks with His people.
God created humanity primarily to have a loving relationship with Him. That is why He created us in His own image. This loving relationship is to be expressed through worship and fellowship. “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” (Isaiah 43:7). The sole duty of man is to give God glory and reflect His character through love, justice, mercy, and holiness.
“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”(Ecclesiastes 12:13).
It is not surprising to see Joshua suspend the important business of dividing up the possessed land to attend a more important business of setting up the tabernacle. This structure enabled Israel an opportunity for worship, fellowship and to give God glory which is due to Him. Even before sin entered the world, it was God’s plan to have humanity live eternally in His presence. But sin is a spoiler. However, God devised a plan to restore the worship and fellowship through the sanctuary system. Ultimately God will eternally dwell with His people as the plan was before sin.
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people”. ( Revelation 21:3).
I am extremely delighted to know that in the New Heaven and the New Earth, worship and fellowship shall be eternally restored. I want to be part of that worship service.
“For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord”
When Joshua paused the land distribution to establish the sanctuary at Shiloh, it showed that God’s presence must come before personal possession or progress. The people could not truly enjoy their inheritance without first acknowledging the One who gave it.
In the same way today, the time we set for God reflects the motivation of our hearts. If we seek Him merely out of duty, our worship becomes routine; but when we recognize His love, care, and protection, a deep longing is awakened within us a desire not just to receive from Him, but to be with Him.
Just as Israel gathered around the sanctuary, our lives too must revolve around God’s presence. Through Christ, our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 6:19–20), we are invited daily into fellowship with Him. Setting time for God, then, is not an obligation but a response of love a way of saying, “Lord, You are my center; I long to dwell in Your presence.”
Lord help me to not be so busy with the earthly and temporal that I miss out on the heavenly and divine!!!!!!
When the Israelites paused from dividing the land to focus on the Lord’s tabernacle, they were reminded that victory and progress came only through God’s presence among them. The tabernacle symbolized His dwelling with His people and His guidance in their mission. Likewise, in our spiritual journey today, we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus and His ongoing ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. It is through His intercession and cleansing power that we find strength to overcome the “giants” of sin and temptation in our lives. Just as Israel’s success depended on their connection with God’s presence, our victory over sin depends on maintaining a living connection with Christ, who empowers us to conquer through faith and obedience.
The lesson here indicates that "We are now living in the antitypical day of atonement." But isn't something that is "antitypical" mean that "Type has met antitype?" Did not Jesus, as the "Antitypical Lord's Goat," meet that with His Own Spilled Blood at Calvary's Cross? Where in "The Bible" do we find scriptural support for the idea that, as God's Remnant and Last Day People, "We are now living in (The Antitypical Day of Atonement?)" What is "The Type" that meets "Antitype" now?
Pete I think that you are taking too narrow a view of type/antitype. In a broader sense, the type of the day of attonment is met by the antitypical work of atonement that Christ is doing for us now. the type "day of atonement" occurred once a year, and in a sense the "atonememt work of Jesus is timeless, but it helps us to understand that it applies to us now.
Type: The daily sacrifices and the Lord’s goat on the Day of Atonement.
Antitype: Jesus’ death on the cross.
John 1:29 — “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
1 Corinthians 5:7 — “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.”
Hebrews 9:26 — “He appeared once for all… to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
So the sacrificial phase of atonement was completed at Calvary.
That was when type met antitype for the death of the sin offering.
But remember — in Leviticus 16, after the sin offering was slain, the priest still had to apply the blood in the sanctuary to complete the atonement.
That part wasn’t fulfilled at the cross, but continued after the resurrection.
After His resurrection, Jesus entered heaven as our High Priest.
Hebrews makes this very explicit:
> “We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).
> “By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).
This inaugurated His heavenly intercession — the antitypical “daily” ministry (forgiveness, intercession, mediation).
Just as the earthly priest ministered daily in the first apartment, Christ ministers there spiritually for His people.
Sometimes I find myself thinking that someday I will have one on one communication with my God, forgetting that the opportunity is available to me here and now. We can so easily get caught up in the stuff of life and making a living that we devote all our time, attention, and energy to the pursuit of trivial and temporal things. I/we often forget that the busiest "Being" in the universe wants to spend time with us each day. We suffer when we miss our time with Him. He is patient and waiting to impart peace and purpose to our daily pursuits, yet, we are too busy in our minds to stop and receive it. Invariably, the loss is ours. Lord forgive us when we put the urgent before the important, spending time in your presence. Open our eyes to see that that is the most urgent and important thing to do each day. Help us to miss our time with you as much as you miss it.
I Miss My Time With You, Larnelle Harris
Answering the lesson’s question: To me it is a minute to minute awareness that the Spirit of God is with the believer at all times - Psalm 139:7-10.
There is no distinction between the Spirit’s presence in a formal worship setting and the time we stand in the grocery line getting impatient because progress is slow. In both events, the Holy Spirit tucks at our heart, reaching out to direct our thoughts and emotions to reflect behavior in accordance to God’s Way - Psalm 22:3; Prov.3:5-7.
‘Longing for His Presence’ – Jesus’ Presence is with us all the time. Inspired by the Holy Spirit ought to be our way of life, because the believer is found in Him. When stressors arise, it is enough to just call on His Name – Jesus -, and the Holy Spirit will remind us that He is present to provide guidance – Heb. 10:19-23; Matt.6:8; Rom.10:13;
In our small prayer group, we pray the "Sanctuary prayer" every Sabbath. When in prayer, we go through all the parts of the earthly Israelite tabernacle. It has been a good exercise to remind us that God is a detail person, while each part of the tabernacle points to Jesus. The Messiah is the Center of all Israelite worship, too bad when people miss that.