He has “tabernacled” among us. John could have just as well used the word for living. He says, deliberately, He pitched a tent. He who dwelt in unapproachable light with his Father, pitched his tent among us. The full emphasis here is on the word “tabernacle”! John calls to his readers’ minds the tabernacle in the desert, God’s dwelling with his people through the mobile tent of meeting in the desert, that tent of meeting, where God’s glory resided.

But the original tabernacle put God’s people at a distance, where his glory was to be shielded from them. No one could approach the tabernacle when it was filled with God’s glory.

When the Word became flesh, the new tabernacle was established. He pitched his tent, a dwelling of flesh. He came among us, and everyone could approach him and come near him. He does not hide God, but reveals him to us. And yet God the Son is no less glorious than his Father. His glorious radiance is completely equal! The glory of God becomes accessible! Please come closer; you can see him, you can touch him. People can indeed touch him!

We have seen his glory!? Seen it! The only true Son of God radiates godly glory in a natural manner. John can testify to it. He was there, with Peter on the mountain, together with Christ, Moses and Elijah. And again, as with the tabernacle, there was that cloud, plus that glorious radiance, and that voice from heaven: “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” In the midst of all that divine glory, well-intentioned Peter, wanted to pitch tents for everyone, to hold on to the glory. In itself, that is a healthy desire, but it was too early for that.

No one has ever seen God. But when we look at Jesus, we see the reflection of that inaccessible glory. You catch the most radiant light of God’s splendor and glory. In Christ, the glorious God enters our lives. He comes close with his radiance. When you look at Jesus, you see the glory of God. In him there is the intense light of God’s grace. What Moses and Elijah heard when God passed by was his watchword: gracious and merciful is He! Jesus now shows that glory in life-size form.

He stands up for you completely and vouches for you. He wants to take over all your debts, and pay for them in his tabernacle. It is the glorious radiance of his love and goodness.

This gracious glory stands over against all disillusionment! His glory comforts us in the face of all disappointment, in the face of the disappearance of the luster of life when one gets older, when one gets sick, when one dies. Jesus is God; he is grace and truth in Person. He gives himself; He is not one who draws honour to Himself. There is no boasting and self-glorification of a superhuman.

Truly, a great and glorious God!

His glory is evident in that He completely gives Himself. Nowhere was Jesus’ glory more evident than in his love—a more glorious radiance than the world has ever seen.

Jesus, who dwelled among us, the living tent of meeting.