Sharper Iron & The Saga of Salvation: The LORD Locates Himself for His Wandering People

Rev. Adam Koontz, assistant professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Exodus 40:34-38.

At last, the tabernacle is completed, and the glory of the LORD comes to dwell there. The Book of Exodus has been driving toward this moment. The LORD delivered His people from slavery for the purpose of dwelling with His people, specifically located among them to bestow upon them His grace and mercy. The one true God is present everywhere, but no one would know how or why unless He specifically tells us the place He will certainly be to bestow upon us His forgiveness. The tabernacle was that place for wandering Israel. The cloud that descended upon the tabernacle, leaving no room for Moses, made certain for the people that this was the LORD’s dwelling place. Yet even as this event serves as the climax of Exodus, it is not the climax of God’s salvation. That happens in Christ. He is the fulfillment of the tabernacle, the cloud, and the sacrifices. In His flesh, the fullness of God dwells among us. His glory is to suffer, die, and rise for us sinners, as He makes the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, both as the Lamb of God and our Great High Priest. In the Word and Sacraments, Jesus locates Himself among us still today as the places we know we will find Him as He gives us hope in our wandering until He takes us to the Promised Land in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

“The Saga of Salvation” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that takes a step-by-step walk through the book of Exodus. This premier account of salvation in the Old Testament proclaims that the LORD is the one true God, the Creator and Redeemer, who alone is worthy of our worship and faith, all the while pointing us forward to the ultimate deliverance He gives through the exodus accomplished by Christ.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Exodus 40:34-38

The Glory of the Lord

³⁴Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. ³⁷But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. ³⁸For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).