In the previous section of this letter, Peter helps us to see the best way to glorify God in an ungodly culture. It doesn’t involve fighting against it, but humbly doing good within it. He applies this to different spheres of society, including our role as citizens and as servants/workers. In today’s passage, he applies it to our roles as husbands and wives in marriage.

Jesus provides us the perfect example on how to live as an exile. It involves humility, gentleness, servanthood, and honor. It includes submission, suffering, and doing good. It’s not about fighting against the culture but humbly doing good within it. This is what Peter begins to unpack in today’s passage.

We have been identified by the Apostle Peter as God’s proclaiming people. Now he begins to instruct us how to live as proclaiming people. He starts by calling us to a personal purity and a public witness.

Peter continues to share identity-shaping truths for elect exiles living in the world. These truths about our own identity and purpose, as God’s people, are rooted in the identity and purpose of Jesus. We cannot live faithfully on mission as exiles without knowing and pursuing our purpose in Christ.

Now that Peter has reminded us of our identity as elect exiles, he gives several imperatives on how we are to live out our identities in this world. As people observe our hope, our holiness, our fear, and our love, they will see the distinctness of God’s people and the glory of God himself.

The opening words of the Apostle Peter’s first letter is a gospel-rich reminder to scattered first century Christians of their identity. We too are exiles needing to understand who we are so that we can live faithfully in our world today.

The book of Exodus traces the children of Israel’s story of being redeemed by God out of slavery, led by God through the wilderness, and coming into God’s presence. As the book ends, it climaxes with the glory of God descending and filling the Tabernacle. This is what their journey has been driving towards: God dwelling in the midst of his people.

While Moses is up on the mount with God, the people of Israel are engaged in idolatry down below. This is a well-known scene in the history of Israel where we witness their sinful impatience, the burning wrath of God, and the passionate intercession of Moses.

In instructing Moses to build a tabernacle, God was expressing his desire to dwell with his people. However, this holy God is a consuming fire! As we continue to look at the tabernacle and the priests commissioned to serve within it, we see how this holy God makes a way to dwell with unholy humans.

God’s intention from the beginning was to dwell with his people. Now, in the wilderness, he instructs Moses and the people to build a tabernacle in which he can actually dwell in their midst. This tabernacle, including its design and its furniture, gives echoes of Eden as well as pointers to a future reality.