A Dwelling for God
The Holiness of God.
Exodus 26-30
“I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to me. I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.”
When reading through the Bible, many passages capture our attention and challenge our faith. However, if we are honest, some passages seem confusing, disconnected from our lives today, and (if we are honest) challenging to relate to our lives. The description of the requirements for the building of the Tabernacle is one such passage. As we read through the requirements, it challenges the attention of even the most ardent reader. However, examining the passage closer reveals that it teaches us some important truths about God. The description of the Tabernacle was more than just the building plans, it is a revelation into the character and being of God and what He requires of us if we are to have a relationship with Him.
The detailed instructions of how the Tabernacle was constructed remind us that God is a God of detail. Nothing escapes His notice, and He is concerned about and involved in the smallest detail of the lives of His people. The details of our life and faith are important to God because we are important to Him. God set the requirements for building the Tabernacle because He is involved in the life of Israel, and he orchestrates the details of the nation to enable them to grow in their awareness of His presence and character. Everything about the tabernacle, from the furniture to the fabric's color, was designed to remind the people of God’s glory and involvement in our lives. God does not do things arbitrarily. Each element had symbolic meaning, pointing us to God’s character and our need for salvation.
In 29:43-46 we see the ultimate purpose of the Tabernacle. First it was a place for the people to encounter God. God was not just distant; he was present with the people. However, the Tabernacle was more than just a place of worship; it was where God made His physical presence with the people. When God made His covenant with Israel on Mt. Sinai, It was more than just setting forth His requirements for them. He was establishing a relationship with them. The Tabernacle was the symbol and location where He would dwell with the people.
The second important lesson of the Tabernacle and all the furnishings is that it reminded the people that if they were to come into the presence of God, they had to make a sacrifice for their sins. God is a holy God, and He does not associate with anything or anyone tainted by sin. This confronts us with our ultimate need, for we are all sinners by birth and choice. Sin has permeated our lives, our actions, and our character. To have access before God, the judicial punishment of these sins must be satisfied. This could only come through the substitutionary sacrifice of another. Thus, to enter the Tabernacle, one had first to offer a sacrifice.
The ultimate symbolism of the tabernacle was in its prophetic significance. It not only promised God’s presence, but it pointed forward to when Christ would come and be the ultimate expression of God’s presence. When Christ came, He came and “set up as the tabernacle” with the people (John 1). Furthermore, Christ Himself would be the sacrifice to enable us to gain access to the Father
The Tabernacle and its furnishings remind us that God wants more than our obedience or even our worship. He desires a personal relationship with us. He desires to dwell with us. This is fulfilled in Christ. The tabernacle served as the foreshadowing of Christ’s presence (John 1:14). However, for Him to dwell with us, we must be consecrated (set apart) for God, just as the tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priests who served were consecrated and set apart for God. To have a relationship with God, we need to recognize that we are His dwelling place set apart for Him (1 Corinthians 3:16). We are to manifest God to the world in our lives. Are we living a life consecrated and set apart for God? In our actions, words, and thoughts, are we revealing God’s presence to the world? Are we living a life worthy of God’s presence? This is the challenge the Tabernacle confronts us with.
Exodus 26-30
“I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to me. I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.”
When reading through the Bible, many passages capture our attention and challenge our faith. However, if we are honest, some passages seem confusing, disconnected from our lives today, and (if we are honest) challenging to relate to our lives. The description of the requirements for the building of the Tabernacle is one such passage. As we read through the requirements, it challenges the attention of even the most ardent reader. However, examining the passage closer reveals that it teaches us some important truths about God. The description of the Tabernacle was more than just the building plans, it is a revelation into the character and being of God and what He requires of us if we are to have a relationship with Him.
The detailed instructions of how the Tabernacle was constructed remind us that God is a God of detail. Nothing escapes His notice, and He is concerned about and involved in the smallest detail of the lives of His people. The details of our life and faith are important to God because we are important to Him. God set the requirements for building the Tabernacle because He is involved in the life of Israel, and he orchestrates the details of the nation to enable them to grow in their awareness of His presence and character. Everything about the tabernacle, from the furniture to the fabric's color, was designed to remind the people of God’s glory and involvement in our lives. God does not do things arbitrarily. Each element had symbolic meaning, pointing us to God’s character and our need for salvation.
In 29:43-46 we see the ultimate purpose of the Tabernacle. First it was a place for the people to encounter God. God was not just distant; he was present with the people. However, the Tabernacle was more than just a place of worship; it was where God made His physical presence with the people. When God made His covenant with Israel on Mt. Sinai, It was more than just setting forth His requirements for them. He was establishing a relationship with them. The Tabernacle was the symbol and location where He would dwell with the people.
The second important lesson of the Tabernacle and all the furnishings is that it reminded the people that if they were to come into the presence of God, they had to make a sacrifice for their sins. God is a holy God, and He does not associate with anything or anyone tainted by sin. This confronts us with our ultimate need, for we are all sinners by birth and choice. Sin has permeated our lives, our actions, and our character. To have access before God, the judicial punishment of these sins must be satisfied. This could only come through the substitutionary sacrifice of another. Thus, to enter the Tabernacle, one had first to offer a sacrifice.
The ultimate symbolism of the tabernacle was in its prophetic significance. It not only promised God’s presence, but it pointed forward to when Christ would come and be the ultimate expression of God’s presence. When Christ came, He came and “set up as the tabernacle” with the people (John 1). Furthermore, Christ Himself would be the sacrifice to enable us to gain access to the Father
The Tabernacle and its furnishings remind us that God wants more than our obedience or even our worship. He desires a personal relationship with us. He desires to dwell with us. This is fulfilled in Christ. The tabernacle served as the foreshadowing of Christ’s presence (John 1:14). However, for Him to dwell with us, we must be consecrated (set apart) for God, just as the tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priests who served were consecrated and set apart for God. To have a relationship with God, we need to recognize that we are His dwelling place set apart for Him (1 Corinthians 3:16). We are to manifest God to the world in our lives. Are we living a life consecrated and set apart for God? In our actions, words, and thoughts, are we revealing God’s presence to the world? Are we living a life worthy of God’s presence? This is the challenge the Tabernacle confronts us with.
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