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Ex 39-40 - Audio
Ex 39-40 - Daily ReadingDaily Insights - Please Comment
Exodus 39-40The central thing to see in this chapter is the continuing refrain: "as the LORD had commanded Moses" ESV. These words ring through the chapter as the people do as God commands. The tabernacle, therefore, is God’s new creation project. It is a wonder of design and a riot of color, texture, it is a place of beauty and it is worthy to be dwelt in by the king of the universe. It is built by craftsman who take the goodness of God’s creation and shape and form it into a structure that brings honor and glory to the creator of the universe i.e., by craftsman who take up God’s creational mandate to unearth the wonders of God’s creation and use them in a way that brings glory to God. It is a place where God can again dwell in the midst of his people, even as he came down to be with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, to walk with them in the cool of the evening. It was the one place in the whole world where people got God right. While many other temples and tabernacles had similar structure in the ANE, the tabernacle was missing something that those temples had. A bed for the god to sleep in and priests whose job it was to feed the god. The structure of this tabernacle and what it as missing declared that God could take care of himself and that he was the only God, there was no other. It was a place where when the people had failed to live up to God’s standards, when they had failed to be his people who carried out his call to enjoy his blessing and to bless the world around him, when they had rejected him, here was a small place on earth where forgiveness could be sought, where holiness could be restored through sacrifice. It is the one spot in all the world, all the fallen, broken world, a world of chaos and disorder where God’s command and word have been followed to the letter, as it was in the original creation.
Exodus 40.34-35: God comes and dwells with his people. The way the passage is written it seems that God has been impatiently waiting for his house to be ready, impatiently waiting to dwell in the midst of his people and as soon as Moses finishes the world (verse 33), God comes immediately occupies his place.
Exodus 36-38: God is the leader of the people He may dwell in their midst, but he continues to be God. In fact, the location of the tabernacle puts him in the place of a warrior God who will lead his people out to conquer. During the period of the wilderness wanderings, the tabernacle also signified God’s presence as divine warrior. Numbers 2 presents a picture of the Israelite camp as it was on the march from Egypt to the Promised Land. The tabernacle is a tent pitched in the midst of the tribes. In other words, God’s tent occupies the place of the warrior–king in a battle camp. Thus it is not surprising that when the tabernacle was taken down, the ark, which was normally housed in the holy of holies, led the march, which began with the acclamation “Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you” (Num 10:35 NIV). And when the ark comes to rest at a new encampment, the cry is “Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel” (Num 10:36 NIV).
Sermon - Audio
4 comments:
So my question, which I probably already know the answer to, is God knows that the tabernacle is only temporary, so why does he put so much care into it? Even as it's built, there is still a temple to come and even after that, Christ is yet to come. Is there anything in the text that indicates the people know it was only temporary? Or is just the way salvation history unfolded?
As we mentioned in the message Sunday morning, the tabernacle is God's piece of holy ground and holy hope in the midst of chaos. As such its design reflects this and so it is carefully built, exactly according to God's specs. This is the reason for the care.
At the time the people know nothing of the temple, but you wonder if they thought it might come as they moved into the land.
Oh, that's makes a lot of sense. Thanks for responding.
I noticed in the Hebrews 8 passage you pointed to last night (and reading a bit further) that underscored the importance of the Tabernacle is a shadow of heaven:
8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second."
"For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second."
It reminds me of Galatians 3:21-29, when discussing the purpose of the law.
Good thoughts Amanda!
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