That I May Dwell Among Them Exodus 25-27

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1 That I May Dwell Among Them Exodus I ve been thinking this last week about wants versus needs. Our youngest son, Jack, is in his last year of college so Sue and I have different needs then when our sons were growing up. When our four sons were young I felt as if I was always in need of more sleep. Now I m need of more exercise. If you were to list your top five or top ten needs what would they be? I hope your list contains more than just physical needs. The more I read Exodus 25-27, the more I think the subject matter of these chapter, the tabernacle, deals with our greatest need our need for God to know Him, to be near Him, to have Him near to us, to fellowship or commune with Him, to worship and serve Him. We re a well-fed nation, maybe too well fed, but we know that food doesn t meet the needs of our soul or of our heart neither does money or success or medication or gratification. What all of us really need, only God has to offer. We need Him. And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them, is the verse to remember. The Holy God, the creator of the heavens and earth will go out of His way to dwell among those who have sinned, do sin and will sin again against Him In one sense, all of Exodus is for the nation of Israel, but that doesn t mean it s unimportant or irrelevant to us. From the very beginning we were created in God s image and made to worship, serve and enjoy Him. Adam sin ruined all that and the tabernacle acted as a cast or bandage till Jesus came and fixed or healed the relationship by laying His life down for us and taking our guilt upon Himself. This passage contains the instructions for the Old Testament tabernacle. It s laid out in seven speeches, which many of the ancient rabbis thought corresponded with the seven days of creation. Thus the tabernacle provided for worship, service and fellowship with the Lord just like Eden did. Remember these words; worship, service, fellowship, and enjoyment. I ll be repeating them a lot this morning. These instructions for the tabernacle are the blueprints for how to have a relationship with God in the Old Testament. They are God s instructions. They are torah. This is how a holy God could dwell among a sinful people and they could worship, serve and fellowship with and enjoy Him. I told you I d repeat those words. I m going to read a very few verses from these chapters and make just a few comments on some of the parts of the tabernacle. I also want us to consider what all this means to us now that Jesus has brought us a better covenant and in a very real sense made our bodies temples or tabernacles of God s Spirit. One thing before we begin: There are many well-written books, commentaries and papers on the tabernacle. There are also some that offer what I would call guesses about what each part of the tabernacle meant to Israel and means to us in Christ. What

2 I ve tried to do this morning is stick with what the Old and New Testament say about this very special meeting place with God. Read 25:1-9 The whole section begins with the Lord telling Moses to instruct the people to bring offerings to build the Sanctuary. These contributions are to be from the heart and the Hebrew words used here are synonymous with generous, voluntary and freewill. This contribution for the construction of the tabernacle was to be giving above and beyond the ordinary and it was to be heartfelt. I read passage like this and think of the apostle Paul s words in 2 Corinthians 9:7, Let each on do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. The purpose for the offering was to provide the materials for a sanctuary for God so that He could dwell among the nation. The people were to provide the materials, but the builders and craftsmen were to follow God s holy pattern. We re told in Hebrews that all these things were copies or shadows of heavenly things. And when we read Isaiah 6 or Revelation 4-5 or sections of Ezekiel we get a glimpse of the real heavenly things. These Chapters, 25-27, are the instructions for making the tabernacle. Chapters describe the actual construction of it. Between these two sections falls the episode of the golden calf. As the people worship the calf, they break the covenant and place the plans for the tabernacle in jeopardy. Moses will have to intercede for them and in doing so, both he and the nation will find out that the glory of the Lord is not just about in His great power. It s also about His great compassion, faithful love, mercy and grace. I want us to see a basic blueprint of what the Lord is commanding the people to build. Take a look at the slide on the screen and see the things they re instruction to build. There s the Ark of the Covenant, a table for holding the bread of His presence, the menorah or lampstand, the altar of incense, the tabernacle itself, which had two rooms, the laver, the altar and the courtyard. In all the details, the tabernacle was to be a place of worship. Everything had purpose and meaning. The tent and in particular, the holy of holies was the place for Lord's glory and presence. The embroidered cherubim on the curtains showed that the angels were guarding His glory. The priests could do what the people could not, and only the high priest could go into the holiest place, and only once a year. So the tabernacle showcased the holiness of God. Sinful man could not just casually stroll into His presence as if he were walking into a Wal-Mart or even a church building. Passages like this should remind us that we serve a holy God. Even John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, fell down as a dead man when he encountered the glorified Christ on Patmos (Revelation 1:17) Yet we must also remember Jesus words to him, Do not be afraid. It is only because of Jesus that sinners may be forgiven and accepted into His presence. The tabernacle laid out the parameters for how a sinful people could worship, serve, fellowship and enjoy the one who sits in the heavens. Worship, serve, fellowship, and enjoy; there are those words again.

3 I m not going to discuss the altar of incense or the laver. These items actually occur in the next section. But I m also not going to talk much about the table of the bread of the Presence or the lampstand; although it is interesting that lampstands are mentioned in Revelation in the letters to the churches. Churches like individual Christians are to be places that shine God s light to a world in darkness. I do want to talk about the ark. Read 25:10-22 The ark was a wooden box about 4 by 2 ½ by 2' overlaid with gold and gold trim. It had legs and rings and poles for ease in transport. If you ve seen the movie, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, you probably have a fairly decent representation of what it looked like. The stone tablets were to be placed in it, so it was called the ark of the testimony. Because the ark held the core requirements of the covenant (the Ten Commandments), it represented God's standard of righteousness. In 1 Samuel 6, we read that the men of Beth-shemesh peeked in the ark and the Lord struck down a number of them so that they cried out, Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? That was a great question then and still is now. Here in part is the answer. There was a cover to go over the box, and the cover didn t speak of law, but of mercy and forgiveness. The cover is called the mercy seat or the kapporet, the place of atonement or forgiveness. The mercy seat, or place of atonement was the solid lid of the box made of pure gold. It sealed in the Law as a covering but it provided the place for the sprinkling of the blood on the Day of Atonement. In other words, the ark showed everyone God s righteousness and His mercy at the same time, just like Jesus did. The mercy seat was to have two cherubim at the ends facing each other with their faces turned toward the mercy seat. We first meet angels called cherubim in Genesis 3. They are stationed in Eden to guard the way to the tree of Life. Ezekiel gets an eyeful of cherubim in chapter 10 when the glory of God departs from the temple. Wherever cherubim are the Lord is close by. These two angels showed the ark was the footstool of God who is enthroned in heaven above the cherubim. 25:22 reads, There I will meet with you, and I will commune with you. There s the point of the tabernacle. It s the place where God at least in part can commune with people as He did with Adam and Eve in Eden. The ark revealed God s righteousness (the Ten Commandments), as well as His mercy. If the ark could talk it would say this: If God judged us on our righteousness (if the lid of the ark were opened) we d all perish, just like the men of Beth-shemesh. But blood is sprinkled on the mercy seat to make atonement for our sin. What does the apostle write in Titus 3:5? Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy (in Christ) He saved us. If you are trying to be right or get right with God based on your good works, stop right now. Forgiveness from sins and salvation from the judgment of God is available to us because of Christ s death. It was His blood that atoned for our sins. If you haven t trusted in Christ alone for salvation what s keeping you from doing so right now?

4 Next on the list of instructions is the table of the bread of the Presence. This table and the bread on it may have been a reminder that the Lord was the provider of bread or that man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The priests were allowed to eat this bread and it was this bread that Abimelech gave to David and his men to eat when they were on the run from Saul in 1 Samuel 21. Next is the lampstand or menorah, plus the snuffers and the snuffer dishes. The lampstand may have been placed in the tabernacle to provide light, but the tree shape design showed it was far more than a table lamp. The oil for the lamp was to be provided by the people and it had to be a certain kind. 27:20 will give the specifics on what kind of oil. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah has its roots in a miracle regarding this oil and how one day s worth of oil lasted eight days when the Maccabees overthrew the Seleucid monarchy and took back the temple in Jerusalem and cleansed and purified it. For some reason, the lampstand reminds me of the song I sang as a kid, Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning... In other words, Lord, let me be a lampstand for You. But what I want us to consider before moving on is that the bread and the oil showed that the people were to be involved in the daily affairs of worship even if they were not bringing a sacrifice to the altar. They were to be involved in ministry, as are we; whether in placing a gift in the offering box, or serving in some way to help others grow in Christ. The next section, chapter 26, is all about how the tabernacle is to be built. Instructions are given for the curtains, the loops, the clasps, the covering or tent itself, the boards, the connectors, the bars, the golden overlay, the veil, even the hanging of the door. Probably the thing as Christians we think about the most in the tabernacle is the veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies. We think about it because Matthew tells us that upon the death of Christ on the cross, the veil was torn from top to bottom. Hebrews 10:19-22 tells us about the significance of that torn veil. Since therefore brothers, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is His flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. We may worship, serve, fellowship and enjoy the nearness of God all because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. We know that the tabernacle is a type of Christ from John s opening words in his gospel. John writes that the Word became flesh and that He tabernacled or dwelt among us. The body of Jesus, like the tabernacle, revealed the glory of God and that s why John continues on to say, We beheld His glory. Jesus is rightly called Immanuel because He is God with us; God with skin. Everything He did showed the nature of God. Mary really did get it right when she sat at His feet to listen to Him. Martha eventually got it right too. They understood Jesus was the living, breathing, flesh and blood, tabernacle of God. We don t get to experience Jesus like Mary and Martha, but one day we will. Revelation 21:1-4 tells what lies ahead for us.

5 Finally, chapter 27 gives the instructions for the altar and the courtyard. The altar, like everything else, was made to carry on poles. It was the first thing you d see when you entered the courtyard of the tabernacle. Nothing is said here about its purpose here. That will come in the next section about the priests and in also in Leviticus. The instructions here are about its size, shape, the horns, its utensils, and ledge for the priests to stand on when they re offering sacrifices. Speaking of the horns on the four corners, it s to this altar and to these horns that Adonijah and then Joab run, and grab hold of as they plea for mercy for Solomon to spare their lives. It is in this courtyard and to this altar that the Israelites would bring their animals as sacrifices to the Lord trusting Him to accept the sacrifice and forgive their sin. The courtyard was 150 long and 75 wide and yes, common everyday people could enter this courtyard with their sacrifice, to pray, to sing praise and enter on special holidays. This is the earthly court that Psalm 100 refers to. Only the priests could enter the tabernacle, but people like you and me could enter this courtyard and in a very real way, leave the world behind and meet with God. I ve never been to Israel but I ve read there s something worth seeing at Shiloh. I ve read that there s an observation tower from which you can see the excavations of the ruins. But the really interesting to look at is on a nearby hillside. On the hillside is a flat field that seems unnatural or out of place. The field is the exact dimensions of the courtyard of the tabernacle. It s where the tabernacle stood in the days of the judges and of Eli and Samuel. When I think of this courtyard at Shiloh, I think about Hannah, just a common everyday wife, and how it is here that she bares her soul before the Lord and prays for a child. Listen for a moment to another prayer of common everyday Old Testament saints. How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. The bird also has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young. Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You! That s a portion of Psalm 84. Notice how the psalmist envies the little swallows that live in the tabernacle or temple area. As imperfect as we might think the old covenant was; those who lived by faith in the Lord loved being in His courts and near to Him. The main benefit of the covenant with Israel wasn t the promises of good health and prosperity that would come their way if they followed His word it was the tabernacle it was His nearness.

6 That is why I said at the beginning, that our greatest need has always been our need to worship, serve, fellowship and enjoy God. The tabernacle met this need for Israel and in a much greater way; Christ has met this need for us. Adam blew it. When he sinned, it destroyed his and our relationship with God as God designed it. And by the way, it also ruined our relationships with one another. God s plan of redemption has been to restore to us, the Eden-type intimacy with Him and to restore our relationships with one another in Christ as well. As Christians, we don t need to visit Shiloh, or Jerusalem to experience nearness with God. We may worship and serve and fellowship and enjoy God where we live, where we work and where ever we go All because of what Jesus, the living tabernacle of God, did for us on the cross. God forgives our sins because of Christ; we may have fellowship with Him because of Christ. We may worship, serve and enjoy Him because of Christ. And here is what one of my sons would call the icing on the cake we have become His tabernacle because of Christ. He has given us who believe, His Holy Spirit, to dwell right inside of us, making us His tabernacle or temple. Our tabernacle, our temple, this body of ours that houses His Holy Spirit, just like the one in Exodus, is to showcase God s glory. Only our pattern of design is Christ Himself. We are called to imitate Christ. So imagine for a moment that there was a New Testament version of Exodus for the church. I think it would read something like this: Instead of instructions for the ark we d read, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Instead of instructions for table of the bread of the Presence we d read, My food is to do His will. Instead of instructions for lampstand we d read, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Instead of instructions for the altar we d read, Present your bodies, living and holy sacrifices. Instead of instructions for a courtyard we d read, In everything give thanks and Pray without ceasing. Our tabernacle, our tent, this body that houses His Holy Spirit is to show the glory of God and how He has met our greatest need in Christ; our need to know Him, worship Him, serve Him, fellowship with Him and enjoy Him all are days on this earth and in the life to come. Sometimes it is good to close with a song. That s what I d like us to do this morning. Here is prayer set to music. Let s sing it together. Lord prepare me, to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I ll be a living, sanctuary for You.