And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it(Ex. 25:8-9).
In today’s reading, the Lord continues to outline His expectations for His people. He also gives them further details concerning His magnificent promise that was first made to Abraham centuries before. And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee (Ex. 23:31). After this He makes an amazing proclamation. And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. For the first time since sin entered into the world, the Lord was choosing to dwell among His people. The tabernacle, built and staffed according to God’s heavenly specifications, would allow His people to live continuously in His presence.
The importance of the tabernacle to the Israelites (and, indeed, to us today) cannot be stressed enough. It is through the tabernacle that God laid the groundwork for His ultimate plan of salvation. God had never intended for mankind to live apart from Him; the separation was built of sin. The tabernacle, in all its glory, introduced God’s chosen people to His viewpoint. It was to occupy the central spot in camp (Num. 2:1-34). It was to be placed first, and then the camp would be laid out around it. It was not of stationary construction, but rather, it was fashioned as a tent, made to travel with (lead!) the people throughout their lives. In all ways, the tabernacle typified Christ, whose later entrance into the world made perfect the Lord’s design. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
Once completed, the tabernacle would be fully equipped to meet the spiritual needs of the Israelites. It would be a holy place in which God could dwell apart from the sinful nature of His people. It would be a place of sacrifice (27:1-4), a place from which the sins of the people could be atoned, and it would be a place of meeting (25:22). Through the dedicated service of the priests, it would be the place that the people were able to approach God.
Every function that the tabernacle provided for the Israelites has now been freely given to us through the compassionate work of our Savior and King. The complicated rituals of atonement are gone, replaced for all time by the One perfect Sacrifice (Heb. 10:10). Jesus has become the door (Ex. 26:36; John 10:7,9) through which we may enter into the presence of God, and once we enter, there is no longer any barrier in our way (Matt. 10:32). For this reason, God does not now require a freestanding dwelling place on this earth. Instead, He has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell directly in the heart of every believer. Just as He made holy the tabernacle, so does He seek to transform our lives.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are(I Cor. 3:16-17).
Thought for Today: Modern humanity has access to God that Moses’ people could not even fathom. How can we not spend every day rejoicing?
Christ Revealed:As the Ark of the Covenant (Testimony). The wood demon- strated His humanity; the gold overlay represented His deity. Only through His blood sprinkled on the Ark could one receive forgiveness. God dwelt above the Mercy Seat (Ex. 25:10-22).
Word Studies:23:2 neither . . . decline after many to wrest judgement = don’t side with the majority to pervert justice; 23:5 forbear to help him = refuse to help him; 23:8 gift = bribe; 23:13 be circumspect = pay strict attention
Pray For Government OfficialsGilbert Palafox • Government Officials: Rep. Andy Harris(MD), Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.(NJ), Rep.Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick(FL), Rep. Aaron Bean(FL) • Country: Paraguay (6,703,860) South America • Major languages: Spanish, Guarani • Religious Freedom • 89.7% Roman Catholic; 6.2% Protestant; 1.1% Other Christian; 1.9% Other/ Unspecified; 1.1% None • Prayer Suggestion: Call upon the Lord, for He promises to answer you (Zech. 13:9).
Optional Reading:Matthew 25