DWELLING WITH GOD: PART 1 OF 2

A STUDY ON THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS

Written by Andy Levine, with considerable

help & inspiration from the Holy Ghost.

Introduction: Why we study this topic.

Ex. 25:8, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”

The Hebrew word for sanctuary is mishkan, which means dwelling place. It is used 139 times in the Old Testament, always referring to the sanctuary, the “tent of meeting.” Just as God was with His people in the wilderness, His desire is to be with His people today. 

1 Cor 3:16, ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ and also, 2 Cor 6:16, “…for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people”.

When we hear God’s heartbeat, we hear this and Jn. 3:16. Let your senses and your spirit experience the atmosphere of this dwelling place, His heartbeat is a happy beat.

Zeph. 3:17,”The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

Moses goes into God’s Presence:

The description in Ex. 25 is preceded by several wonderful chapters describing miraculous things God is doing with Moses and Israel. We see Moses frequently communing with God and receiving the 10 Commandments. Now, just before the “tent of meeting” is detailed, there is a key to hearing God’s heartbeat. Moses took a risk to get closer to the presence of God. Picture the scene at the end of Ex. 24.as the Lord calls Moses in v.12,

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there…” Moses responds in V. 15, “Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.” So far this sounds pretty cool, like something many believers would not hesitate to do, wow, experience the Shekinah. Look a little further, are you ready for this? V.16 “And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days … (V17) And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. (V18) And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount…”

Moses followed the call of God to a place of interaction with the Almighty, a place to be alone with God, a place where he would hear God’s heartbeat.

We go there to.

Are we that desperate for intimacy with God that we would climb up a mountain, get to the top even though it looked like “like devouring fire on the top of the mount?”  Was Peter this desperate when he got out of the boat to walk on the water in the midst of a storm? I’m glad Jesus makes it easy for us,

Matt 11:28-30, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.“

This relationship, however must be on His terms, “He is Lord.” 

Look at the purpose of this elaborate, ornate, detailed place again,  Ex. 25:8. “…that I may dwell among them.” Where people live together, they relate to one another. As we look at the details of the Tabernacle, let’s make sure to keep this foundation in mind. Everything must come back to this cornerstone truth that the Tabernacle is where we live with God, where we relate to Him. The Father’s heart is not just to have weekly visits with the Saints in the church house, He wants to live among us.

Its on God’s Terms

“For the scripture is designed to direct us in our duty, not to fill our heads with speculations, nor to please our fancies.” Matthew Henry, commentary on Ex. 25:1-9

Exodus. 25:9. “According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”

Our relationship with God is not on our own terms. Though we live under grace, not law, we cannot live with the concept that everyone can do what is right in his own eyes. Living for the Lord, relating to God, is under the concept that John the Baptist, and then Jesus, preached,

Matt. 4:17, ”Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 Studying the tabernacle will give us insights into God’s terms for this relationship. His terms are wonderful and reflect His loving character.

Look again at the beginning of Ex. 25. V1 – “The Lord spake unto Moses,” The Lord is not a blabber mouth. The scripture repeats this phrase, or other’s like it, frequently. Think about the consequence of these occurrences, think of the infrequency of these things in historical prospective. We have daily communication with the Father but words with such tremendous consequence are rare. Yes we must be led by the Spirit but we are given wisdom to live. There are those special times when you know you have heard from God and they should always be “wows” to us.

V2 – God told Moses to speak to about 2 million people. Now that’s a WOW. The Lord was very specific in His instructions and showed His character. He was asking, not ordering, the people to part with a large amount of high dollar stuff. Nothing in the list (verses 3-7) was common or inexpensive. These former slaves did not leave Egypt empty handed, they came into some big bucks. Now the Lord is asking them to give it to build the Tabernacle. The verse emphasizes that this must be a willing, heart felt, offering. Remember, these are Jews, and the response was overwhelming. Now that is a WOW.

When God makes His plan and purpose plain, and shows His love at the same time, His people respond. Hearts are moved to sacrificial action at the demonstration of His love and power. This awesome display of supernatural power on Mt. Sinai coupled with a request, not an order, is a combination the hearts of man cannot but respond to generously. 

Stay tuned, Part 2 covers "What the Bible Doesn't Say," how the Tabernacle symbolizes the Church and "God's Presence Goes With Us."