The remaining chapters of Exodus are centred mainly around the Tabernacle. Thirteen chapters are devoted to the description of the Tabernacle in Exodus[i] and fifty chapters in the Bible[ii]. Why is the Tabernacle so important? Each part tells us something about the Lord and how to approach Him.
Ennis observes that for centuries commentators noticed the term “the Lord said to Moses” arises seven times within chapters 25-31 of Exodus[iii]. The first six concern the tabernacle and furnishings (Exodus 25:1; 30:11, 17, 22, 34; 34:1) though the final mention introduces the sabbath command (Exodus 31:12).[iv] During the days of creation, the Lord rested on the seventh day. Did He need rest? Of course not. In Exodus 20:11 we were given the Sabbath as the Lord created the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh day. Notice Exodus 31:17 confirms, “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.” A rest day was given for our benefit to the glory of God. The Lord is a God of order providing humans created by Him and for Him, a day of rest.
In contrast to the Stone Edition Tanakh, the JPS Jewish Study Bible states, “There is significant scholarly debate concerning the existence of the Tabernacle.[v]”We must keep in mind however that the Tabernacle was a large tent, a transportable structure, some of the materials were perishable and they were a precursor of the temple which was a fixed structure. In the same Study Bible it states, “Horned altars have been discovered by archaeologists at several sites in Israel and elsewhere. They are an essential part of the altar:”[vi]What is discovered through archaeology is consistent with what is described in the Bible!
One of my new regular visitors to my book table remarked that there was a lack of evidence for the wilderness journey following the Exodus. My response was, what would you expect to find? The Tabernacle was a large transportable tent moved across a large desert. Would you expect the Israelites to leave silver and gold conveniently along their route for archaeologists to piece together the clues several thousand years later? It immediately reminded me of Basil Fawlty responding to a complaining customer disappointed with her view of the English Riviera. He asked whether she expected to see the Sydney Opera House or wildebeest majestically sweeping along the Serengeti!
Consider that in the Biblical Archaeological Society there are fifty-three people in the Bible confirmed archaeologically.[vii] Even a cursory examination of that list reveals exactly what you would expect to find. All those individuals are either rulers, officials or priests leaving materials or documents that have been preserved.
Willing Contributions
In Exodus 25:2 The Lord commanded Moses to obtain a willing contribution from those who were moved. They were to bring gold, silver and bronze, blue, purple and scarlet thread, fine linen, goats hair, ram skins dyed red, badger skins, acacia wood, oil, spices and onyx stones. One might ask where they would obtain those items in the wilderness or how could they afford that but we must remember that when the children of Israel exited Egypt, they did not leave empty handed. As they were leaving God gave them favour with the Egyptians and they were given gold, silver, clothing and what they requested.
Note also that the Lord provided so abundantly that the children of Israel had to be restrained from giving (Exodus 36:6-7). The Lord loves a cheerful giver, someone who is moved to give. Hudson Taylor famously stated, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” There is a vital lesson here and we see that the Tabernacle was established in God’s way as they prospered and flourished.
What spiritual lessons can be gleaned from their example for today? Will there be enough resources to provide for the needs of the congregation? The Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the earth is the Lord’s and all its fulness. We only own things on loan. All our money and assets are temporary and transitory. If we are serving the Lord according to His will and purpose then we can look to Him to provide our needs.
The contributions were acquired willingly, not through pressure or coercion. The principle is maintained and developed in the Brit Hadasha (New Testament), when a collection was made for the believers in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:7-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 16:1-3). The contribution was not limited to finances since the Israelites gave off their times time, skill and energy. There is mention of skilled artisans building the Tabernacle.
In Exodus 31 Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and knowledge in all manner of workmanship. Greek thinking tends to delineate between spiritual and earthy abilities but a Hebraic view recognises we can do everything unto the glory of God. Bezalel was involved in designing gold, silver and bronze, cutting jewels, carving wood and all manner of workmanship. God placed wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they might make all he had commanded them. There were poles, bars, sockets, lots of curtains and yarn was spun and this was a combined effort by men and women of God.
Some people have financial resources, others have more time and some have energy with which they can serve. At different stages of your life, you will have these resources in various and varying ratios and amounts. Be sure to use your gifts for the glory of God and for the edification of the congregation and do it willingly. If God is honoured and in ultimately guiding you in a project, then you will have the resources you need.
God wants to meet with His people
God wants to meet with His people but do you desire to meet with Him? The Lord has met with His people since creation and thereafter. In the Garden of Eden, the Lord God walked in the cool of the day, though Adam and Eve hid from Him. Are you meeting with the Lord or trying to hide from Him? Enoch walked with God and the Lord took him to be with him. Noah walked with God and God met with Abraham. Isaac went into the field to meditate and Jacob met with God and called the place Bethel, meaning the house of God. Are you walking with God and meeting with God and His people? God met with Moses at the burning bush and guided the children of Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
In various places throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament), the Lord appeared as the Angel of the Lord. This was Yeshua (Jesus) in His preincarnate form. Theologians call these encounters theophanies meaning ‘God appearing’.
The Lord dwelled in their midst in the Tabernacle of meeting which was a foreshadow of Someone far greater. The precise construction of the Tabernacle tells us much about Messiah. How did Messiah come and meet His people (John 1:14)? He dwelt, meaning tabernacled among them.
Let us now consider how we can meet with the Lord. If you wished to find one of Jesus’ talmidim (disciples), where would you begin your search? Look for their rabbi, their teacher. The disciples would make sure that they remained close to their rabbi. Think of how they would have valued and cherished those three intensive years with their Rabbi. The Sanhedrin forbid the disciples from preaching but it was evident that they had spent time with no ordinary Person. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled. And they realised that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) Are you spending time with the Lord and can others see that you have been with Messiah?
Think of Yeshua our Saviour who was perfect and undefiled, yet He spent time alone with His Father. How much more do we need to plan and carve out time to meet with the Lord? Our devotional times are of paramount importance because we need to meet with the Lord. We need to meet with Him to read and meditate on His word and to communicate through prayer.
We are incredibly blessed to have access to the Father, through the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son. In Moses’ time there would have been a lot of blood and sacrifices made because God is holy. The life is in the blood and was given to atone for sin. The blood of the Lord cleanses the believer from all sin and unrighteousness. Through Jesus the Messiah there is access to the holy of holies and the Father. That is the only way.
We should never take the sacrifice of Messiah for granted. The high priest would enter through the door of the tabernacle. Jesus the Messiah is the gate. He is the door. A sacrifice would be made. Yeshua gave Himself as a sacrifice. The priest would wash at the laver. Have you been washed by the blood of the lamb of God? There was a lampstand lit continually. Jesus is the light of the world. Have you come to Him? There was a table of showbread. The Lord Jesus is the bread of life and whoever comes to Him will never hunger. The high priest would once a year enter into the holy of holies, where there was an ark and cherubim. There was a mercy seat and when Messiah died, rose and ascended, He sat down at the right hand of God.
Meeting together as believers is vital and we are to meet all the more as the Day approaches (Hebrews 10:25). We need each other and the Lord desires that we meet regularly and spur each other on in the most holy faith. There are some believers not meeting for fellowship who need to get back into regular fellowship and a sound, Bible believing congregation. Every believer has a spiritual gift for the edification of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7) and the glory of God.
We are to be obedient to God’s Plan
Now someone might respond that being obedient to God’s plan is surely obvious. But what occurred so shortly afterwards when the children of Israel were not obedient? Moses was on Mount Sinai meeting with God and received precise and detailed instructions for how to build the Tabernacle. But they grew impatient in almost no time at all and they had a word with Aaron.
In contrast to waiting for Moses or collecting items for the Tabernacle they rebelled. Instead, they collected gold earings, fashioned the gold into a golden calf, built an altar and worshipped it. It was peculiar since they quickly established a paganized version of an altar. Aaron made that and proclaimed a feast to the Lord. They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. It was a grotesque form of false worship somehow attempting to worship at a hybrid altar. But how careful we must be to be obedient to God’s plan and avoid either human centred or pagan worship, or try to mix that with worshipping the only true and wise God.
The Tabernacle was not merely a ‘culturally different’ structure designed for worship. No other religions or temples resemble the pattern designed by the God of the Bible. The exact design of the Tabernacle and its furniture revealed much about Messiah. The Ark of the Testimony contained His commandments. Our Lord stated, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is He who loves Me.” (John 14:21)
The Tabernacle was designed and constructed to be the central place of worship for the children of Israel. There they could meet Him and there they could serve Him and there they could worship Him. Our obedience to the Lord says a great deal about how we value Him and relate to Him. Are you partially obedient to the Lord? Are you zealous to do exactly what the Lord has commanded? If you are partially obedient, slow to obey or unwillingly obedient, ask the Lord to change your heart. Being partially obedient, slow to obey or unwillingly obedient reveals both a problem with the attitude of the heart and a lack of recognising God’s sovereignty.
But what does obedience in how we serve God, look like in the life of a believer today? Firstly, we need to know God’s word, to know what God wants us to do so that we can please Him. Secondly, the children of Israel grew impatient waiting for Moses, built and altar and worshipped it. We must never try to run ahead of God’s plans, His will or try to orchestrate things our way. Thirdly, we need to follow God’s word exactly and we must not deviate from that. The construction and material of the Tabernacle was such that it speaks of Messiah. To name a few materials, the gold, silver and bronze spoke of deity, redemption and judgement. Fourthly, we must serve the Lord willingly. If we are grateful to the Lord, we will serve Him willingly.
Finally, are you prepared to meet with God at the Day of Judgement, because one day you will. What will you say? I have been a good person and been to lots of meetings and try to do a good deed every day? No, that is not genuine faith in the Lord! What would a believer say? Thank you for changing me. Thank you, Lord, for making a way of access to the Father because my sin separated me from God and I needed Your forgiveness. You are my High Priest and my Advocate. You are the door and only through You I am saved. I had wandered but You found me. Thank you for giving Your life in exchange for mine and taking my sin upon Yourself. Thank you for washing me by the blood of the lamb. Thank you for redeeming me by Your blood. Thank you for being the bread of life and the light of the world. Thank you for entering the most holy place and for saving me.
[i] Merrill Unger Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament (AMG, 2002; Chattanooga), p133
[ii] William MacDonald Believer’s Bible Commentary (Thomas Nelson, Nashville; 1995), p114
[iii] Peter Ennis Exodus The NIV Application Commentary (Zondervan, 2000; Grand Rapids), p509
[iv] Ibid, p509
[v] JPS Tanakh The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford University Press, 2004; Oxford), p165
[vi] Ibid, p170
[vii] Lawrence Mykytiuk 53 People in the Bible Confirmed Chronologically September 3rd, 2024 https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/50-people-in-the-bible-confirmed-archaeologically/