The majority of today’s reading outlines God’s commands on how to build the tabernacle – the place where he would dwell among the people. His instruction to Moses on materials, measurements, and design elements are very specific, yet is not exhaustive in the text as we read it. There are surely elements that we are not fully privy to, but that were revealed to Moses. The materials used in the Most Holy Place where the ark of the covenant resided were to be the most valuable (pure gold), and the further distanced items were made of less precious materials, silver, and bronze. The Most Holy Place was where the glory of the Lord would dwell and where he would meet with Moses. The curtains that would hang as an entrance to the Most Holy Place would be embroidered with cherubim – much like the cherubim that guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden after the fall.
Two things occurred to me during this reading.
First, God is a God of order. His commands for how his tabernacle would be built were specific. Every detail would have been accounted for. Nothing was left to chance or human interpretation. There was a reason for everything – every item, every material, every measurement. Just as in creation, the intricate design of all things serves a purpose. He is not a God of chaos or randomness. He is a God of order.
Second, God determines how he will be worshipped, represented, and approached – not us. These were not design elements that he desired to see but would be left up to the builders and Moses. Every detail includes the words “you shall”, “they shall” or “it shall”. This didn’t leave room for human interpretation. The LORD determines how he is to be worshipped, represented, and approached – not us.
Why do these two things matter? It goes back to reading the OT through the lens of who God is. He is transcendent – supreme and far above his creation – in his being. He is holy, holy, holy. He dwells in unapproachable light. He is the Ordainer, King, Creator, Sustainer, and Holy One. The fact that he is the God of order, and he determines how he will be worshipped, represented, and approached reminds me of his majesty. He is not a god of stone or wood. He is the living God who is not only transcendent or far above us, but he is also immanent – existing with us.
The LORD dwelt among the people of Israel in the Tabernacle. Now, in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, God dwells within his people. How beautiful and amazing is that?
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