JUL 15

Exodus 40
Memorise Hebrews 9:11
“let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them”

Whilst the first half of the book of Exodus narrates how God brought His people out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and how He led them to the foot of Mount Sinai to give them the Law, the latter half of the book is filled with instructions on the building of, and the actual construction of the tabernacle itself. You might wonder, why did God devote such a large portion of the Bible to describe the tabernacle in such great detail? What was its significance and role in Israel, and how is it relevant to us?

At this point some Bible interpreters, in their earnest desire to find Christ in all parts of the Bible, become overzealous in their explanation of the significance of the tabernacle. They seem to find a special hidden meaning or spiritual significance in every single part of this construction, down to the number of tent pegs, the make-up of the curtains, and the dimensions given. However, our interpretations only go as far as they are supported by statements and allusions in the rest of Scripture. We should not give in to fanciful interpretations that only come from the creative imagination of man.

What we do see of the Tabernacle was that it was God’s dwelling place amongst man. The meaning of the word ‘tabernacle’ is literally ‘dwelling’. God chose to show His glorious divine presence amidst His people, and thus the Tabernacle and all its furniture was built for that purpose. As they travelled through the wilderness, God’s presence and glory amongst them would be readily evident through the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night that covered the tent. This gave them shelter in the day and warmth by night. It was to be their guide and source of comfort.

The Tabernacle was also to house the various instruments to facilitate the offerings and sacrifices that Israel would bring. It would be the place where God would meet with man, and where man could approach the most High God. In that sense, Christ is seen in the Tabernacle, for He would be the Mediator that replaces this entire sacrificial system, for now through the one-time perfect sacrifice of Christ, He offered Himself up for us, and is the great High Priest through which we can approach God.

Thought: Christ is our greater and more perfect tabernacle!
Prayer: Lord, I thank You that I can come boldly before Your throne of grace to obtain mercy, and find grace in time of need.