Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Most of us spend considerable time and money personalizing our home. Often the differences between a home which is still busy raising children, and an ’empty nester’ home, or even a ‘retirement’ home are fascinating, do you agree? Our homes are a reflection of our values, our priorities and they reflect the stage of life in which we are! So, I wonder what your home says about you these days?
In our “Grand Narrative” journey we arrive at the moment when God designed an earthly home for Himself! WHAT? Did you know God designed a place here on earth where He wanted to dwell? God declared this to Moses: “Have them make a sanctuary for Me and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” (Ex. 25:8)
God is the greatest architect of all time, the Universe proclaims that truth, and Psalm 19 says: “The heavens declare the glory of God…” And we know that God is Omnipresent. He exists everywhere at all times, in all His fullness. (Psalm 139:1-12) And yet God is very personal, with each of us, all of us, wherever we are. Have you ever had an experience when you sensed the tangible, powerful Presence of God with you?
I left you yesterday with Moses enveloped in a cloud up on Mt Sinai. Remember? Moses wasn’t alone! Oh no, God Almighty had invited Moses into that cloud and for 40 days they met together, with God speaking His clear instructions about how the WORSHIP relationship God wanted with His people Israel would be their unique, defining, distinctive, setting them apart from all other humans on planet earth!
Today as you read Exodus 26 & 27, you’ll be reading the words God spoke to Moses, inside that cloud, which described the God designed ‘house of God’ where God wanted to dwell among His people Israel!
It was to be remarkable yet simple; sturdy yet mobile; homemade with materials available to these slaves in the desert yet God anointed for the cloud of His Presence would fill it! Like a modern architects’ schematic, God described every detail. Moses paid close attention. As you’ll see, this Tabernacle had only two sections… the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, divided by a royal curtain.
The unique Ark of the Covenant, described by God in Exodus 25:10-22 would be alone in the Most Holy Place. It was spectacular and it would contain God’s law, the Tablets of stone upon which the finger of God inscribed, the 10 Commandments. (Ex. 25:21; 34:29; 40:20)
The golden cover of this Ark, adorned with two Cherubim angelic figures, was referred to as the ‘mercy seat’, the place where God’s mercy was poured out in response to the prayers of the High Priest on behalf of Israel. God promised Moses: “There above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all My commands for the Israelites.” (Ex. 25:55) Oh my, does the thought of that send a shiver down your spine?
The Table of Shewbread, the golden lampstands (Ex. 25:23-39) and the Altar of Incense (Ex. 30:1-10) would be the only things in the larger room, the Holy Place. Both rooms had only one purpose… a place where God would meet with His people!
Pause for a moment. I urge you not to rush through Exodus 26 or pass it off as an old relic with no relevance to our day. Pay attention to the details. Imagine being selected as one of those people honored to fabricate this Tabernacle or any of the artifacts that would be used in worship inside this remarkable “Tent of Meeting”. Oh yes, that was the name God gave this sanctuary, for the purpose of this place was ENCOUNTER with God! (Ex. 25:22 & 29:42-46)
No matter where you worship in the world, I wonder what that special place is like for you? More importantly, do you have encounters with Almighty God there? Are those meetings you and God have so significant that they change you? Are you becoming a changed person as you meet with God?
As you’ll see in Exodus 27 God also explained to Moses a detailed plan for the outside area around this “Tent of Meeting”. A large Altar for sacrifices and Burnt Offerings and a large courtyard area for the people to gather when they came to worship their God.
While only select people were allowed inside the “Tent of Meeting”, and when there they represented the entire nation of God’s people; worship was also a deeply personal experience. God invited EVERY Israelite to engage in worshiping God, anywhere, anytime, but also at specific times they were invited to come here to the Tabernacle.
As God had provided the pillar of fire to symbolize His Presence with His people at night, especially as they traveled, so God instructed Moses to be sure the light from the golden lampstands (Ex. 25:31-39) always illuminated the inside of the Tabernacle, all night every night! Why? Like the pillar of fire, the illuminated lampstands symbolized God’s continual Presence with His people.
But, of course, this was long before electricity so a very special oil for those lampstands was prescribed by God. (Ex. 27:20,21) God told Moses: “In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for generations to come.” While the priests had many privileges and responsibilities, making sure the lampstands consistently illuminated the Holy Place was a very important one.
We need to pause right here. Around our world people have met with God in ornate, huge cathedrals and underground churches; in dungeons and in palaces; under trees and on mountain tops. God has met with His people in powerful private encounters and in great assemblies of thousands.
As we close today, I’d like to invite you to reflect on your worship story. The places, the experiences you’ve had in your encounters with Almighty, Holy God.
What is the priority you place on protecting the sacredness of your worship experience? Do you take it as seriously as God does? Do you prepare for those worship encounters as much as God does? Are you hungry for a fresh one today? Why not now…right where you are? Why not close out the noise of the world and seek a fresh encounter with the God who created you, loves you, and gave His Son Jesus so you and He could live in a powerful, dynamic, sin forgiven, love relationship? Here’s a worship song to help you worship, and as always more thought-provoking notes and lessons are available to you on the Grand Narrative link just below.
Today’s Scripture: Exodus 26 & 27.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Exodus 27
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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