Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends, welcome to the weekend!
I grew up with a Dad who was a master builder. His father, my grandfather, was a carpenter who built houses, so my father grew up with a love for construction. He achieved an architectural engineering degree and my Dad especially loved the years God allowed him to design and build church buildings in one of the poorest countries in the world. I so much enjoyed watching a drawing on paper come to life as my father led a team of people as they made the drawing become a useable church building. Perhaps that’s why I’m fascinated with the building God designed and explained to Moses, instructing him to lead the people in constructing a special place where God could meet with those who would be leaders of His people.
We’ve spent the past few days on Mount Sinai with Moses as he received God’s description of the ‘Ark of the Covenant’, the ‘Table of Shewbread’ and the ‘golden lampstand’. God concluded chapter 25 with this simple but profound statement: “See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” (Ex. 25:40) Have you and I discovered that the God who created you and me has designed how your life and mine will function best, will be most fulfilling and will leave a God honoring legacy? Have we determined we will prioritize seeking to live our lives according to God’s design for us?
While the description of the Ark, the Table and the Lampstand were amazing, I wonder if Moses kept thinking… ‘But what about the Tabernacle? What, O God, is your design for the building where you want me to put these remarkable things? We’re out here in the middle of the desert. How do we find the materials we will need? And is this to be a permanent building here in front of Mount Sinai or some type of movable building?’ Well, Moses didn’t need to wait very long to get his answers. All of chapter 26 of Exodus is the description of that structure God called the ‘Tabernacle‘. Of course it needed to be portable, since God had promised He would lead these 1 million people from Egyptian slavery to the land of promise. Their time here at Sinai was for learning what it really means to BE a people of God and how to live in a God honoring relationship with God.
By God’s design this “Tabernacle” was a large rectangular tent. It was divided into two rooms, approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the space. A thick curtain formed the dividing wall between these two rooms. The curtain went wall to wall and from ceiling to floor. It was a very specially designed and woven curtain, and it was very thick. God declared that the purpose of this curtain was to “..separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place…” (Ex. 26:33) Oh my! This Tabernacle was unlike any other structure in the world! Even the ornate palace of the Pharaoh of Egypt was not as significant as this “Tabernacle“. This was to be a Holy structure, for an encounter with God is a holy event and everything which took place inside this “Tent” was to be a sacred, holy activity.
This “Tabernacle” was not like churches or mosques or cathedrals or temples today which are open to the public and almost anyone may enter when the building is open. God called this “Tabernacle” a “Tent of Meeting”, for its purpose was to be a place where the spiritual leaders of God’s people would meet with God for worship, for prayer and for listening to God’s instructions for His people. I urge you to take a few moments and read through Exodus 26 taking note of how detailed God was in His instructions for Moses in the design of this Tent. It’s really quite remarkable isn’t it?
There is one more significant piece of furniture which God designed for inside this “Tabernacle” and we find God’s description of it in Exodus 30:1-6. God said to Moses: “Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense…overlay the top and sides with gold.” Then God instructed Moses to make horns, perhaps like those of a bull, on the four corners of this altar and overlay them with gold as well. Finally this altar was to have gold rings fastened to it through which long poles could be placed for carrying this altar, in the same way the table & Ark were to be carried. As with the other things God designed for this Tabernacle, the exact dimensions for this altar were specified by God to Moses. But, where would this altar be placed, and what would be its function, were questions Moses had I’m sure. Again, he didn’t need to wait long for God’s answers.
“Put this altar in front of the curtain that is before the Ark of the Testimony… where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will be regularly before the LORD for generations to come… Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the altar’s horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD.” (Ex. 30:6-10) Do you suppose Moses is rubbing his chin, perhaps even making some sketches as he listens to God’s descriptions? A large tent Tabernacle, divided into two chambers by a thick veil. In the smaller room, called the Most Holy Place, only one thing… the Ark of the Covenant. In the other room, three things. The ‘Altar of Incense‘, close up to the veil where the Ark is; the “Table of the Bread of the Presence” to the right and the “Lampstand” to the left. Can you picture it in your mind my friends?
Now Christmas is about one month from now, and I wonder if you remember that the Christmas story actually begins with an event that took place at this “Altar of Incense“? Dr. Luke, the author of the New Testament book of Luke, tells us the old priest Zechariah had been chosen by lot to have the privilege of bringing hot coals from the big altar outside the Temple and placing them on this ‘Altar of Incense‘ that day. Then he poured on those hot coals the incense as described here in Exodus 30:7. As priest Zechariah prayed, suddenly something shocking happened. Luke records it this way: “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth for he will be great in the sight of the Lord… and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah… to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17)
That’s a familiar part of the Christmas story isn’t it? But did you know the roots of that story are here, in Exodus 30 up on Mount Sinai when God, for the very first time, describes to Moses this special piece of furniture called the “Altar of Incense“. I love how God spans the time of generations and centuries to write His story through history! You may recall Zechariah was so stunned he could hardly speak, but when he finally caught his breath and cleared his mind, all he could do was ask a question: “How can I be sure of this…?” (Luke 1:18) The angel’s response is very powerful: “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news…” (Luke 1:19) Can you imagine if God had paused in His description of the furnishings for the Tabernacle and said ‘Now Moses, let me tell you a story of what’s going to happen with this Altar of Incense about 1400 years into the future…’! That thought causes me to ask you… what if God sent an angel to visit you or me this weekend and tell us some of what is ahead in our future?
Now this weekend, I’d like us to pause together with Moses up on Sinai, considering the design God has described for the Tabernacle. And I’d like to give you another perspective to consider as you contemplate these furnishings and their significance for you and me in 2021. Let’s consider entering this Tabernacle, together… once inside this first room is the Holy Place. To the right is the Table with the 12 loaves of the Bread of The Presence. To the left, the golden lampstand with seven branches of light. Straight ahead, the Altar of Incense, beckoning us to approach and engage in an encounter with God. And behind the veil ahead of us is the Ark of the Covenant. Get the picture?
Now let me suggest this perspective that I invite you to ponder this weekend… Consider please that The Most Holy Place, behind the veil represents the very throne room of God the Father, and the Ark of the Covenant His throne. The Table to the right, represents Jesus and His desire to walk through life with you protecting and providing all you need to BE all the Father has designed you to be. The Lampstand with its flickering light represents the Holy Spirit, ready to guide you, counsel you, empower you in every decision, every word you speak, every step you take. And the Altar of Incense is the place of worship and of being commissioned by God back out into your world! This weekend… spend some time in that wonderful Tabernacle and expect a special encounter with God! And here’s a worship song to help you in this moment…
Today’s Scripture is Exodus 26.
Choose below to read or listen.
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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 262.441.8785
“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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