He Lives: God’s Dwelling Place (Exodus 40:1-15)

“You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart.” – Alfred H. Ackley ❤

Dear solitude sufferer,

There are times I feel empty or like there’s something missing. I think that’s a common feeling. There are times you wish for someone to understand, times you long for someone to hold your hand. Perhaps you don’t want to be single anymore. Perhaps you’re bored of your quiet floor. Well, suffer no more, for there is the Savior, knocking on your heart’s door. Let Him in, and you won’t feel alone anymore.

We have a God who desires to be with His people. He is Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). It’s so timely that we’re at the beginning of the Christmas month and I’m blogging about one of the glorious names of the Son born for us this season. Today we’ll tackle one grand design that God used as the way to be with the Israelites. It may not be as monumental as Solomon’s temple, but this design is more than its appearance, for its beauty is in its symbolism, its part in God’s plan of redeeming humanity.

Brothers and sisters, let’s probe into the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:1-15 (NASB)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ³ You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark with the veil. ⁴ Then you shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps. ⁵ You shall also set the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the testimony, and set up the curtain for the doorway to the tabernacle. ⁶ And you shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ⁷ Then you shall set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ⁸ You shall also set up the courtyard all around and hang up the curtain for the gate of the courtyard. ⁹ Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy. ¹⁰ You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. ¹¹ And you shall anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it. ¹² Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. ¹³ And you shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve as a priest to Me. ¹⁴ You shall also bring his sons and put tunics on them; ¹⁵ and you shall anoint them just as you have anointed their father, so that they may serve as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.”

We’re at the final chapter of Exodus where the blueprints God instructed Moses in Mt. Sinai are put up altogether. Our passage, however, is the instruction in setting it up. Here we’ll find the key items of the tabernacle. What is this spectacle? It’s just a tent on the outside, but what makes it wonderful is the Almighty inside who dwells.

There is an actual design inside. Art appreciators like me would probably be interested in seeing for themselves what they’re reading, all those golden things and the fine woven linen and the blue, purple, and scarlet. All these have symbolic meanings and I’ll explain some of them.

Illustration of the Tabernacle Tent (ESV Global Study Bible, 2012)

In Exodus 25:8, God commands the Israelites to make a sanctuary for Him to dwell among them. The first thing God tells them to make is the Ark of the Testimony, and it’s the first thing God tells Moses to place in the tent in our text. Inside it is where the tablets of the commandments were kept. It’s covered by what is called the mercy seat where God said He would meet Moses. This represents God’s presence among His people (Jarrett, 2021).

The ark is hidden behind the veil, which separates the Most Holy Place from the rest of the tent’s interior, the Holy Place. Inside it are the table, lampstand, and altar of incense. I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned from the audio Bible guide I’m listening to, Through the Word, founded by Pastor Kris Langham. (It’s an app. Here’s their website: https://throughtheword.org/)

The table is where the bread of the Presence is placed. In biblical times, a table is a symbol of fellowship (Langham & Ferguson, Exodus 25 B-Side: The Table & Lampstand). It think it’s still evident now with the dining table or even just at the thought of dining with company. Symbolism aside, the table’s importance is in its use for containing the showbread, which gives life literally and—symbolism back—figuratively as well. It’s a picture of Jesus as the Bread of Life.

The table is made of wood and is overlaid with gold just like the Ark of the Covenant. Everything inside the tabernacle is golden. According to One For Israel (2016), gold symbolizes God’s kingship, glory, and holiness. The gold lampstand portrays Jesus being the Light represented by the central lamp and His followers as the six lamps around it. It’s all in one piece showing our unity (Langham & Ferguson, Exodus 25 B-Side: The Table & Lampstand). The gold altar of incense is a symbol of prayer as incense represents the prayers of the faithful (Langham & Ferguson, Exodus 30).

Now the items outside were of bronze. Bronze is what God uses to show His judgment of sin, like when He used the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 so that those who were bitten by the fiery serpents because of their sin would live (One For Israel, 2016). (You can read about that story by clicking this link.) The bronze altar of burnt offering tells the story of salvation—something acceptable must die in our place (Langham & Ferguson, Exodus 27). The bronze basin dictates to be holy and cleansed before approaching God. The anointing oil marks the presence and work of the Holy Spirit as it’s anointed to make holy (Langham & Ferguson, Exodus 30).

Timnah full-scale model of the Tabernacle (Biblical Israel Tours)

In verse 13 of our passage, God commands Moses to put the holy garments on Aaron and his sons. I made the high priest’s attire in Animal Crossing, as you can see in the picture below. The design of the ephod, which seems like an apron, is similar to the design of the tabernacle. They’re of gold, fine linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet material. We know what gold denotes, but how about the rest? The white fine linen means purity, blue means heavenly, purple means royalty, and scarlet means sacrifice (Langham & Ferguson, Exodus 38).

The High Priest’s Holy Garments (left from ESV Study Bible; right created in Animal Crossing)

The design of the tabernacle from its materials to its colors to its functions is to point to Jesus Christ. He literally "tabernacled" among us, as the Greek word used in John 1:14 for “dwelt among us” is “tabernacled in us” (Christian Disciples Church). He is our High Priest, our Mediator to the Father. How does the tabernacle mediate people to God? Learn about it in the next book, Leviticus.

For today, the important lesson that I want to impart is dwelling among us is from the beginning in God’s heart. The Holy of Holies covered by the veil is now ours to approach, for His death didn’t fail. Purple came down from blue for the scarlet spilled for me and you. He arose since He is Bread, the Life believers live now instead. Hallelujah for Christ living in me! Eternity for us followers is a guarantee!

With love,

Celina <3

References

Biblical Israel Tours. (n.d.). Old Testament Tabernacle Model. Retrieved from Biblical Israel Ministries & Tours: https://biblicalisraeltours.com/old-testament-tabernacle-model/

Christian Disciples Church. (n.d.). Chapter 8. John 1:14 - “And the Word became flesh and tabernacled in us”. Retrieved from ChristianDisciplesChurch.org: https://christiandiscipleschurch.org/content/theological-metamorphosis-chapter-08

ESV Global Study Bible. (2012). Crossway.

Jarrett, E. (2021, October 15). What Is the Mercy Seat, and Why Is It Important? Retrieved from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-the-mercy-seat-and-why-is-it-important.html

Langham, K., & Ferguson, J. (n.d.). Exodus 25 B-Side: The Table & Lampstand. Exodus | The Rescue. Westminster, California, United States of America: Through the Word.

Langham, K., & Ferguson, J. (n.d.). Exodus 27. Exodus | The Rescue. Westminster, California, United States of America: Through the Word.

Langham, K., & Ferguson, J. (n.d.). Exodus 30. Exodus | The Rescue. Westminster, California, United States of America: Through the Word.

Langham, K., & Ferguson, J. (n.d.). Exodus 38. Exodus | The Rescue. Westminster, California, United Staes of America: Through the Word.

One For Israel. (2016, May 31). The Meaning of Bronze in the Bible. Retrieved from OneForIsrael.org: https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/the-meaning-of-bronze-in-the-bible/.

Next: I Offer My Life: To Love is To Sacrifice (Leviticus 9:1-7)

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