Week 8: Exodus 34 – 40 and Psalms 50 – 56
At first glance, Exodus 35-40 can seem a bit redundant. These chapters mirror chapters 25-31 with a detailed account of the building of the tabernacle and all of the elements for the pattern of worship God was giving His people. The difference is, however, in the first account, the instructions were prefaced with, “You shall make,” or, “You shall command the people to…” In the latter section, the instructions were actually being accomplished. We read in Exodus 39:32:
“Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did.”
Israel’s obedience to do all that God had given them to do delighted Moses, and he blessed them. Moses then finished the project by putting each of the items for worship in their proper place and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, consecrating them to the Lord. Then, in a moment, the intended purpose for all of the work the people had done culminated as the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle! He moved in!! Can you imagine!?
What a magnificent ending to the book of Exodus! Through the whole thing, we saw God making Himself known and setting Himself apart from everything else that had become an object of worship for His people. What was the final thing He showed the people about Himself in Exodus? That it was His ultimate and utmost desire to dwell with them! He wants to live with us, to set up His tent in our midst and enjoy daily relationship with us.
The conclusion of Exodus reveals a pattern that continues throughout the Biblical narrative. Obedience to God leads to enjoying His presence. It had already been made evident that disobedience takes us far from God’s presence. Adam and Eve’s disobedience cost them the joy and delight of His constant nearness. But, as Exodus concludes and Moses and the people of Israel had done all that the Lord had commanded them to do, God’s presence floods the tabernacle to the point that Moses could not even go in!
So, obedience leads to God’s nearness and presence. That is great news! That bad news is that obedience was not Israel’s main mode of operation, nor is it mine. Even Moses, with his dynamic and vibrant relationship with God, was not perfectly obedient to Him. Exodus 40:35 says that Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the glory of the Lord had filled it. Rabbinic tradition underscores the notion that Moses did not have access to the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence descended between the two cherubim above the mercy seat. When he “stood before the Lord” and “the Lord spoke to him,” (Numbers 7:89), it is believed that he was standing outside the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Only the anointed high priest could go beyond that curtain, to where God’s presence was, one day of the year to make atonement for the people.
Jesus, is our anointed High Priest who ever stands before the presence of God, making intercession for us. He is the One, whose perfect obedience made a way for all to draw near to the presence of God. He became all that the tabernacle represented when He put on flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Through His life of perfect obedience to the Father, His perfect sacrifice on our behalf and His resurrection that defeated all that our disobedience had ushered in, we get to experience the presence of God through His Holy Spirit.
Let’s notice another beautiful treasure tucked away in Chapter 36. Moses was describing how the curtains that made up the walls of the tabernacle were crafted and assembled. Verse 13 says this:
“And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole.” Exodus 36:13
And again in verse 18:
“And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be a single whole.” Exodus 36:18
In these verses, we see God’s intended craftmanship to use many different pieces brought together into a single whole to be what contains the presence of God on earth.
If Jesus is the glorious fulfillment of everything within the tabernacle…the bronze alter, the basin, the golden lampstand, the table of the bread of presence, the alter of incense, the Ark of the Testimony…and He chooses to dwell in us through His Holy Spirit, what does that make us? That makes us the curtains, the walls of the tabernacle! We are His body! He put on His own body and dwelt among us for 33 years. Now, He dwells on the earth in the Body of Christ.
“…so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12:5
Because of His obedience and our salvation in Him, we are no longer dismembered fragments a shattered masterpiece. We are fastened together by His perfect love and made into a seamless tabernacle for Him to dwell in. As if this were not exciting enough, it is only a foretaste of the presence of God we have to look forward to!
“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’” Revelation 21:2-3
I am so thankful that we have a God who is intensely personal. Relationship is the name of His game! I cannot think of anything on this earth more satisfying than a relationship where I truly know the person and they truly know me. Clearly our God knows us, since He made us and all. But how precious it is to see all the ways He seeks to be truly known by us. Does that endear you to Him today? Is seems to be, by all that the Scriptures reveal, that among us is His favorite place to be.