How God Dwells with His People Exodus 25-31 Justin Deeter August 2, 2015 Introduction Architecture is normally something we don t think about very much. Sure when you go to another country you may notice a change in the style and design of the buildings, but in general we tend not to pay very much attention to it. To us, a building is a building. Yet, architecture communicates a lot and reveals something to us about the ones who designs it. Throughout history architecture encapsulates the worldview of a particular age; it is a monument to that culture and their ideals. Architecture is an artistic expression that communicates ideas. Today, as we look at the book of Exodus we are going to see that God is an architect. He is going to design a structure called the Tabernacle. This tabernacle is the place where God s presence will reside in the midst of his people and it is the place where his people are to come to worship and sacrifice. God gives Moses careful instructions on how this tabernacle is to be built, as well as its furnishings. In fact, the plans and building of the tabernacle dominates the remainder of the book of Exodus. This tabernacle is not simply a tent, thrown together by whatever was available. Rather, God is trying to teach his people about how he is to be worshiped. Even the must insignificant detail of the tabernacle was intended to teach the people about the holiness of God and the primacy of worship. 1
As we look at this passage today, we no longer need a tabernacle to worship God. In fact, we don t even need a building. Yet, the tabernacle instructions teach us about who God is, how he is to be worshiped, and points us to greater realities found in our savior Jesus Christ. My prayer for us today as we encounter God s word is that we would learn what it means to worship God and how we come into his presence seeing Jesus as the true tabernacle and the true high priest. The Design of the Tabernacle So what does the tabernacle look like and what is its design trying to teach us? Well the design is very detailed and listed out for us in the pages of Exodus. By using the very detailed descriptions God provided, we can have a good understanding of what the tabernacle would be like. These descriptions can be laborious for us to read. We live in such a visual world, it is easier for us to see it. So in order to help us understand God s word, some pictures will be on the screen to help assist our understanding of these descriptions. It is best to think of the tabernacle in layers. The furthest outside layer is the outer courts. You would enter in from the east gate into the outer courts. When you entered you would see a tent, which was the actual tabernacle. The entrance to the tabernacle was covered with a curtain. Inside the tent was the holy place. There the priests would enter to do their work. Then when inside the tabernacle there was another curtain shutting off the most holy place, the holy of holies, where the presence of God dwelled over the ark of the covenant. So there are three main layers: the outer courts, the holy place, and the most holy place. Let us begin by talking about the most holy place and then move outwards towards the outer court. The Ark of the Covenant. The only piece of furniture in the most holy place was the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant was made with wood and then overplayed with pure gold. It has four rings on it, two on each side. This was for the transportation o f t h e a rk. Wi t h i n t h e a rk we re t h e ten 2
commandments. The book of Hebrews tells us that a golden urn holding the manna and Aaron s staff that budded was also within the ark. The mercy seat, or the cover of the ark, was fitted with gold as well and had to cherubim with the wings stretched out overshadowing the ark. It was here, between the cherubim that God spoke to Moses. No one was allowed in to this most holy place. Only the high priest would enter into it, and he would only enter once a year on the day of atonement. It was the most sacred place, where God s holy presence dwelt in the greatest intensity on the earth. People could not enter into this area of the temple, less they defile it and be consumed by the presence of God. Within the tent, this most holy place was shut off by a thick curtain with cherubim embroidered on it. So the ark served as a sign of God s presence among the people. If heaven is his throne and earth is his footstool, the feet of God rest above the ark of the covenant. It is where his presence resides on earth. It is the place where heaven and earth collide. The Holy Place. Within this holy place were three furnishings. There was the bread of the presence, the golden lamp stand, and the alter of incense. These three furnishings were filled with symbolism and meaning. The Bread of the presence was a table overplayed with gold. It too had gold rings with rods for transportation. The table had twelve flat loaves of bread on it, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel (see Lev 24:5-9). They were to be put out and consumed on each Sabbath without exception. The bread sits on the table representing God s people. The golden lamp stand was the second fixture in the holy place. This lamp stand was also made of pure gold. The central stem had six branches, three on each side. The lamp was to always be 3
lit, kept fueled with oil by the Aaron, the high priest. The light from the lamp symbolizes the continual presence of God with his people. This lamp would be near the bread of the presence signifying God s people (represented by the twelve loaves) who sit always soaking in the light of God s presence. The third fixture in the holy place was the altar of incense. It to was made of wood and overplayed with pure gold. It was in the holy place right before the veil into the Most Holy Place. The alter of incense represented the continual prayer of God s people to the Lord. Aaron is to burn the incense in the morning and the evenings as he tends to the lamps in the tabernacle and keeps them fueled. 4
So this image will help you see how the tabernacle tent functioned. To summarize, the Most Holy Place held the ark of the covenant which is where God s presence resided. It was sealed off with a special curtain. The Holy place featured the table of the bread of the presence, the golden lamp stand, and the altar of incense. All of these furnishings were overplayed with pure gold, the most valuable of metals. The Outer Court of the Tabernacle. The court outside the tent was where the people came to make their sacrifices. It was blocked off with a wall. You could only enter from the eastern gate. As you walked into the eastern gate you would see a bronze alter. Notice that the alter is not gold. The further you get away from the holy of holies, the materials become less valuable. It was on this bronze alter that the people would make their offerings. Another fixture in the outer court is the bronze basin. The basin was used for ceremonial washings before the priest performed their duties. It was a sign 5
that they were unclean, and before they could perform their duties they must be purified. As we have seen in our brief overview over the design of the tabernacle, everything was intentional. Everything was filled with meanings. From the design to the furnishings, all of this was communicating that God is holy. Human beings most approach God cautiously because of their sin. Eden Longed for and Anticipated The idea of temple or tabernacle is a theme stretched throughout the whole Bible. In fact, it is one of the most dominant themes throughout the entire Bible. This theme begins in the garden of Eden, which served as the original temple. It was where God and man dwelt together. God would walk with man in the cool of the evening. It was paradise as Adam and Eve worked in the temple-garden of God. Yet, because of sin, man is cast out from the presence of God. Adam and Eve leave through the east gate. We now live east of Eden. The tabernacle is God s way of communicating that he plans to bring man back through the east gate into his presence. God is going to return them to Eden. But the return to Eden and reaping the east gate for man to enter will be difficult. The tabernacle teaches an object lesson: God is holy, man is defiled, and the only way man can have access to God s presence and the only way we can return to Eden is through atoning blood. There are many things that connect the tabernacle (and later the temple) to Eden. The cherubim guard the entrance to both Eden and the holy of holies. Like Adam, the Levites are to serve and mend the tabernacle as Adam ministered in Eden. The tabernacle serves as the presence of God on earth, particularly through the sacred holy of holies. You see, what God is doing through Israel and through this Tabernacle is foreshadowing what is to come. God intends to fix what man has broken. God intends to restore his world and his image bearers in order to bring himself 6
glory. God s aim is the restoration of all things and to bring us into his presence. The plot line of scripture begins in a garden and ends in a city. We are moving from the sacred garden of Eden to the New Jerusalem. That is the trajectory of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. The tabernacle and the temple in Israel were object lessons for the people signifying the barrier our sin made and the need for atonement in order to enter. Jesus then comes as the true tabernacle. The word became flesh and dwelt (or tabernacled) among us. God himself comes in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the true tabernacle, the true temple. This is why Jesus tells the Jews in John 2:19, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. What is Jesus saying? As he stands in the temple he tells the Jews that he is the true temple. He will be destroyed in his death on the cross, but on the third day he will be raised. We are brought into the presence of God by Jesus himself. For in him, all the fulness of deity dwells bodily (Col 2:9). Now in this new covenant age, brought about through Jesus, God s presence no longer resides in a building or a geographical location, but God dwells within the hearts of believers. As one writer says, Whereas in the Old Testament God was perceived as dwelling among his people, in the New Testament he is viewed as dwelling within his people. 1 So the people of the church is now the new temple. The spirit of God dwells inside the heart of every believer of Jesus Christ. This is why we no longer need a tabernacle or a temple to worship God. We do not even need a building. If a tornado comes through and levels this building to the ground, Forest Hills Baptist Church continues to exist. The Spirit of God continues to remain with us, because the Holy Spirit is in us. 1 Alexander, Desmond. From Eden to the New Jerusalem, 69. 7
But one day God will bring his church into his presence in the New Jerusalem when the end of the age comes. God s people will dwell in this holy city. The New Jerusalem John describes in Revelation 21 is filled with temple imagery. From Eden to the New Jerusalem, God intends to dwell with his people. The tabernacle in Exodus points us to these realities that find their consummation in Jesus. Jesus is not only the true tabernacle, but he is also the true high priest. Jesus Our Great High Priest Another section of Exodus deals with the priests. God not only provides instructions on the tabernacle, but he instructs the Levites in how they are to serve as priests. Chapters 28 and 29 of Exodus deal with instructions on the priests garments and instructions on the priests consecration. Since the average Israelite could not enter into the tabernacle, the priests serve as representatives of the people before God. They symbolically made sacrifices and served the Lord on behalf of the entire nation. The garments they wore were extravagant, made of gold and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. All of this were to set apart the priests as holy. Yet, their fancy garments did not actually make them holy. They still had to be consecrated. Sacrifice must be made for their purification. Atonement for sin is needed. So in order to consecrate the priests, bulls and rams were killed to atone for their sins and to ordain them as priests. What is all this supposed to signify? The priests were unworthy to hold the office. They too were fallen men and could only offer sacrifice for the nations sin, by first offering a sacrifice for their own sin. The bloody mess of the sacrifices communicated that atonement is costly. Yet, all of this is a mile marker, to the one who would not only serve as the true high priest, but a priest who becomes the sacrifice. As the author of Hebrews reflects on how Jesus is our great high priest he writes in Hebrews 7:26-27, 8
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first to his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Yes, Jesus had no need for sacrifices. He was the blameless and holy one of God. He is the new Adam, who succeeded where we failed. He perfectly obeyed his Father. As a result he had no need to make atonement for his sin. So Jesus our great high priest, who has come from the heavens, boldly enters into that most holy place and there on that mercy seat he laid down his life. On the cross, our high priest, spilt his blood and died our death for the forgiveness of sins. The priest made atonement by his own blood. When it comes to the sacrifices in the tabernacle and the temple, the always continued. Day after day, year after year, burnt offerings were made for sin. As Hebrews 10:4 tells us, For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. So why did God ask them to do it? Why were these sacrifices made? God commanded them to sacrifice because it pointed to and anticipated the true sacrifice for sins, the death of God s own son. As Hebrews 9:11-12 says, But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. That is what our high priest purchases for us. He secures an eternal redemption by means of his own blood. As Jesus died on the cross, Matthew gives an important detail about what happened when Jesus dies. He tells us that the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. You see at 9
the moment of Jesus death there was no longer any need for a tabernacle or a temple. The veil blocking the pathway into the holy of holies is no longer needed. As our high priest Jesus gives his life for our atonement, we are now free to enter into the presence of the living God. Sacrifices are needed no more. No more blood needs to be spilt. Jesus tore the curtain. By faith in him we can enter into this wonderful and glorious relationship with God. We can know him, love him, and cherish him. Final Thoughts You might be wondering, what in the world does all this tabernacle and priest stuff have to do with you. After all, we have gone through a lot of detail and a lot of teaching here this morning. What s the point? What is God wanting you to see this morning? Well that is a great question. He wants you to see the brokenness of your sin that alienates you from his presence. He wants you to see your need for a priest and for a sacrifice. He wants you to see your need for Jesus. He wants you to see the weight of his love as he sends his own son to the slaughter so that you may have peace and salvation. He wants you to see his wonderful cosmic redemptive plan that seeks to bring us from a sacred garden to a holy city. But, I know some of you aren t satisfied with that answer. You are thinking, Justin, I don t want to know what I m supposed to see, but what am I supposed to do! The answer? Nothing. There is nothing left for you to do. It has all been done for you. As Jesus said, It is finished. The only thing you can do is say, God, thank you. Thank you for Jesus. There is no more work for you to do. Jesus has paid it all. All you must do to receive God s grace is to fall on your knees and call him Lord. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. 2015 Forest Hills Baptist Church 10