June 7, 2000
Reading
“Make this tabernacle
and all it’s furnishings exactly like the pattern I
will show you” (9)
These instructions from God to Moses are the key to the religious existence of the Children of Israel. The tabernacle was to be the place where God dwelt, where all the sacrifices were to be offered and where the people could meet with Him. The most important word in these key instructions is “exactly”, there was no room for improvisation, and nothing was to be left out, added to or changed in any way.
The tabernacle is itself a pattern or shadow of the current dwelling place of God. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16. God gave very specific instructions as to the materials to be used, the measurements for each wall, their height, length and width. The instructions for the furnishings were explicitly set forth so that there could be no question as to how the finished product would look. We never read that Moses had to go back to God and ask Him “what exactly do you mean when you say ...?”
The current dwelling place of God
is our body and He Himself made that. Few of us are completely satisfied with
our bodies for we like to change them to conform with
what we believe is more acceptable to us and others. What are three of the
biggest money-making industries in
What do we put inside this “temple”? Solomon offers us wonderful advice, “My son, ... store up my commands within you,” Proverbs 2:1. Consider your mind a warehouse and fill it with the Word of God. Do you want to “understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God,” 2:5, then the first four verses of the second chapter of Proverbs tells us exactly how to do it.
1) Accept my words, vs 1.
2) Store up my words within you, vs 1.
3) Turn your ear to wisdom, vs 2.
4) Apply your heart to understanding, vs 2.
5) Call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, vs 3.
6) Search for understanding as you do wealth, vs 4.
In other words we are to fill our minds with the Word of God. The furnishings in the tabernacle were there so man could approach God and communicate with Him. So it is with us and His Word. God has given us His Word so that we might learn more about Him, His ways, His laws and the principles by which He works. Is this a priority in our Life? It should be because these furnishings have eternal implications. Do we spend more time watching television than studying the Word of God? Does our hobby consume our time and leave little for meditating in the scriptures? Where does our passion lie? If it is not with the things of God then it is for temporal pleasure and gain. “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, ... For where your treasure is, there your heart (passion) will be also,” Matthew 6:19,20 (Parenthesis added).
Paul wanted to “know him and the power of His resurrection”, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is to fill our tabernacle with the proper furnishings, exactly as He says; see also Philippians 4:8.