Why? Why does Exodus spend more time on the Tabernacle than it does on the Law? The answer is found in those three chapters that we looked at in the last two weeks. Chapters 32-34 show the failure of the covenant people. Not just a few individuals, but the whole covenant community, sinned with the golden calf. Aaron himself failed. The Covenant of Chapters 19-24 had no provision for corporate failure. Israel, as the son of God, was called to faithful obedience, and their rebellion meant that God could not go in their midst. But Moses, as the covenant mediator, pleaded on behalf of Israel. Moses entered the divine council and interceded on behalf of Israel. And God heard the intercession of Moses, and forgave his people.

But what will happen the next time Israel sins? How can Israel stand in the presence of a holy God? More precisely, how can a holy God live in the midst of a sinful people? God had promised to give them the land of Canaan. He has said that he will go up before them against their enemies. HOW can God do this? Israel has broken his covenant. Israel will continue to break covenant! How can God forgive a sinful people?

THIS is why Exodus spends so much time detailing the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is the place where sin is dealt with. The blood of the covenant (Ex 24) is necessary for the covenant to bring life. Without the sacrifice, God cannot dwell with his people. Remember 33:7-11. Moses pitched the tent of meeting outside the camp. God cannot enter the camp of Israel, because the camp is not holy. AFTER the tabernacle is finished, the tabernacle will become the center of the camp. All Israel will be encamped around the tabernacle.

Because the Tabernacle is God's tent. It is the place where his presence dwells in the midst of his people. God can dwell in the midst of his people, because at the tabernacle, sin is dealt with.

The Book of the Covenant--the Word of God--explains the path of redemption. The blood of the covenant--the sacrifice--accomplishes redemption. And this is why Exodus moves from the establishment of the covenant at Sinai to the focus on the Tabernacle--the place of sacrifice.

This is also why the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the builders. Exodus 35:30-36:1. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is poured out upon prophets, priests, kings and judges, those who speak, bless, and rule the people of God. Bezalel is the only exception (the text never says that the Spirit was poured out upon Oholiab). Some have explained this by saying that God wanted to make sure that they did it right. This is partly true, but it is missing the rationale. The Tabernacle is the place where sin is dealt with. The Tabernacle is the place where God's presence will dwell with men. The construction of the Tabernacle is being equated with the inspiration of Scripture. Moses needs the Spirit in order to teach and write the Word of God. Bezalel needs the Spirit in order to build the Tabernacle and teach others how to do so as well. 

(And notice the concursus approach: God did not take a farmer and magically manipulate his fingers. No, God took a craftsman and filled him with wisdom and skill, so that the work of Bezalel's hands, and the instruction from his mouth, was precisely what God desired.)

Well, finally Bezalel and Oholiab and all the craftsmen of Israel have finished their work. 40:1-2. Notice that this is done on the first day of the first month. This means that the tabernacle was erected exactly one year after God established the Passover (Exodus 12:1). Passover would start on the 10th day of that month. (This means that it took around 6 months to complete the preparations.) It might be valuable some time to go through the details of the Tabernacle, to explain each piece of furniture and its function; but we won't do that now. (I recommend that you do this some time as a Sunday School class for the whole family; have the kids build a scale model as a craft, and then do a study of what each part was for. It helps to be able to see what we are talking about.)

First God tells Moses what to do: 

Set-up: Holy of Holies (v3) 
Holy Place (v4-5) 
Altar and Basin (v6-7) 
Courtyard (v8) 
Consecration: tabernacle (v9-11) / priests (v12-15)

Set-up: frame (v17-20) 
Ark (21) 
Holy place (22-28) 
Altar and basin (29-32)
Including the burnt offering and grain offering courtyard (33)
(The consecration of the priests is described in Leviticus 8)

Jacob's vision at Bethel has come true. Remember Jacob, running from his brother Esau,  dreamt of a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, with the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. And Yahweh spoke to him saying [Genesis 28:13-15]. When Jacob awoke, he said [v17] and named the place "Bethel." The Tabernacle is the fulfillment of that vision. The promise of the Land is about to be fulfilled. God said that he would go with Jacob, and would not leave him until "I have done what I have promised you." The Tabernacle is the only way that God could go with Israel/Jacob. The glory of the LORD departs from Sinai, the mountain of God, and descends upon the Tabernacle. It is the fulfillment of Bethel, the house of God and the gate of heaven, the place where earth and heaven meet.

The Gospel of John shows us what this means: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. "

When speaking with Nathaniel at the end of John 1, Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of God." Jesus claims that he is the ladder of heaven. He is Bethel, the house of God, the place where earth and heaven meet. And in case you missed the reference to Jacob's dream, Chapter 2 states it that much more bluntly. Jesus cleanses the temple, saying "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." John says "he was speaking about the temple of his body." (2:19-21)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God did not intend to dwell permanently in a tabernacle of wood and cloth. Nor did stone and gold suffice. These creatures were not designed for God to dwell in. Only humanity had that design. But after the fall, God could not dwell in man without destroying him. The glory of God, once man's covenantal habitat, was now death to behold. And so wood and cloth, stone and gold, became a temporary means for God to dwell among his people, and train them in his ways. Until the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. Until the Word became the sacrifice.

We have seen how closely Exodus connects the book of the covenant and blood of the covenant, the Word and the sacrifice. In Jesus we see that the Word and the sacrifice are one, because he is the both the eternal Son of God, and the true Israel. As the place where earth and heaven meet, he is the true temple of God.

And you, who are in Christ, you are living stones in that temple. Because you have been united with Christ, you have become a part of Bethel--the house of God. Ephesians 2:11-22.
 

Copyright © 2002 Peter J. Wallace