God Dwells Among His People

 <Ex 25> 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; 6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Cheerful and costly offerings to God.

1) “Who” are you giving to?

• God!

2) “How” should you be offering?

• Cheerfully!
• <2 Co 9:7> Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

3) “What” to offer?

• Costly things.

“Make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.”

• <2 Sam 7:5-7, 10> 5…“Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”
• 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed…11 “‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you…
• <Ac 17:24-25> The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
• God does not need to live in a man-made structure, but why did He ask the people to build a sanctuary for Him?
  • “That I will dwell among you.” <v8>
• Visible tabernacle reminds of God’s presence.
• God wants to be with His people, and wants them to centre themselves upon Him.

<Numbers 2>

(Resource image from: https://biblicalscholarship.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/commentary-on-numbers-2/)

• OT tabernacle symbolic of future heavenly reality of “God dwelling with us”.
• In the NT, Jesus Himself came to dwell among God’s people.
• <Heb 9:11> But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.
• <Jn 1:14> The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (“tabernacled”) among us…

What’s inside the tabernacle:

1) Ark <Ex 25:10-22>.

• The ark symbolizes God’s presence, and is thus sacred.

(Resource image from Jeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com. Image downloaded from: www.freebibleimages.org.)

• Ark:
  • The tablets of the covenant law.
  • Atonement cover.
  • Two cherubim each at one end of the cover.

(Resource image from: Jeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com. Image downloaded from: www.freebibleimages.org.)

Exodus 25

20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.

21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

2) Table with bread of the Presence <Ex 25:23-30>.

(Resource image from: Jeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com. Image downloaded from: www.freebibleimages.org.)

<Exodus 25:30> Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

<Lev 24:8> This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. 

• Communion between God and His people.
• God sustains and provides for His people.
• Points to Jesus as the “Bread of heaven” <Jn 6>.

3) The lampstand <Ex 25:31-39>.

(Resource image taken from: Jeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com. Image downloaded from: www.freebibleimages.org.)

• God’s presence provides light.
• The Lord is always awake and never slumbers.

Reflection:

1. What is your attitude of offering to God? Do you struggle with cheerful and costly offerings? How can you present willing and costly worship to God?
2. How conscious are you of God’s presence? Do you centre your lives on the tabernacle (dwelling presence of God) and how can you do that better?