THE TABERNACLE WAS GOD’S HOLY PLACE EXODUS 25
The eternal God had unchallengeable rights from those He had liberated from Egypt.
’The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel that they bring me an offering. ’ They must release it from a free heart: ’From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.’ (v2) God described it as My thank-offering. Then our Lord specified the metals included in that special sacrifice: gold for His eternal glory: silver for the redemption through blood sacrifice; and heat-resistant bronze, for the burnt offerings. After the angel of death had taken the first-born of every home and of the flocks, the Egyptians wanted to see the backs of the children of Israel. They thrust these precious metals on them that climactic night, when they pleaded with them to flee from their country.
The Lord surprised when He stipulated that they offer blue, and purple and scarlet yarn, fine linen thread and goat’s hair.; ram’s skins dyed red, badger’s skins, ( dugongs ) and acacia wood.’ (v4) Why? The blue dye was extracted from a Mediterranean shell fish and was used for the high priests’ ephod. Egypt lay on the Mediterranean giving access to this dye. Scarlet was taken from the same ocean and from an insect inhabiting acacia trees. It would be on the high priest’s ephod, while the most enduring purple dye was taken from the insect that glued to the tree , only releasing the purple dye on its death. A remarkable picture of our Lord Jesus releasing his gift of eternal life as when He died at Calvary. The Old Testament has many portraits of the Lord Jesus released only by the gracious Spirit of God.
Blue speaks of heaven, God‘s dwelling place; purple is the royal color, presenting our Lord’s regal nature: while scarlet reminds us of Christ’s holy blood shed for the remission of our sins. Common sense combines with spiritual understanding in reading the bible.
Why fine linen? I appreciate Gwenda’s observations at a Swiss flax festival, when Bible-teaching in Switzerland. The newly picked flax was often scoured to remove any burs, placed in furnaces for heating; pounded with wooden mallets’ repeatedly. ’I see it’ she excitedly claimed. ’ It spoke of the sufferings her Lord endured at the cross.’ Fine linen was processed, which the bible teaches is ‘the righteousness of saints.’ Her excitement grew during the morning. Gwenda said, ‘Our Lord Jesus was like common flax, possessing no burrs, for no sin marred His life. Repeated heating and pummeling over several hours made the stalks elastic that it could be threaded into sheets of linen, frocks or shirts, even very expensive men’s ties. His Calvary suffering, persistent, heated opposition from the religious rulers; pummeling from the Roman tyrants produced our righteousness, where ‘He was made sin for us, Who knew no sin.’ Like fine linen, every detail in God’s holy word is significant. Best pearls are ocean-deep. Treasure it: meditate on it.
God covered the tabernacle with goat’s hair shielding it from desert heat and piercing winds. That perpetually jogged their memory of the scape-goat that carried the sins of the nation while the other was released into the wilderness. Ram’s skins dyed red continually reminded them that God substituted a ram for Isaac on Mt Moriah, when the Lord restrained Abraham from taking the life of his precious son. (Genesis 22). They too would shield the holy articles from fiercest conditions. Badger’s skins are widely accepted as the hides of the massive dugong, frequenting the waters of the Red Sea. These monstrous creatures, a cross between sea lions and small whales, when their skins dried, were valuable protection during harsh, desert wanderings: and supplied durable leather for footwear. God detailed creation of the tabernacle, foreknowing it would be His dwelling place for 40 years. Will he not also safeguard us, His redeemed?
God chose acacia or shittim wood for this offering. This black, finely-textured wood, free of knots, told of the perfect manhood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear cabinetmaker friends delight to work with such choice timber. Remember our Lord was an excellent craftsman with timber gleaned from Nazareth’s forests. Acacia thrived in the desert, recalling how Isaiah spoke of our Lord Jesus, that ‘He shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of the dry ground.’ This timber flourished near Jericho, where Joshua’s God honoured his faith by demolishing the city, giving access to the Promised Land. Christ was perfect God and true Man.
God selected this timber for the tabernacle, the mercy seat, the staves supporting it, and the entire structure of the sanctuary. Scripture reminds us of the importance of our dear Lord’s incarnation. His perfect manhood must be always linked with His Godhead.
‘Oil for the light’
‘God also surprisingly demanded ’Spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense.’ ( v6)
Why? Is our God unreasonable in demanding such? The anointing oil will be applied to each prophet, priest or king, symbolizing the Holy Spirit possessing that life. Aaron the priest was anointed with oil; David as king was earmarked for ruling by this means. Our beloved lord was anointed with the Holy Spirit, descending on Him as a dove from heaven: As Messiah, he was Prophet, Priest and King. God yearns that we know Him and enjoy Him for ever.
In Exodus 30, God commanded Aaron to burn sweet incense twice daily, ’Aaron shall burn on it ( the altar ) sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.’ (v7,8) God reminded Aaron that twice daily throughout each generation, this anointing will remind the Lord’ s people of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The sweet aroma testifies to our attractive, beloved Lord, Whose loving-kindness transforms every situation.
Abused and b eaten, the Chinese pastor was wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years, with the unenviable chore of working in sewerage stench, loathed by every prisoner. This spiritual giant sought this solitude, where he talked freely with his Lord, sang great hymns, communed with his God out of earshot of other workers. He met the wholesome Christ; the altogether lovely One, the fairest of ten thousand; the bright and morning star in dingy surroundings. While your own extreme situation differs, you, too, may enjoy ‘Him Who is as ointment poured forth.’
‘In 2 Chronicles 23, Moses‘ brother, Aaron was set aside for the high priestly office. Such a clear reminder that we are ‘kings and priests unto God and shall reign with Him for ever‘ and our princely prayer rising like incense is priceless to the Lord: that this setting aside should be passed on from one generation to another: he would hallow the most holy things: keep fervent prayer to God burning brightly: to minister before the Lord and to bless His dear name for ever. ‘Aaron was set apart , he and his sons for ever, that he should sanctify the most holy things, to burn incense before the Lord, to mnister to Him, and to give the blessing in His name for ever. ‘ (v13 )
The Hebrews writer accents this reality, ’The golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.’ ( 9;4)
Remarkably the worth of incense is reserved for the last book of the bible, the Revelation of the Lord Jesus. ’(8:3) Please observe that God treasures His chosen ones‘ prayer, which He mixes with the incense from the golden ( that is royal ) censer. Eternity will show how present followers of our Lord undervalued prayer, which enriches the believer; consolidates the family; ignites the church of the living God. ‘Then another angel having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. ’ Unpredictably, ’And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. ’
Incense and prayers are compatible, and fusing, ascend before the throne of God.
The offering demanded ‘Onyx stones ( short for sardonyx ) and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. The 28 th chapter amplifies this ‘ They shall take the gold and blue and purple and scarlet thread and fine linen, And they shall make the ephod of gold and blue and purple and scarlet thread and fine linen thread, artistically woven. It shall have two shoulder straps joined at its two edges, and so it shall be joined together, And the intricately- woven band of the ephod, which is on it, shall be of the same workmanship, woven of gold and blue and purple, and scarlet thread and fine linen thread. Then you shall take the two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel. ( 28:4-7)
The high priest carried this shoulder plate showing the nature of our great High priest even the Lord Jesus Christ. The colors speak of His golden Godhead, His blue, for heavenly nature, His purple as royalty and His scarlet sacrifice at Calvary; while the fine linen speaks of His righteousness, imputed to us. The ‘artistically woven’ indicates His attractive, yet complex, creative and regenerating power. He does all things well. The engraver etches the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on the ephod, so that the high priest carries the names of these valuable tribes close to his heart. Isaiah tells us that your names are perpetually etched on the nail-pierced hands of our great Redeemer. The dear Son of God emerges from the typical ephod shadows.
God made known His deep desire for his own habitation. The Christian belief is extraordinary that our God, Creator, and later Redeemer after our rebellious defection, should seek a home among those He reclaimed. Moses wrote this remarkable request, ‘Let them make Me a sanctuary, a homely residence. That I may dwell among them.’ (v8) This is amplified in 29:45, when the Lord assures, ‘I will sanctify the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also sanctify both Aaron and his sons, to minister to Me as priests. Our God promises ‘I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God.’ We are comforted knowing our Lord wants to reside with us. And brings His majestic Godhead to enrich us.
His command is reasonable. ‘Do all things according to the pattern showed to you on the mount.’