At Home with God

Do you ever feel like God is distant, far off, like you want to know him and live closely with him but you just can't quite pin him down?  Do you find that you want to feel close to him but that you don't feel like he wants to be near to you?  Maybe you're carrying a lot of guilt.  Maybe you've experienced grief and loss.  Maybe your prayers just seem to bounce off the ceiling.  Does God care at all?  You might be feeling like that right now, or you may have in the past.  If neither of those, then there's every likelihood you will feel like that in the future.

Maybe you're not a Christian and you wonder how it's possible for anyone to know God at all.  All these religions and ideas in the world – all these problems – how can anyone claim to know God, or even if there is a God at all.

Well turn up Exodus 25 and we'll see if there are some answers. If you haven't figured it out, this term we're finishing off the last twenty chapters of the Old Testament book of Exodus.  Tonight we're going to hurtle through seven of those twenty.  Just to put that in context, there are more chapters in tonight's sermon that there were in last year's sermon series.  It's a big one...

So where have we got to?  Well, in chapter 20 God spoke to the Israelites fromMount Sinai, giving them the Ten Commandments.  In 21-23 he spoke to Moses, fleshing out in finer detail how his law should be applied in the society of his people.  Now Moses has been called up onto Sinai, into the blazing cloud of God's presence to receive further instruction, instruction all about living with God.

Tonight's passage is a huge monologue from God to Moses, telling him how the people are to make a sanctuary for him to dwell among them.  It's mostly in the format: Make this using this, this and that, and do it in this way.  Then in chapters 35-40 we'll find almost the same amount of detail, mostly in the format: The people made this, using this, this and that, and they made it according to the instructions God had given Moses.

Overall the column inches in Exodus that are given to this sanctuary are about the same as those given to the rescue of the people fromEgyptin the first place.  In fact in the first five books of the Bible the people arrive at Sinai inExodus 19and they don't leave untilNumbers 10, something like 58 chapters later.  Why is that?  What's so important about all this?

Well, the building of the Tabernacle is arguably the climax of Exodus.  Exodus is all about God drawing his people out of slavery-worship of Pharaoh and into service-worship of himself.  So the Tabernacle is the completion of his rescue mission and chapters 25-40 all about this service worship of God.  God didn't free the Israelites just because he didn't like the way the Egyptians treated them.  He freed them to make them his people, redeemed by him, worshipping him, resting in him as he dwelt with them.

So the ig idea we're going to keep in mind tonight is this: God provides a way to dwell with his people.  Three headings:

1 – The Details – what is in God's design?

2 – The Significance – what does the design tell us about God?

3 – The Fulfilment – where does it all leave us?

1) The Details – what is in God's design?

First let's back up the big idea, so take a look at 25.1-9.  It all starts with an offering.  Each man whose heart prompts him is to give, all these rich and luxurious materials, precious metals, spices, fabrics, gemstones and more.    Where did all that stuff come from?  These people are walking through the desert.  Well it came from Egypt, when God allowed them to plunder the Egyptians of all of this stuff and carry it off with them.  Even these means to make these offerings has been provided for them by God.  God provides a way.  What is the provision for?  For God to dwell with his people, v8-9:

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

This dwelling of God with his people is foretold here by God, and then it's realised, made real, in chapter 40 v34-35:

34Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

That's where this is going.  The God who made the whole universe, the God who could choose to hang out anywhere at all, the God who could instantly create an infinitely glorious focal point for his presence anywhere in the cosmos and who is at this moment enveloping a whole mountain in cloud and flame, says to his people, "I'm going to hang out with you… in a tent.  In fact, I'm going to let you build it for me.  I've already arranged for you to have the materials, I'll give you the instruction, I'll give you the skills, you'll build it, and I'll come along with you."  God provides a way to dwell with his people.

Anyway, let's take a quick tour of these chapters, 25-31, and we'll build up a picture of the sanctuary God has designed.

Look at 25.10.  This is a surprise.  The first thing about the Tabernacle is not the Tabernacle.  Normally when you buy a house you start with the house and then you furnish it.  The house is the main thing, not a particular piece of furniture.  The house dictates to the furniture.  But here the Tabernacle isn't the main thing.  The main thing is one of the pieces of furniture, the Ark.[PICTURE]

It's a chest of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and fixed up with poles so that it can be carried without being touched.  So in fact, the main thing isn't even this piece of furniture.  This is just a very, very fancy box.  The main thing about the whole sanctuary is what's in the box: the Testimony, which we saw at the end of chapter 31 is the pair of stone tablets, inscribed by the hand of God with the very words of God, the Ten Commandments. 'Put my law in the box, in the holiest and most expensive and most beautiful part of my sanctuary.'  We'll come back to the Ark later.

V23: there was a table [PICTURE], also gold-plated acacia wood, with pure gold plates and dishes and the Bread of the Presence, twelve loaves representing the twelve tribes, always there in the presence of God, in the light of the lampstand, v31, [PICTURE] also pure gold, modelled on a flowering almond tree.

Then in chapter 26 there's the Tabernacle itself [PICTURE], a large tent with an acacia wood framework and curtains of fine linens, yarn, and on the outside skins.  There were two compartments, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.  The compartments were separated by the most elaborate and beautiful of all the curtains complete with a pattern of cherubim, angels, warning that behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place, above the Ark, was the invisible presence of a dangerously holy God.  In the Holy Place there was the table, the lampstand and we find out in ch 30, the Altar of Incense [PICTURE].  Then there was another slightly less elaborate curtain over the entrance to the Tabernacle.

In chapter 27 we step outside the Tabernacle and into the courtyard, a larger space containing the bronze plated altar [PICTURE] for burnt offerings, which obviously can't go inside the tent – fire safety and all that – and a bronze basin that we get to in ch 30.

Chapter 28 is all about what the priests will wear, v2, for dignity and honour, or in another translation, for glory and for beauty [PICTURE].  There's a tunic, which is a long white linen gown.  Over that there's a blue robe.  Then there's the ephod, which is like an apron, very beautiful and with two precious stones on the shoulders engraved with the names of the twelve tribes, so that Aaron the priest carries their names before God.  There's the breastpiece, which is a like a small armour plate over the chest.  That's got a different precious stone for each tribe, close to Aaron's heart.  There are bells on the hem of the robe so that the priest jangles when he goes into the Tabernacle, like ringing the doorbell of God.  There's a turban with a plate for the forehead inscribed with the words 'Holy to the Lord' so that those words face God as this human being comes into his presence.

Chapter 29 is full of gruesome details of the sacrifices and preparations needed firstly just to cleanse the priests so that they can get on with their work, and then details of what the regular sacrifices would be and what they'd be for.

Chapter 30 has more details of other items and practices, before we come to chapter 31, which we read, where we start to find details of who is going to build all this, men appointed and creatively equipped by God to be able to manufacture everything he has designed.  Finally there are the commands about keeping the Sabbath, which we'll come to, and at the end of the chapter, God gives Moses the two stone tablets, as it says, 'inscribed by the finger of God'.

Overall we're building towards this bigger [PICTURE] – a sanctuary where God could dwell with his people.  Later there will come detailed instructions for how the whole thing is to be transported, how the tribes should arrange themselves as they walk with it, and also how it should be set up in the camp and how the tribes should camp around it, with the sanctuary right at the heart of the people.

I hope that's given you enough of a sense of what's in these chapters so that we can move on.  Let's look at…

2) The Significance – what does the design tell us about God?

We can't possibly cover the significance of every detail.  You'll have to take my word for this that these elements and even aspects of their design are laced with symbolism and meaning about God and us and the New Testament.  You might have picked up that the most expensive, valuable and precious items are those closest to the centre, the Most Holy Place, so let's take the Ark as a bit of a test case.

10"Have them make a chest of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 11Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold moulding around it. 12Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.13Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. 15The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. 16Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.

The first thing to notice is that the Ark is a box.  It's an item of extreme beauty and value but it's built to house something even more precious.  The Ark is built to house the two stone tablets, the commands of God.  The Psalmist calls the ordinances of God more precious than gold, than much pure gold.  Why?  Two reasons: 1. By them is your servant warned; and 2. in keeping them there is great reward.

God has rescued this people for himself to be his and to be in a covenant relationship with him, obeying and worshipping him, as he blesses them in ways they could hardly dream of.  The Ark says nobody made this up.  This isn't just another man-made religion, worshipping the sun or sacred animals or made-up gods.  This is revealed religion.  God himself started all this.  The Ten Commandments go into the box.  In a sense the whole Sinai experience goes into the box.

How can the people enjoy the presence of God? By knowing and keeping his covenant commands. How can they show their love and devotion to God? By knowing and keeping his covenant commands. How can they worship him? By knowing and keeping his covenant commands.

And just as the Israelites are starting to fill up with dread, knowing that they can't possibly keep God's covenant commands, we come to the lid of the Ark, v17.

17"Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 22There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

V17: Make an atonement cover.  The footnote gives us an alternative name for this cover of the Ark: a mercy seat.  On top of the box that contains the law that human beings can't possibly keep is a lid called mercy.  In fact it's a mercy seat.  Essentially it's a throne called mercy.  Just above the lid is where God's presence will be.  That's where God meets his people.  And as we heard this morning, once a year, on the Day of Atonement the High Priest will sprinkle the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat, on this atonement lid, to atone for the sin of God's people.

The strange thing about the tablets, the law, is that they aren't kept outside the sanctuary where they can be put on display, and read, and taught and seen.  They're put in the least accessible part of the whole sanctuary, at the feet of God himself, God who brought them into covenant relationship with him by his grace, and God who would keep them in covenant relationship with him by his grace.  The Ark is all about God's presence – v22: I will meet with you there – and his mercy – this atonement cover and God's wrath being turned away.

That's just a little short look at the Ark.  What about the overall picture?  The Tabernacle is a great big visual aid for the people of God.  It tells them three main things.

The first is this:

1) The one holy God is with us

Outside the Israelite camp were the unholy nations and those Israelites who were ritually unclean.  Inside the camp were God's holy, or set-apart, people.  At the heart of the camp was the Tabernacle courtyard.  Inside the courtyard was the Tabernacle.  Inside the Tabernacle was theHoly Place, and beyond theHoly Placewas theMost Holy Place.  Only God's people could access the courtyard, only the priests could access theHoly Placeand only the High Priest could access theMost Holy Place.  Also, the materials become more valuable and more beautiful the closer to the centre you go, culminating with that pure gold mercy seat covering theArk.  All the elements are set apart too because God is not ordinary. He's not your mate. He cannot be engaged with casually or on any terms except his own.  But the people could say 'he's with us.  He's at the head when we travel and at the centre when we camp.  He's with us.'

Think of it like this: the sanctuary of God is like a nuclear power plant in the middle of his people.  It has to be built correctly and approached correctly and with great caution.  Access is restricted to a select few, who have specific clothing to wear and tasks to perform.  It's tremendously dangerous.  Approach in the wrong way and die.  But, it brings awesome power and blessing, off the scale of anything else in any religion in the world.  The one holy God is with us.

The second message from this giant visual aid is this:

2) Our sin must be dealt with

Human sin is deadly.  God can't shack up with a nation of people who worship made-up gods as if they were him and who cheat, defile and harm one another though all are made in his image.  Sin is deadly and must be atoned for.  A complex system of sacrifices is set up to teach the people one thing: the debt you owe God for your sin is your life.  As this animal is killed, it is killed instead of you.  In fact sin so contaminates the environment that atonement has to be made for some of the inanimate objects of the tabernacle system.  We get some of that in chapter 29 – bits of equipment and furnishings needing to be cleansed by sacrifices.  Just as all creation is stained by the Fall and brought under the curse of Genesis 3, so even these precious materials are not immediately fit for use in God's sanctuary.  They're contaminated by sin, which must be dealt with.

The third message from the visual aid is this:

3) Something even better is coming

This is the best tent in the world, but it is still just a tent.  It's portable.  And just as the nation hasn't arrived in the land, so the sanctuary is just a shadow of something that hasn't been fully realised.  If you've read these chapters you might have noticed a little phrase that keeps coming up.  It's good to watch out for repeated phrases, by the way, especially in large chunks of text like this.

-          25v9: Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

-          25v40: See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

-          26v30, 27v8 and so on.

Hebrews quotes this phrase and tells us that the Tabernacle is a copy and a shadow of what is in heaven.  I don't think that means that there's a better tent or a physical building in heaven that is some sort of architectural masterpiece that Moses needs to copy.  I think it means that the Tabernacle points to genuine, eternal fellowship between God and human beings.  That's what the Garden of Eden was until we broke it.  That's what the whole Old Testament is searching for: a meeting place between God and his people that will endure, where redeemed human beings will offer pure worship in the presence of God forever.

That's why there are so many flashbacks to Eden in the Tabernacle.  Cherubim guarding the presence of God, a lampstand that looks like the tree of life, a single entrance on the east side, instructions to observe the Sabbath.  The first Sabbath was the completion of creation so that just as humanity was to rest in God's creation, now Israel to observe Sabbaths in order to rest in God's redemption.  By dealing with sin this sanctuary allowed very limited experience of God's blessing in the present for faithful Israelites but it was no Eden.  So God is at work doing something bigger and better.  It's a great thing but it's just a piece in a pattern on a bigger trajectory in God's plans.  Just as an embassy is a little island of the homeland in a foreign country, the Tabernacle is a little outpost of heaven on earth.  The real thing is yet to come.  And that leads us to the last point:

3 – The Fulfilment – where does it all leave us?

Well perhaps you can guess where we're going to land. Hebrews 8-10 is the go-to part of the New Testament to help us understand the Tabernacle, so take a blue bible and turn up page 852 and let's read Hebrews 9.11-14:

11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Those chapters of Exodus seemed so remote, in time and place and culture, but we can say exactly the same thing as those nomadic tribes of Israel: God provides a way to dwell with his people.  And for us it's not a tent or a temple or even a church, it's Jesus Christ.  The tabernacle might be full of flashbacks to Eden but it's a massive signpost to Jesus.  Here's a taste:

The law in the ark… Jesus fulfilled it completely. The atonement cover… Jesus atoned for our sin with his own blood. The presence of God above the ark… Jesus is Emmanuel – God with us; his Spirit lives in us if we're followers of Jesus; his Spirit lives in us as a local church.  John 1 says of Jesus, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."  Literally he tabernacled among us. The table with the bread of the twelve tribes always in theHoly Place… Jesus who now intercedes on our behalf in God's presence, Jesus who said 'I am the bread of life, Jesus, whose body we symbolically share with bread at Holy Communion. The lampstand, giving light to the whole space… Jesus who said 'I am the light of the world.' The courtyard – the place of access for God's people… Jesus who said 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' The basin for washing… Jesus who washed his disciples' feet on the night before his death. The curtain barrier of theMost Holy Placewhich tore from top to bottom as Jesus hung on the cross. Jesus the true priest, Jesus the true sacrifice, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

Here's where all this is going.  The tabernacle tells us three main things.

In Jesus, the one holy God is with us.  Although the all-powerful creator God could have hung out anywhere in the cosmos he said, "I'm going to hang out with you… as a man."

In Jesus, our sin has been dealt with.  Jesus did not sin.  He did not owe God his life.  That's how he could use his death to pay for our sin, once and for all.

In Jesus, something even better is coming.  The tabernacle was a copy and a shadow of something better, a meeting place between God and his people that will endure, where redeemed human beings will offer pure worship in the presence of God forever.  Jesus said 'In my Father's house are many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.'

If you're a Christian and God feels far off, distant, remote, you need to look again and again and again at Jesus.  Look at him in the New Testament.  Look at him through the Old.  God provides a way to dwell with his people.  He is with you, near you, walking alongside you.

If you're not a Christian, notice this.  These three great blessings are only 'in Jesus'.  The tabernacle tells you that God is not easily accessible.  He's dangerously holy, dangerously separate from a world contaminated with sin.  But he can be approached on his terms.  That's through Jesus.  Look into him.  Investigate him.  He is the key.

Let me read a few more verses from Hebrews to finish:

19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.