Lesson Four: Exodus - Numbers
“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it…
And he raised up the court all around the Tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moshe finished the work. Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of HaShem filled the tabernacle. And Moshe was not able to enter the Tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of HaShem filled the Tabernacle.
Exodus 25:8-9; 40:33-35
A Return to Fellowship
- Man was banished from the Presence of G-d where he had dwelt with G-d – man was put out of the Garden because of sin.
- HaShem promised a “Seed” to redeem man – and then promised through Noach’s blessing that He would “dwell” in the tents of Shem.
- HaShem promised Avraham that He would bless all nations through him – and that He would give Avraham’s descendants the Land.
- The stage is set for a return to fellowship – HaShem dwelling with man.
Redeemed for a Purpose
- Exodus 1-19: the Descendants of Avraham were redeemed from slavery from Egypt for a purpose: to serve G-d.
- Ex 19:1-11: Once redeemed, HaShem made them His people, and then prepared them so that He could dwell among them.
- Ex 19:12-24: HaShem descended upon Sinai. The people, even though holy, were kept at a distance.
- Ex 20: The “Ten Words” [Ten Commandments]. Not a redemption plan, but a guide for living as redeemed people.
On the Mountain – a Pattern
- Ex 24:9-14: The elders “saw G-d” on the mountain. Tablets – on them HaShem’s teaching for His redeemed people.
- Ex 24:15-18: HaShem’s presence on the mountain – Moshe [Moses] fellowships with Him there.
- Ex 25:1-8: G-d reveals a mechanism for Him to dwell among the people. The purpose of the Tabernacle and the later Temple was NOT for redemption, or to provide for their eternal salvation. It was all about, “that I may dwell among [in] them.”
- Ex 26:30: Moshe was to make the Tabernacle according to G-d’s pattern shown on the mountain.
- The rest of the book of Exodus is about the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and the officiating Aaronic priests.
- The Tabernacle was to serve as a “traveling Sinai” – for HaShem Himself would dwell there – among His people.
- The patterns of cherubim reflected back to the Garden, from whence man was banned. Implying, there was a way back into the Garden, into the Presence of the Living G-d – through the cherubim and the Flaming Sword (Ex 26:1)
The “Problem” with the Tabernacle
- Ex 40:33-38: The problem with the Tabernacle was… after constructing it perfectly, HaShem Himself entered it and His glory filled – thus excluding man, including Moshe. The Tabernacle “worked” – G-d was there, but because He is holy, no one could still approach.
- Lev 1-5. The first five chapters of Leviticus deal with the solution to the “problem” with the Tabernacle – offerings [korban]. The korbanot [offerings] were not for “eternal salvation” – only two were even for sin. Their only purpose was to worship G-d.
- Just like the problem with the Tabernacle (i.e. unclean, unholy people, approaching a pure and holy G-d) – for a worshipper to come into the Tabernacle to worship, the “sin-dirtiness” of man needed to be covered. This is the purpose for most of the “sin” related offerings – to avoid death while in the Tabernacle. In other words, the effect of the offerings was simply to temporarily cover the worshipper while in the Presence of the Almighty.
- Of the “sin” offerings – most are not personal, but for the Tabernacle itself. Yom Kippur is a perfect example – the Yom Kippur offerings provided atonement for the Tabernacle and for the people, so that the Almighty would continue to dwell among an imperfect people.
- Understanding the difference between these two passages will open up a whole understanding about the purpose of the Tabernacle and the offerings that has been largely missed by believers for 1,900 years:
For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to G-d.
Hebrews 9:13-14For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Hebrews 10:4
Holy As He Is Holy
- Repeatedly throughout Leviticus, G-d calls the people to be holy. He does not expect “sinlessness” from His people – after all, much of the book of Leviticus deals with offering protocols for them to drawn near to Him in the Tabernacle – however, He does expect His betrothed bride to act in a manner consistent with redemption.
Summary
- Part of the Promise of the “return to the Garden” has taken shape. It is in the unlikely shape of a “tent” – a Tabernacle. The purpose of the Tabernacle was not for itself, nor for the people as a end in itself. It was to be the place where the people would meet with HaShem. It was the mechanism that HaShem would dwell among His people.
- This “Place” is an important picture in our understanding of getting back to the “Place of the Garden” – in order to experience the Presence of the Almighty.
- Is it about a “Place” or a “Person”?