Exodus 39:32 – 40:38, Numbers 9:15-23

Israel had an eventful time the first year after they left Egypt.

• They traveled through the Red Sea on dry ground and saw God swallow up Egypt’s army in its waters
• They were led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night
• Joshua led them into their first military victory over the Amalekites
• God met them at Mt. Sinai and gave them the Ten Commandments
• The Lord punished them for venturing into idolatry
• God gave Moses the plans for building the tabernacle

All of Israel worked together to build the tabernacle, and the Bible says they did everything just as the Lord commanded. When the tabernacle was ready to be assembled, they brought it to Moses for inspection.

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

When my husband went to high school in Blenheim, New Zealand, the school headmaster used to say, “Boys, repetition is the mother of learning, repetition is the mother of learning, repetition is the mother of learning.” In case they were in danger of forgetting it, he repeated this mantra to them just about everyday.

Today’s reading includes a lot of repetition . . . because the Lord wants us to remember what we read here. So let’s see what’s so important about the tabernacle that it bears so much repeating.

All in Order

 Moses started his inspection with the tabernacle tent and all of its furnishings and accessories. Then he moved on to the bronze washbasin and the bronze altar for sacrifices and checked out the curtains that formed the courtyard. Finally, he inspected the clothing for the priests who ministered at the tabernacle, and the sacred garments Aaron would wear as high priest.

“The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.” Exodus 39:42-43

In Exodus 39:32, 42 & 43, the Bible emphasizes three times that Israel did exactly what God asked of them. Moses had successfully transferred his knowledge to them and they cooperated fully in doing what God asked. This was a great moment for Israel, something to keep in mind as we read on. Israel wouldn’t always be this successful in doing what God asked.

The New Tent of Meeting

 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month.’” Exodus 40:1-2

Remember the tent for prayer that Moses set up earlier? The people needed a place to go to meet with God, especially after the episode with the golden calf, so he put up a tent outside the camp where they could go and pray. He went there himself and always came back radiant from being with God. Moses called it the Tent of Meeting.

It’s pretty sweet that when God was ready to move into the tabernacle, he called it by the familiar name the Tent of Meeting. Despite the fact that it was going to be restricted in some ways, the tabernacle was for all the people. They could come there to meet God.

The Set-Up

Moses moved into the site of the tabernacle and began setting it up. He started by raising the tabernacle tent and then installing the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies behind the curtain. He moved on from there and set up the furnishings in the Holy Place, then hung the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

He stepped outside and installed the washbasin and altar of burnt offering. Then he set up the courtyard by hanging the curtains that surrounded it. It was all finally put together.

 The disappearing View

It must have been exciting for the people who worked on the tabernacle to see it all put together. But as the tabernacle was assembled and furnished, and the crowd moved back to give Moses room, suddenly they were outside the courtyard. The Ark and the other golden furniture disappeared from their view inside the tent.

From that time on, the priests would be the only ones to see the interior of the tabernacle. When the tabernacle was moved, all of its furnishings were heavily draped by special priests and hidden from view.

The altar of sacrifice outside the tent was visible only by going through the entrance to the courtyard. The tabernacle had become a sacred precinct with laws for how to approach it.

Anointing with Oil

God told Moses to anoint the tabernacle and everything in it with the sacred oil. He also anointed the washbasin and altar for burnt offerings. Sinful people had handled all of these things while they were being made. Now that they belonged to God, they needed to be consecrated.

Moses called Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tabernacle where they washed with water before putting on their priestly garments. They too were anointed with the sacred oil. This process of washing and anointing would continue throughout the generations of priests.

Moses Gets it Right

Exodus 40 has two accounts of Moses setting up the tabernacle. The first account ended in verse 16 after Moses finished anointing the priests. The second account added some details about putting the stone tablets into the Ark, putting the bread on the golden table, and lighting incense on the incense altar. It’s as if Moses, who wrote this account, wanted to linger over the details.

Eight times in Exodus 40 the Bible says Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him, so it’s no surprise that the details stuck in his mind. He had carried the tabernacle in his heart ever since God revealed the plan to him on Mt. Sinai. Setting it up was an act of love and reverence for the Lord. It must have looked wonderful to Moses.

The Presence of the Lord

Moses had prayed fervently on Mt. Sinai that God would go with Israel to Canaan, and God told him, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

Now that the dwelling for God was complete, he kept his promise. The pillar of cloud and fire that had led Israel since they left Egypt – the same cloud of God’s presence that had enveloped Moses on the mountain – now descended over the tabernacle.

And the glory of God filled the tabernacle. It was so intense Moses couldn’t even enter the tent of meeting. From evening to morning the cloud above the tabernacle glowed like fire.

From then on Israel followed the cloud of God’s presence. When the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, they broke camp and set off, going wherever it led. When it stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed where they were. They didn’t know if they would be in one place for a night or a year, but “at the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.” Numbers 9:23

Now You are the Tabernacle . . .

 These chapters are just the beginning of the story of God dwelling among people on earth. From the tabernacle, the story continues through the building of the temple, the destruction of the temple, and its rebuilding as the second temple. Jesus worships and teaches in the second temple and prophesies its destruction, and then the Apostle Paul reveals that God’s dwelling is now in the hearts of all who belong to Christ. We who believe are now the temple of God on earth.

What are you learning about being God’s temple as you read these chapters?

This is the kind of question the Bible asks of us. We think we are inquiring into it, but it also inquires into us. When we take the Bible to heart, Scripture transforms our lives.