In the Presence of God

Series on Exodus

VIII. The Covering of God’s People

D. The Presence in the Tabernacle, Text: 40

Title: In the Presence of God

Introduction

We come in this study to the last chapter in Exodus. This is not the final message because we have several events in Chapters 32-34 which we have not yet treated, but since the larger part of the book is occupied with instructions about the tabernacle, and since this is the climactic event, I wanted to complete our studies of the tabernacle before going back to the events of Chapters 32-34. We have looked at the preparation of the tabernacle, the purpose of the tabernacle, and we have spent considerable time on the pattern of the tabernacle, now tonight in our concluding considerations we look at the presence in the tabernacle. All that we have learned revolves around the central idea of God’s covenant. He is our God we are His people and God dwells with his people. In looking at the details of the tabernacle we have been learning about the circumstances of God dwelling in our midst. Now we are looking at God’s presence covering and filling the tabernacle. This is the actual point at which the tabernacle becomes God’s tent among the tents of Israel. We shall look at four steps in the fortieth chapter, the construction, the consecration, the commencement of the ministry and the cloud of God’s presence.

I The Construction

There are a couple of things to notice about the initial erection of the tabernacle which have spiritual significance for us. I do not speak of the matter which i have already alluded to numerous times which is reinforced again in this place, namely, that God gave the instructions for his worship, and Moses followed them to the letter. In fourteen verses seven times it is stated that Moses did just as the Lord commanded him. This is an important truth but as we have mentioned it before. I focus your attention on the fact that the tabernacle was reared in the wilderness when, after all, the children of Israel expected soon to be in the promised land. As it turned out they wandered forty years in the wilderness because of their disobedience, but they were not anticipating this. Let us beware of postponing duty or obedience to a more convenient time. Some people have fond thoughts of obeying God in heaven, but it is too hard here. Secondly I would have you note the time of this first construction. All the materials are ready and they have been working for almost a year and the official date was the first day of the first month in the second year as we read in verse 17, So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. It was New Year’s Day as we call it, but in Hebrew “Rosh-Hashanah,” the head of the year in the Jewish calendar. It was a fine time both for them and for us to think of our service to God and to make a new beginning, not like a New Year’s resolution, but with the mercy of god which is new everyday.

II The Consecration

This is described in verses 9-15, Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy. Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them. Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest. Bring his sons and dress them in tunics. Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. There is the anointing of the tabernacle itself, all the interior furnishings, the exterior furnishings, and then the washing and anointing of the priests. The articles and the people who served in the tabernacle were all symbolically cleansed. Symbolically I say because actually apart from the atoning work of Christ no cleansing could occur except typically and provisionally. Nothing was officially anointed until this time when all was ready and was put together to be used. It was at this point that both God and the people would actually use and coexist in the tabernacle, therefore, the cleansing waits until now. Hebrews 9:21 and 22 remind us that Moses sprinkled the tabernacle with blood as he had sprinkled the tables of the law and the people at the ratification of the covenant, In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. All the service rendered was acceptable only through the blood. And as Hebrews 9:23 tells us, this is true of us as well, It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. That better sacrifice was Christ, the Lamb of God.

III The Commencement

Significantly it was Moses the mediator of the old covenant who instituted the service of the tabernacle, verses 22-30, Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain and set out the bread on it before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him. He placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him. Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the curtain and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD commanded him. Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. He set the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings, as the LORD commanded him. He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. According to Psalm 99:6 Moses was a priest. In him were combined the offices of prophet, priest and king just as in the case of our Savior. Therefore there is an intimation here that earthly priests are insufficient. Even though Moses was himself a mere man yet he occupied a strategic and special place in the Old Testament economy. This is taught to us concerning Christ in Hebrews 3:2-6, He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. Thus the Aaronic priesthood is first taught its duty by the mediator, but even the mediator was of the tribe of Levi. And remember the whole Aaronic priesthood is seen in Chapter seven of Hebrews as bowing down in Abraham to Melchizedek who is a type of Jesus because his priesthood is not based on heredity or natural descent but on the power of a righteous life. It is this that qualifies our Savior uniquely to be the one God and one mediator between God and man.

IV The Cloud

The cloud first covered the tent of meeting and then the glory filled it. this cloud is the manifestation of God’s presence. In Exodus 24:16 and 17 we read that The glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai as a devouring fire and the cloud covered the glory, And the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Zechariah 2:5 alludes to this in saying that God will be a wall of fire around Jerusalem. The pillar of cloud was by night a pillar of fire and the glory was in the midst of it. The cloud did four things: 1) it indicated God’s presence during the day so that Israel would not say, “Is the lord with us or not.” 2) It concealed the tabernacle and the glory of God in it. 3) it protected the tabernacle, as it says in Psalm 27:5, For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 4) It guided Israel in the wilderness according to verses 36 and 37, In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out-until the day it lifted. The glory of the new covenant is quite different. Paul says in II Corinthians 3:18, And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. No longer concealed, the presence protection and guidance of the Lord is mediated to us thorough the fullness of the Bible and the fullness of the Holy Spirit who was poured out at Pentecost. We are in a superior state. The glory of God filled the tabernacle verse 34, Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. The fire did not consume the tabernacle just as the burning bush at which God spoke to Moses was not consumed. The tabernacle had been anointed, atonement had been made and the majesty of God therefore did not destroy it. Even so the glory of God was initially revealed in a way that prevented Moses’ entering verse 35, Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. How terrible the glory of God is, but what Moses could not do in that he was weak through the flesh Jesus did. He tabernacled among us John 1:14, And we beheld his glory the glory of the only begotten of the Father. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily as Paul writes to the Colossians. Because he was righteous, death could not hold him when he bore our sins. He paid the full price and still emerged victorious. He entered the holiest place into the fullness of God’s glory and in Him we are able to enter also.