He Desires To Dwell With Us
Worship with Shekinah Glory Ministry singing “Dwell Among Us”
In Exodus 25:1–9; 26:1, 31–37, God instructed Moses to prepare to build a tabernacle where He will dwell with Israel. The tabernacle would not only serve to be His dwelling place, but it would serve as His meeting place with them. The tabernacle was a reminder that God was with them, but also that He is holy and He will not compromise His holiness. Thus, even the plans for the tabernacle reinforced His holiness in the midst of His earthly presence with Israel. God desires to dwell with us, but let us never forget our sinfulness, His holiness and the price that Jesus paid for us to be able to come boldly before God’s throne of grace. Amen
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. (Exodus 25:1-7)
God instructed Moses to tell Israel to bring a voluntary offering. The items to be gathered in an offering were precious metals, yarns, linen and animal skins, wood, oil, spices and gemstones. Israel was to give from their hearts not from any prescribed obligation from God. Israel’s giving was to be out of their love and worship of God, and no specific purpose for the use of the offering was mentioned to them.
“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. (Exodus 25:8-9)
After the offering was gathered, God instructed Moses that He was to use the items from the offering to have skilled workers build a tabernacle (tent). The tabernacle would be a sanctuary for God where He would dwell among the people of Israel. Moses was to build the tabernacle and its furnishings to the exact specifications that God would give him. The detail and exactness were because the tabernacle would in effect be a scale model of heaven.
“Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker (Exodus 26:1)
“Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Put the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.
“For the entrance to the tent make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them. (Exodus 26:31-37)
Moses was instructed to have curtains made of the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen. The curtains were to be used to make the tabernacle, the entrance to the tabernacle and to separate the Most Holy Place from the rest of the tabernacle. The ark of the covenant was to be placed behind the curtain in The Most Holy Place. Gold hooks were made to use for hanging the curtains on posts made from acacia wood and overlaid with gold. The base of the five posts at the entrance of the tabernacle were made of bronze. The base of the four posts inside the tabernacle at the entrance of the Most Holy Place were made of silver.
The tabernacle was where God could dwell with His people without sacrificing any of His holiness. They could know He was with them and worship Him at the tabernacle, while still being aware of His holiness. Today, the tabernacle still serves as a reminder to us:
First, the tabernacle reminds us of the holiness of God and of our sinfulness.
Second, the rituals of maintaining, worshipping and sacrifices at the tabernacle remind us of the immense barriers to sinful people to ever come into an intimate relationship with a holy God.
It took the tabernacle and all of the rules, rituals, and sacrifices for people to be able to draw near to God (or for God to draw near to men). This is the measure of our sinfulness and of God's holiness. Therefore, let us never forget that our freedom to boldly come into the presence of the living God is due, not to our goodness, or to a depreciated holiness on God's part, but solely due to the magnitude of the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible shows that God has repeatedly gone to great lengths to dwell with His people and for them to know and draw near to Him. From the planning of the tabernacle all the way to Jesus’ saving work and sacrifice on the cross. God desires to dwell with us into eternity …and He only requires that we open our whole heart to Him!
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
