The Tabernacle – Abiding Principles from the Ceremonial Laws: The Presence of God (4)

The Tabernacle

Abiding Principles from the Ceremonial Laws: The Presence of God (4)

The Tabernacle was the constant witness to the presence of the living God.

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle for two purposes. First, it would be the venue where Israel would come, through the ceremonial laws, to be renewed in Covenant with the Lord. The people needed to understand that their sacrifices and offerings would not be acceptable unless they were brought to God in His way, through His institutions, and at His appointed place. Second, the glory of God would be there, concealed behind the veil, yet known to every Israelite. Thus the people would know the privilege and fear of coming before God in His glory.

It’s not my purpose here to unpack all the significance of the construction and furnishings of the Tabernacle, or of the regalia of the priests as they served there. Others have done this better than our present space will allow. I simply want to point out that everything about the Tabernacle was designed to invite the people of God into the mystery of His presence, to remind them of His character and promises, and to renew them in His glory. The use of graduated courts, various forms of abstract and realistic art, lights and fires, places for washing and burning incense—these all served to bring the transcendent God into the midst of the people of Israel, and the people of Israel into His presence. The Tabernacle was the very embodiment of God and His glory, a place where only the chosen people of God could enter, and only on God’s terms, but where they could expect to be received and renewed in His Covenant promises and love.

When the Apostle John described the Lord Jesus as “tabernacling” among us—using the same Greek word as in the Septuagint for the Tabernacle (John 1:14)—he intended to bring all that imagery suggesting the transcendent God, and all those means for being renewed and restored in His Covenant, into a new focus—the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. That Tabernacle which Moses constructed in the wilderness accomplished the purpose, for its time, of facilitating God’s presence with Israel. More important, however, it pointed forward to a greater Tabernacle still to come, Who walked among us for a season but has now come to dwell within His people in the Person of His Spirit.

For a fuller study of the pattern of worship revealed in Scripture, order the book, The Highest Thing, by T. M. Moore, from our online store. These studies and brief essays will help you to see how the pattern of sound worship, which began in the Law of God, comes to complete expression in the rest of Scripture. Pastors, we’re getting ready to start the next season of The Pastors’ Fellowship. Write to me today at tmmoore@ailbe.org for information about how you join in these online discussions. Our theme for the coming series is “The Worldview of God’s Law.” There is no charge for participation, but you must reserve a place for these monthly gatherings. Subscribe to Crosfigell, the devotional newsletter of The Fellowship of Ailbe.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.