Exodus 25

INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE TABERNACLE

The great Covenant having been established, God next instructed Israel with reference to their public worship. Some elements of worship, of course, had been known for centuries by all peoples as well as the Jew. Cain and Abel had received definite instructions with reference to sacrifices, else it would have been impossible for Abel "through faith" to offer a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. All of the patriarchs offered sacrifices, but now God would require the building of "a tabernacle," or sanctuary, in which a regular and formal schedule of religious events would more thoroughly instruct and guide Israel in matters religious. There was another design. This tabernacle would serve as a type, or pattern, of that ultimate spiritual entity through which men would be able to know and please God, the Spiritual Body of Christ, the Church of the Living God. That a spiritual reality would be foreshadowed and typified by a literal entity like the tabernacle constituted a problem that no mortal could solve. Therefore, God gave Moses the "pattern" to be followed in this construction, requiring absolutely that he "make all things according to the pattern" (Exodus 25:9).

The significance of all this for persons living in our times is found in the inspired declaration that, "These are the copy and shadow of the heavenly things" (Hebrews 8:5). "They were a figure for the time then present" (Hebrews 9:9), and "copies of the things in heaven" (Hebrews 9:23). In this understanding is the only proper appreciation of these instructions.

Oddly enough, after the order to construct the tabernacle was issued in Exodus 25:8-9, God first gave detailed instructions regarding articles of what we may call furniture which would be contained in it: the Ark (Exodus 25:10-16), the Mercy-Seat (Exodus 25:17-21), the Table of Showbread (Exodus 25:22-30), and the Candlestick (Exodus 25:31-40), are all given in this chapter, and others later.

The chapter begins with an extensive contribution of the most costly items the children of Israel had: gold, silver, brass, oil, fine wool, choice linen, etc. A glimpse of the wealth of those people is impressive. All of the patriarchs of Israel had been extremely wealthy persons, and a thrifty and energetic people had retained extensive possessions even during the years of their forced labor in Egypt. And, in addition, God had put it into the hearts of the Egyptians to load them with costly gifts when they departed. In the meanwhile, there had been the defeat of the Amalekites' army, which also might have improved their economic status substantially.

Despite the fact of the tabernacle, where God would dwell (in a figure) with his people, being in essence a portable tent with an enclosure about it, its holiness was emphasized in the fact that only the choicest materials were to be used in its construction.

This and subsequent chapters constitute the citadel of Exodus. The constructions here were designed to serve eternal purposes, and they have fully achieved such a destiny. In this truth lies the incontrovertible proof that the hand of God was in every line of these chapters. That PeaJayEeeDee had anything whatever to do with such instructions is unalloyed nonsense. The marvelous spiritual meaning that shines throughout this blueprint for the tabernacle is totally beyond the ability of any mortal to have had any influence whatever in providing it. It was God who said, "See that thou make all things according to the pattern!" (Hebrews 8:5).