He Tabernacled Among Us

Second, both were the place where God would dwell in the midst of His people and Moses. God is present everywhere but chooses to manifest His presence strongly in certain places. Some even draw a parallel of the dark, cool room of the high priest with the garden account of meeting with God in the cool of the day.

Third, both indicated the quality of the creation after a time of observing what was made. Moses would say the tabernacle was a blessed place, and God said of creation it was “very good.” This is another reason the tabernacle had to have such specific commands on how to create it.

Fourth, both narratives end with a focus on the Sabbath. On the seventh day, God instituted the Sabbath. At the end of this narrative in chapter 31, God once again drew Moses’ attention to the Sabbath rest.

Fifth, a “fall” follows both narratives, where people try to substitute creation for God. Man, with his idolatrous heart, is prone to substitute something or someone else for God.

Sixth, both narratives have cherubim guarding the presence to God at the east entrance. But now in Exodus, the cherubim are welcoming people back into Eden through blood at the atonement seat. Some even suggest that the lamp stand was a type of tree of life.

These parallels show that the tabernacle was a step toward paradise regained. The breach that had caused separation was being overturned slowly. This was a step toward realizing the final dwelling place of God and man. Hebrews sees the tabernacle as not only looking forward but also as looking up. It was a copy of the throne room of God. We are now seeing how God will make a way for us into that throne room.

All of this is showing us the gospel. God wants a relationship with His people, but we are all sinners. None of us can come into the presence of God on our own. We cannot make it back to Eden on our own. But God provided a way to have access back to Him by blood, through a sacrifice offered by a high priest.

The next instructions include the bronze altar construction. It stood in the outer courtyard so that people approached it as soon as they entered. It stood 7 ½ feet long, 7 ½ feet wide, and 4 ½ feet high. Clearly, this was a very large altar. God told His people to make it out of acacia wood and to cover it with bronze. God also said to make the utensils of bronze. Only gold was used inside the tabernacle.

However, the altar was not permanently fixed, for it had poles like the ark and the table so that it could be moved. God had promised to live among His people. When they traveled, God went with them. God’s people were desperate for His presence to go with them (33:14-15). God traveling with His people—what a blessing! Even greater is this truth today in the New Covenant: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb 13:5)! God’s people constructed the altar to make sacrifices. Again, people come before God and His presence only by way of sacrifice. Communion with God requires sacrifice. The altar was the first thing a worshiper would see when entering. The massive size of the altar confronted them with the massive gap between them and God. There had to be a sacrifice. Remember: without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb 9:22). The people were reminded of that as they entered the courtyard. And we know that Christ is the ultimate sacrifice. He is the only One to bridge the gap between man and God. The gospel reminds us of these truths, and the Lord’s Supper gives us a holy ordinance to remember them. We approach God only because of blood. Christ’s blood is that of the new covenant. His body was torn for us; His blood was poured out for us. It is only through Him that we have access to God.

Though God would dwell in the middle of the Israelite encampment, it was clear that He was still separate from them. Walls and curtains would guard and separate His presence from them. He is holy, but He is also merciful and gracious in making a way back to Him.

Around this tent was a fence. Inside the fence was the bronze altar. The fence guarded about ten thousand square feet (Ryken, Exodus, 858). There was one entrance into this courtyard. People entered only from the east, as in the garden of Eden (Gen 3:24).

174The materials for the court were like those used on the tent. For the person entering the courtyard this served as a reminder of what was before them. It prepared them for the glory ahead.

Ryken notes that the setup is similar to the Israelites’ situation at the mountain. On the mountain, Moses went up and experienced God’s presence; at the tabernacle, only the high priest might enter the most holy place. On the mountain, the elders were able to come up half way; at the tabernacle, the priests were able to go into the holy place. On the mountain, the people waited at the bottom of the mountain; at the tabernacle, the people were only able to enter as far as the courtyard. Inside the tent, Israel was separated from the world (Ryken, Exodus, 860).

From all this, we see that there are limitations on interacting with God. For the people, they needed the high priest. For us, we have the great high priest who works on our behalf and enables us to approach the throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16).

The priests were responsible for collecting oil from the people for the lamps. There was a high standard for the oil. It was to be “pure oil from crushed olives.” The oil was for the lamp stand, which provided light in the holy place of the tabernacle. It continuously burned. Even in the night, the light reminded the people that God’s presence was among them. Even when darkness covered the land, God’s light still shone brightly. The priests tended to the lamps in shifts to ensure God’s light continued to burn. This light also reminded people to worship day or night (cf. Ps 134:1-2). God’s light was shining on them. They were His people. His presence was with them. This reminds us of the Holy Spirit, who is God’s light in us. What joy to know that God’s presence lives in us as believers always! May His light shine from us!

Ultimately, the tabernacle points us to someone, to the true presence of God dwelling with us: Christ. How can a holy God dwell among sinful people? How can sinful man enter the holy place? The tabernacle has shown us the furniture and the process for bringing sinners and the Holy One together. All of this points us to Christ, the greater and truer tabernacle. John said that Jesus “took up residence” or “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14).

175Regarding the better tabernacle, John Owen said, “Everything Moses did in erecting the tabernacle and instituting all its services was intended to testify to the person and glory of Christ which would later be revealed (Heb 3:5)” (Glory, 69). Indeed, the tabernacle provides an amazing representation of Jesus Christ that we need to behold. We could spend days meditating on the connections. I will simply mention a few of them and close with some more application.

Jesus is “the true light” (John 1:9) and the true lamp stand—“the light of the world” (John 8:12). We “were once darkness, but now [we] are light in the Lord,” therefore, through Christ, we must “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).

God’s presence is also portable in the new covenant. God’s Spirit comes and lives within His people (Rom 8:9).

Christ is the mediator who shed His own blood to redeem sinful man (Eph 2:13). While He was forsaken, we, by grace through faith, can enter God’s presence.

Jesus was the better ark of God. He, like the ark in the story in 1 Samuel 4-7, was taken captive by a foreign army and took the punishment the people deserved. Then what seemed like defeat ended with His triumphant victory, as He crushed the serpent’s head by the third day.

Jesus also represents the ultimate provision of God. He called Himself the “bread of life,” and whoever comes to Him will never perish (John 6:35, 51, 58). He is the bread we desperately need.

Jesus is the better altar (Heb 13:10). His ultimate sacrifice is the source of our salvation and the source of grace by which our hearts are strengthened (cf. Heb 13:9).

We now enter through the torn veil. The torn body of our Christ provides direct access to God (Eph 2:13-17). He can provide access past the cherubim. Instead of defending against access, they are now welcoming back in because blood has been applied.

Jesus is bringing us back to Eden as the high priest who enters the holy place for us and tears the veil for our entrance. And what amazing grace that we can now come boldly (Heb 4:14-16)! The Israelites came trembling. Yet in John 20:17 we read these amazing words: “To My Father and your Father!” He is our Father!

For us, God is building a new dwelling place. God’s Spirit dwells in us individually as believers and corporately as the church, a building made of living stones where Christ is the cornerstone (Eph 2:19-22; 1 Pet 2:4-8).

176May the glory of Christ represented in the tabernacle lead you to worship. As you behold Christ’s glory, you will find your greatest joy and will overflow with praise. John Owen said,

Everlasting blessedness is found in Christ.

What is more, as you behold His glory, God, by the Spirit, transforms us into Christ’s image (2 Cor 3:18). This is a fundamental principle for Christian growth. As you behold Christ, you become like Christ. Therefore, gaze on His glory by faith.

In addition, let the glory of Christ represented in the tabernacle drive you into unhurried and unhindered communion with the Father. What an amazing privilege to know that God welcomes us into His presence because of the priestly work of Christ. The author of Hebrews exhorted his hearers,

What a privilege we have as believers! How can other things fill our days and capture our attention when this privilege is ours? Let us draw near to God and pour out our hearts to Him in worship and supplication.

Finally, let the glory of Christ represented in the tabernacle fix your eyes on the glorious future hope that is ours as believers. Revelation 21 points forward to a glorious day, when the dwelling place of God is with man. In this place, God’s dwelling place will not just be overlaid with gold but will be made of pure solid gold. We will not need a lamp stand or the sun, for God will be the city’s light.

Do you want to be a part of His people? Do you want to dwell in God’s presence? Do you want to return to Eden? There is one way: Christ! We approach God only on His terms, and His terms are: “Christ.” 177For the rest of our eternal lives, we can and will only enter into His presence through blood—blood poured out by the Savior. Just as the tabernacle was a dwelling place where God abides, Jesus told us that to be in the presence of God we must abide in Him (John 15:1-11).