The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. And you shall bring in the table and arrange it, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. And you shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court.
Per God’s instructions through Moses, the nation of Israel constructed the elements of the Tabernacle. We are not told how long it took but in the preceding chapters we are told, in detail, how each individual part was constructed. Those who made these pieces of the Tabernacle brought them to Moses. In the verses just before the above section there are almost 50 pieces they brought to Moses. It was now time to construct the Tabernacle. We can read in the above section some of those elements that were made and had to now be placed together. This is not a one time construction project. Every time the nation of Israel moved from one place to another they would take down the Tabernacle and carry each piece to the next place they were to settle. They would then re-construct the Tabernacle again. This is the place they would approach God. This is the way they would conduct worship. Today we sit in our bath robes, in our easy chairs and take out a copy of God’s Word on our phone to worship. We open an app to hear worship music. When Jesus gave His life for our sins He opened a way for us to worship His Father through Him without all these elements. We no longer have the form and function of the Tabernacle because we are now the tabernacle of God through the sacrifice of the Son and from the indwelling of the Spirit.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV)
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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