“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 Israelites had received some commands from God as to how to live their lives, He now gives instructions on building a sanctuary for Him to dwell in. Starting in the next verse and going through several chapters, God gives extreme detail as to how to build the sanctuary. The people are to build it to the exact pattern that God is going to give them.
When people read the Bible cover to cover, many will try to read through this section very quickly. It is just like reading a how-to manual on something that you may not really be interested in knowing. Yet, this section contains a great wealth of information for the believer. It reveals who God is and His plan of salvation for the people.
The Israelites were to build it exactly like God laid out the plans. This was because God wanted to be honored in staying in that place. It was not be just some little thrown together lean-to shelter. It was to be a place for a king–God Himself.
Today God does not have people build a physical sanctuary. He now has that sanctuary built-in the hearts and lives of people themselves. God now dwells in the hearts of people.
When you give your life over to Jesus and have accepted His death and resurrection for you, God starts to build a new sanctuary in you. You are now a new creation, a new sanctuary for Him.
God still has some extreme details as to how this new sanctuary is to be built. It is to be built with love, mercy, forgiveness, helping, serving, prayer, worship, truth, and many other characteristics of Jesus. Throughout the New Testament are many guidelines on how to live your life. These are the details of how this new sanctuary is built.
Are you following God’s pattern for your life?
Are you becoming the sanctuary that God can dwell in with great honor and pride?
Or are you just throwing together some simple, cheap lean-to that has no honor in it?
I pray today that you will see God’s design for your life; that you will allow God to build you into the sanctuary He wants you to be; that you will be a sanctuary that brings God honor and glory; and that you will live your life in a way that God will want to dwell in you.
To learn more about the tabernacle and some of the possible meanings behind the articles and the design in it, please see my post on a book a review about it: A Dwelling Place For God
I love this part of the scriptures. God lists out everything necessary to build the tabernacle the Moses lists it out to the people. They’re asked to bring everything from jewelry to fine yard, goat skins, acacia wood and several other items for the craftsmen to use. Everyone gets to play a part in building the tabernacle simply by bringing what they had. It’s a beautiful picture of everyone gladly working together to achieve what God wants to build.
Thank you Rodney. That is a great point about everyone being able to help in building what God wants! Thanks for sharing the comment.