We come to the final chapter of this book and The LORD spoke to Moses saying, “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil. You shall bring in the table and arrange the things that are to be set in order on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and light its lamps. You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.” (V1-5)
The first day of the first month indicates that it was one year since they left Egypt. Not only was the whole building and its utensils and furniture to be made according to pattern but also, they had to be assembled according to pattern. Verses 6-11 contain the LORD’s instructions as to where the items were to be placed in the courtyard. Moses was to anoint Aaron and his sons and dress them in the garments made for them (v12-16). Once again Moses did as he had been commanded by The LORD.
“And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up. So Moses raised up the tabernacle, fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. And he spread out the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, as the LORD had commanded Moses”. (17-19)
One year later all the building and materials were finished and now was the time to set up the tabernacle and its furniture and utensils. It is quite astounding that all the preparation was completed in one year under the supervision of two men, albeit inspired by The LORD, when compared to many buildings/constructions today. Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral took 74 years to build, Coventry took 6 years, the great pyramid was said to have taken 20 years by 20,000 people, and Notre Dame Cathedral took 182 years; construction of Stonehenge took 1600 years.
Moses proceeded to set up the Ark of the Covenant with the poles in the rings and the mercy seat on top and placed in the tabernacle in the Most Holy Place and partitioned it off with the curtain from the Holy Place, as The LORD had commanded (v20,21). He put the table of shewbread on the north side of the Holy Place, outside the veil with the bread in order (v22,23), the lamp stand with lamps lit on the other side of the Holy Place (v24,25), the golden altar of incense (v26,27), he hung the screen at the entrance of the tabernacle (v28), the brazen altar in its place (v29), and the laver between the altar and the tent (v30-32).
Each instruction contains the words, ‘according to the pattern given to Moses in the mountain’ or words to that effect. It was vital that God’s plans were followed to the letter. The writer to the Hebrews 8:5 states, “…. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.””
We cannot and must not try to improve or alter God’s plans. He is God and we are human flesh. He knows best and His plans will come to pass. Whenever man tried to give God a helping hand, trouble and disaster ensued. Take Abraham to whom God had promised offspring and to make of him a great nation. They found it difficult to wait God’s time and tried to ‘help out’ but disaster was the result. God answered in His time.
Moses “…. raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.” (v33) Moses did his part as instructed by God but there was something missing and we have that in verses 34,35 “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Until then it had been a ‘building’ ordered and laid out at God’s instructions, but now God’s glory fills the tabernacle. Without God’s glory and presence, it was merely a ‘building and its surrounding furniture’ even though it was done on God’s instructions. It was so glorious that even Moses could not enter it.
It is so with us, whether it is a church or our home or even our bodies, if God does not dwell there and His glory is not pre-eminent, it is worthless.
Moses asked God to be with them (ch 33) and God promised to be there and here we have God’s glory going with them. Whenever the cloud was taken from above the tabernacle, the people were to go forward but if it remained, they were to stay put. The cloud was above the tabernacle by day and the fire by night. These were in the sight of all the people throughout all their journeys (v36-38). What more could they ask for? They were going to face many difficulties and testings, but God was always with them, so they could put their trust in Him, if only they did!
We can put our faith and trust in Almighty God, He will never let us down.
