11 August 2011

The Tabernacle

Bronze silver and gold
God meeting with His people
Initiating
-Exodus 25:8-22

Symbolism excites me. Seeing God's redemption plan foreshadowed in the Old Testament is cool! I just finished reading about the construction of the tabernacle - a beautiful symbol of God's interaction with mankind. All the metal in or around the tabernacle was gold, silver or bronze. Gold represents God. Silver represents mankind. Bronze represents sin. You don't find bronze INSIDE the tabernacle or gold OUTSIDE the tabernacle.

The nation of Israel, at least two million people, came out of Egypt. Every man over twenty was required to give half a shekel of silver to the Lord to acknowledge His redemption of them. So the people brought silver to the Lord. The courtyard is made of linen screens with bronze bases below and silver curtain rings above. Sinful humanity - bronze and silver. The most predominant thing in the courtyard is the bloody, bronze altar where I bring my sacrifices.

Beyond the bronze altar is a huge bronze basin, or laver, filled with water. Directly beyond the laver is the screen, a heavy curtain covering the entrance to the tabernacle. Only Levites and priests pass behind this screen. The screen has bronze bases and gold rings - God and sin collide. Everything beyond this point is silver or gold. God removes the sin so He can interact with mankind. Yet God doesn't just want interaction. His desire has always been to dwell with us!

God takes initiative toward us! "Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8) The dwelling place God instructed them to make is the Holy of Holies, hidden behind the veil hanging on gold rings with silver bases beneath. God meeting humanity. Once a year the priest would go behind the veil to bring blood atonement for the sins of the people. When Jesus died this veil was torn from top to bottom. Now God is always approachable!

Don't just take my word for it. Symbolism is consistent throughout the Bible. Use scripture to interpret scripture. Pull out a concordance and see for yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach the Word to you. He loves that. 2 Timothy 2:15

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