A Shadow Of the True Tab [Exodus 37]

¹Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;

²and he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding for it all around.

³He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.

⁴He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

⁵He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry it.

⁶He made a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide.

⁷He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat;

⁸one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends.

⁹The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

The rest of Exodus describes the crafting of the various articles associated with the Tabernacle. In chapter 37, there is a description of Bezelel's work on Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Showbread, the Lampstand and the Altar of Incense. I can just imagine Bezalel in his work area with all his helpers along with the treasure of gold, wood and fine articles donated for the work all available for this amazing project. It was precise, but demanding work without the benefit of modern tools. I would imagine it was unimaginably hot in that desert location with the added heat of the fires for melting and working the metals. This job wasn't just any job, this was God's invitation to man to dwell safely with Him and the entire community was watching and waiting for this new thing to take shape.

I can't help but be reminded of another momentous occasion as I read Exodus 37. This one occurred in the New Testament in the gospel of John. This one also involved a Tabernacle on earth as an invitation for God to dwell with man. This Tabernacle was alive and brought the fulfillment of what God started in the first Tabernacle.

John 1:14-18

¹⁴And the Word became flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"
¹⁶For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

¹⁷For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

¹⁸No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Thank you, Father, for the care and crafting for the first Tabernacle that pointed the way to the last and true Tabernacle, Jesus. Thank you for inviting us daily to enter Your presence through Jesus and the work that He did that was foreshadowed through each piece of the Tabernacle that Bezalel made. Cause us to stop each day and enter into Your Holy presence through Your Son who was given to us as a gift from You. Enable us to look forward to our daily time with You remembering all You have done through the ages to make us so free and equipped to boldly enter Your presence at any time to receive grace upon grace.

Beth Warlick, 5/31/2010

Feedback:

	Debbie Riederer (Guest)	05/31/2010 13:46
As I was reading Exdous I was thinking about how beauitful and difficult the process was to make all the pieces of the Tabernacle. But since they stepped up in faith all the goods and knowledge where exceedingly provided. I love that we don't have to go through all that work to be in the tabernacle.That Jesus exceedingly provided a place of grace that we can go to all the time. We just have to stop turn ( U turn as Dan said) and walk into his grace. Seek and yoou will find.
	ed (Guest)	02/19/2020 04:55
thanks
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