God Longs To Dwell With You! (Blogging Through the Bible)

Welcome to week 6 of Exodus! This week we are reading about the building of the tabernacle of God.

We've read about how God redeemed His people from the land of Egypt. Do you know for what purpose He redeemed the Israelites? 

God tells us why in Exodus 19:4. Just listen to what He tells the Israelites...

You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

Again in Exodus 25:8-9, God tells Moses: 

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.

It is now time for the Israelites to build the tabernacle of God because God longs to dwell among them. 

God longs to dwell with you and me too, my friends!

He longs to live inside our hearts...

...to speak to us through His written Word...

...and to fellowship with us in prayer.

It's only through the redemption of our sins that God can come and dwell among us inside our hearts.

As we study the tabernacle this week, we will see how the tabernacle teaches us spiritual lessons about eternal realities. We will learn how the one entrance and all the pieces of furniture are pictures of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. This is going to be a very exciting week of study, friends!!

Here is our reading plan for this week:

Here is my SOAK for Monday:

Monday, February 9, 2015

Exodus 26

Scripture: Exodus 26:25, 33, 34-35, 36

²⁵ So there shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver—sixteen sockets—two sockets under each of the boards.

³³ And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy.

³⁴ You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy. ³⁵ You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand across from the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.

³⁶ “You shall make a screen for the door of the tabernacle, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver.

Observations: Silver is the metal associated with redemption and the payment for sin (Exodus 21:32; Leviticus 5:15; Leviticus 27:3, 6; Numbers 18:16; and Deuteronomy 22:19). Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15).

The veil served as a barrier for the priests between the holy place which held the table of showbread, the lampstand, and the altar of incense; and the Most Holy place which held the Ark of the Covenant. Only the High Priest could go beyond the veil – and only once a year called the Day of Atonement –  into the Most Holy place.

The arrangement of the furniture in the holy place speaks to three areas of our walk with God: prayer (the altar of incense), fellowship (the table of showbread), and receiving illumination (the lampstand).

There was only one way to enter the tabernacle – through one door.

Applications:

The foundation of the tabernacle was silver – pointing to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

In dying for our sins, Jesus entered the Most Holy place (Hebrews 9:12) once and for all to obtain eternal redemption for sinners. Matthew 27:51 tells us at Jesus’ death the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom – breaking forever the barrier to the Most Holy place where the presence of God dwelt. 

God desires to fellowship with us through prayer and by revealing His truth from the Bible (Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a lamp for my feet, and a light for my path.)

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

Kneel: Heavenly Father, thank You for the beauty of the tabernacle which points to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. His is the name above all names and the only way anyone can come into Your presence. I pray for those who have yet to accept the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is only through His blood applied to our lives that our broken relationship with You can be restored. Thank You, Father, for Your desire to dwell within our hearts and for freely giving Your Son so that we can be with You forever. It’s in the saving name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

I'll see you back here again on Wednesday for another Blogging Through the Bible post!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

I'm linking up with Courtney Joseph over at Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls for Blogging Through the Bible. Please click on the image below to read more posts from others who are also BTTB!