A Space for God
Study Scripture: Exodus 25: 1 – 9; 26:1, 31 – 37
Background: Exodus 25–27
Devotional: John 4:13–26
Lesson 2 March 8, 2025
Key Verse
Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exodus 25:8
INTRODUCTION
We all imagine an ideal vision of the future, a place of perfect peace and pleasures with unending happiness. We have this dream of a new world and so did the people of Israel for they had been promised the fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham and the patriarchs.
But as you make up your individual list of what you would like for this perfect world, the features which would make heaven heaven, you should ask yourself if your inventory of your hopes and dreams for your future have God the Father, God Almighty there at the center. One writer implores us:
“The best possible future is the one in which God himself dwells with man. And the good news of Exodus 25-31 is that God intends to dwell with us forever. Even better, the holy God of heaven has made a way for sinful man…
And the place to start is with God’s purpose in all the details of the tabernacle. Never lose sight of God’s overarching purpose.
Holding God’s purpose firmly in mind is what makes sense of all the details.
This purpose is the reason the details matter.
In Exodus 25:8 God gives a single command which will be unpacked in the subsequent seven chapters.
And along with that command God states his purpose. “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst”.(Exodus 25:8).
The command is to construct a sanctuary—a set apart holy place for God. The purpose is that God may dwell in the very midst of his people”.
Do you see how this applies to you today? Do you now see why God the Father has had to place the Holy Spirit in your heart, in your very midst, inside you, after the Lord Jesus Christ had redeemed you from slavery by His work of the Cross of Calvary?
Note therefore that God must have a house in which He dwells. He has now called us because He wants a dwelling place, a place to dwell in our bodies, not a place made of wood, stone, steel, or other materials.
Accordingly you will see that at the end of Chapter 31 the tabernacle is now called a tent of meeting, for God’s focus is now shifted from the fact that He is present to the fact that He wants a purpose of relationship.
Israel could have been looking often at the place where God is present but could be completely out of fellowship.
So can you. The warning for us today is that you can see the elaborately designed church buildings and attend worship there but you might not be in fellowship and not be at a ‘meeting place” inside you so that you can have the God desired fellowship with Him.
The history of the nation of Israel has been made clear in Scripture.
The infinite, eternal, sovereign, Lord God Almighty appeared to the hither-to-fore
idol-worshipper Abram (later to be called Abraham) in Ur of the Chaldees and made a promise to him that included ‘I will make you into a great nation’.
The third generation from Abraham was the foundation for that promise; the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel, Abraham’s grandson would become twelve tribes that would be the foundation of the ‘promised’ nation, now called Israel. The Scriptures speak of them
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth …” (Deuteronomy 14:2)
As we approach our Study Text the nation has just been liberated from four hundred years of Egyptian slavery by some mighty miracles of Yahweh; they were in the wilderness, in transit to the Promised Land (another plank in the original promise to Abram) and God had just ratified a covenant with His people that cemented their status as His chosen, peculiar people.
God blessing and favor first bestowed on Abraham had continued unbroken on his descendants and at this point God was actively, on a day to day basis, their Deliverer, Provider, Protector and Preserver.
God had a problem with the people He had recently delivered from bondage. He has a similar problem with us who profess to be His followers.
To make sure the nation would remember what He had done for them and to whom they should have an allegiance and to whom therefore they should fix their heart, their attention and their eyes, God had to give them precise and detailed instructions.
It was common practice for pagan gods to dwell in their temples and understandably since these were nothing more than carved images of wood, stone, metal and have sundry obnoxious worship practices Israel had been accustomed to seeing these pagan practices and given their exposure to them and the influences on them if it had been left to them to make a tabernacle to worship Yahweh and to design the needed implements and officials to be used in that worship they would have ended up with the tragic ways of the pagan idolaters.
Israel would never be able to design their worship place and its officialdom and implements to properly reflect who God really was. They would never arrive at worship with any real connection to the holiness of God. So God therefore had to give minute, precise, and detailed instructions to Moses.
However, the sovereign, infinite and eternal God was about to dwell among His people and how? In a tabernacle we read! Israel had entered into a blood covenant with Yahweh, He purposed to dwell among His people (John 1:14).
Correspondingly, God now dwells among Christians by His Holy Spirit, since Jesus Christ has ratified the New Covenant by shedding His blood.
The Lord God Almighty desired to ‘live’ among His people; and the Tabernacle always centrally located in Israel’s camp would be the centre of the nation in all spheres of national life.
The tabernacle was at the centre of the camp and all the tribes were arranged in order around it, with their dwellings constructed around Yahweh’s seat.
The tabernacle would be a permanent reminder to Israel that God was truly among them.
God living among men is the ultimate aim of all history.
The Tabernacle and attendant priesthood now was the hub of the ceremonial law.
In its ultimate representation, we see Jesus Christ and His work of redemption on Calvary’s Cross.
God’s rescue of Israel from the Egyptians was a major step in that plan. Two months later, God initiated a Covenant agreement with the Israelites (Exodus 19). The Sinai covenant was given for God’s people to be able to live with the divine presence in their midst.
Sadly their breaking of the Covenant didn’t take long (Exodus 32:7–8). Even so, God continued in faithfulness as He brought the Israelites to the Land of inheritance, the Land promised to them as children of Abraham (Genesis 13:14–17).
The purpose of the Tabernacle was to instruct Israel. At this time Israel did not yet have a revelation of God that we have. They did not know the holiness of God as we may know it today. They did not fully know the righteousness of God, the justice of God, nor know the love of God. One writer adds:
“There are many things about God that Israel did not know. And above all, they did know the details of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And since they did not have this background of sacrifice, and holiness, and righteousness, and mercy, and truth, and all of the things that are revealed in the sacrifice of Christ, especially God’s hatred of sin, and how he must have sacrifice for it. This was the means of instructing them in picture fashion, so that day by day they might learn a little bit more about God and what he would do for them. God gave the Tabernacle, to instruct Israel in the work of God, to instruct Israel in the way to God, in order that the two of them might dwell together.”
Today’s Lesson examines the construction of God’s tabernacle, the specially designed place that God asked His people to create. God wanted to be in their midst.
God would have the Israelites construct, a visible bond of fellowship in which He might manifest Himself to the people and they might draw near to Him as their God.
Jehovah told Moses that the Israelites were to erect Him a sanctuary, that He might dwell in their midst, (Exodus 25:8).
The construction and arrangement of the sanctuary were determined in all aspects by God Himself. God showed Moses, a “pattern” of the dwelling and its furniture, and prescribed with great detail both the form and materials of all the different parts of the sanctuary and all the things required for its sacred service.
If the sanctuary was to answer its purpose, the erection could not be left to the inventive faculty of any man whatever, but must proceed from Him, who was there to manifest Himself to the nation, as the Holy One, in righteousness and grace.
The people could only carry out what God appointed and could only fulfil their covenant duty, by the readiness with which they supplied the materials required for the erection of the sanctuary and completed the work with their own hands.
The divine directions extended to all the details, because they were all of importance in relation to the design of God. The account is elaborate and contains a description not only of the directions of God with reference to the whole and every separate part (chapters 25-31), but also of the execution of the work in all its details (chapters 35-40).
In the context of today’s Lesson, Moses, living more than five-hundred years after Abraham, had gone up Mount Sinai and entered the cloud of God’s presence (Exodus 24:15–18). During that forty-day encounter, God gave him instructions for the tabernacle, for its furnishings and utensils, and for the ministry of the priests. These instructions span Exodus 25–31. God desired to grant access to His holy presence, but that required a systematic approach to prevent anything profane (not just sin, but also things ritually unclean) from entering the tabernacle.
As we prepare to examine this Study Chapter ask yourself what makes something important?
If something is important because of the purpose for which it was intended would you consider those requirements relating to carrying out of the purpose that is required as “normal?
Consider what we need nowadays specifically to not having other gods and not making any of the various kinds of idols we tend to make.
How are we supposed to relate to the One True God and what can we do to confirm we are in God’s true religion and not in the many false religions so common in the rest of the world?
Do not underestimate the importance of this for you can still know the Scriptures and love the Ten Commandments and still choose to do like Israel did at the Golden Calf event where the people chose to move away from what God clearly wanted and to worship according to the patterns and style of the pagans around them.
As we appreciate the Tabernacle and what was in it and in the Temple which followed it, let us therefore love the fact that God was present in both structures. But note that as we look at the details of the construction let us look at what those things symbolized for those have a tremendous amount of meaning.
THE TEXT
Exodus 25: 1 – 9
Verse 1. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Since the Israelites arrived at Sinai in Exodus 19:1, Moses had been functioning as a mediator: taking messages from God down the mountain and returning responses from the people. The instructions came directly from God, and Moses did not alter the words. He received these words while on the mountain, hidden from the people’s sight for forty days (Exodus 24:18)
This is the first of seven times that the LORD gave Moses instructions concerning the tabernacle.
Verse 2. “Tell the sons of Israel to take a contribution for Me; from everyone whose heart moves him you shall take My contribution.
… whose heart moves him … This term indicates that the offering God prescribed was to be voluntary. Worship through giving must be motivated internally rather than externally.
The word used to Moses was terumah which is the first of 76 times uses in the Bible to mea a “present” offered up from one’s inside especially in sacrifice or as tribute.
This is analogous to the “cheerful” giver praised by the apostle Paul when he told the church of the great need of the brethren in Jerusalem and he collected an offering given from the heart to meet the need:
(2 Corinthians 9:7). “So let each one gives as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver”.
God did not specify that the offering be taken up for the construction of a tabernacle although that is what it would be used to build—but God said take a contribution for Me.
As gifts, these offerings are directed first and foremost to God.
The Israelites were not taxed in order to raise funds to build the tabernacle. They were to give freely for this project, as their hearts moved them. Thus the construction of the tabernacle was an act of voluntary worship on the part of the Israelites who chose to contribute. Unlike many of the other recorded offering to God requested this one was wholly voluntary.This is an indication of God’s grace. Giving to the Lord should always be from the heart rather than a result of compulsion (2 Cor. 9:7).
But how should the Israelites, as former slaves of Egypt, possess valuable items worthy of an offering? Before they left Egypt, they received valuable articles from their Egyptian captors (Exodus 3:21; 11:2–3; 12:35–36). God’s intervention made this possible (12:36). Thus, in a key sense, the offering given to God was surrendering those items that God had helped the people receive in the first place, for this very purpose.
Verse 3. This is the contribution which you are to take from them: gold, silver, and bronze,
This verse describes the first of several kinds of articles acceptable for the offering and perhaps these metals come first because they were most valuable. Additional metals of iron, tin, or lead are not mentioned (Numbers 31:22).
The most valuable was (and still is) gold, the finest and raret. Some hold this metal indicates purity and holiness, royalty, and divinity.
Gold was used in ways other than as a medium of exchange (money). Most tabernacle furnishings would be either overlaid with gold or made from pure gold (Exodus 25:11–18, 23–31, 38–39). More than four centuries later, King Solomon would add to or replace articles, also using gold (1 Kings 7:48–50); he minimized the use of silver (10:21).
“Silver” was another precious metal which some hold is associated in the Bible with redemption.
“Bronze”, the metal referred to here is in reality copper and its alloys. Deuteronomy 8:9 makes this point. Copper gives its colour to other metals.
“Bronze” is referred to in Genesis 4:22 and Deuteronomy 28:23 and mainly symbolizes judgment an also endurance. See also Numbers 21.
Many other items would be made of brass (Exodus 26:11, 37; 27:1–8; 30:17–21). Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. That alloy was not created until about 500 B.C, many centuries after the events of the Text. The intent of the Text is to point to bronze, an alloy of copper and tin.
Silver would be used mainly for the “sockets” for supporting wooden beams of the tabernacle structure itself (26:19, 21, 25, 32).
Verse 4. violet, purple, and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair,
In antiquity, fabric dyes were not readily available and would need to be carefully sourced. A garment’s value was tied to the rarity of its dye, with blue, purple, and scarlet being among the rarest (Luke 16:19; Acts 16:14; Revelation 17:4; 18:12). These shades of violet or blueish-dyed wool would be created from crushed mollusks and certain plants. They would be used in the construction of artistic curtains (Exodus 26:31).
“Blue” is associated with the keeping of the law as indicated in Numbers 15:38-40 where the people were told to put ‘blue’ thread in the tassels of their garments to remind them of the commandments if God.
“Purple” or ‘blue/red’ is used in ancient cultures as a colour of royalty or of one belonging to a king.
“Scarlet is the colour from the crimson-grub worm and scholars hold this symbolizes war, blood, and/or judgment.
All of these colours picture the future work of Christ.
With fine linen and goats’ hair (which could be spun into yarn), rare fabrics would enclose the tabernacle to create its walls and layers (26:7).
“Linen” or ‘fine linen’ is considered to symbolize righteousness and this is referred to in Revelation 19 where Christ’s bride is arrayed in “fine linen”..
“Goats’ hair is considered to picture awareness of sin and that it will be punished. The hairy goat offering was one of the sin offerings, and goats were always for judgment on sin.
Verse 5. rams’ skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood,
Rams were considered to be the leader of the flock and its protector. The horns were a symbol of strength in the Bible.
Some consider the symbolism is that of Christ, the protector of His people.
Leather dyed red would probably be colored from a tanning process. The reference to badgers’ skins comes from a rare Hebrew word that resembles the Arabic word for “porpoise.” Sea creatures inhabit the Red Sea and could have been hunted by the Egyptians for their fine hides.
Shittim wood is useful for the construction of furniture and structural beams. It is also called “acacia wood.” Its wood is extremely dense and is a desirable building material for water or insects can hardly penetrate it. It was considered an incorruptible wood.When polished and sanded it has a beautiful reddish-brown colour.
Some therefore believe it pictures the incorruptible nature of Christ’s humanity
Verse 6. oil for lighting, balsam oil for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,
The two types of oil are for different purposes in the function of the planned sanctuary. Oil for the light was to be burned in the lampstand (Exodus 25:31–36).
Since the tabernacle was to be without windows, light would come only from lamps. A depiction of the Jewish menorah is found upon the Arch of Titus in Rome, which shows a lampstand carried out of the destroyed second temple. It is possible, though impossible to be certain that the original lampstand for the tabernacle followed this familiar design.
On the other hand, anointing oil would be used for just that purpose, not only on people but also on tabernacle furnishings (Exodus 30:22–33). It was perfumed according to the formula of 30:23–24 to contain “myrrh,” “sweet cinnamon,” “sweet calamus,” “cassia,” and “oil olive.”
Sweet incense was to be made according to a formula in Exodus 30:34, and it has “stacte,” “onycha,” “galbanum,” and “frankincense.” When burned, the result would be a visible cloud of fragrant smoke. The formulations of the anointing oil and the incense were proprietary to God (30:33, 37). In the imagery of Revelation 8:3–4, the burning of incense symbolizes the prayers of God’s people as they rise to Heaven.
This is felt to be a picture of the anointing of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ so that He would carry out His ministry. It is consisered it is given to us through the work of Christ.
Verse 7. onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece.
Onyx are the only stones mentioned by name for the ephod and breastplate, two items of the High Priest’s attire. The names of the other precious stones are listed in Exodus 28:17–20. The onyx stones were to be two in number, each engraved with the names of six of the twelve tribes of Israel
(Exodus 28:9–11). Four rows of three precious stones each would be set in the breastplate of the ephod, “with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, … like the engravings of a signet” (28:21). The high priest would wear the names of all twelve tribes when he came before God’s presence and entered the holy place (28:12, 29–30).
It is very important to note the warning that there might be some danger for some tend to concentrate on the details given for tabernacle construction and miss what the Bible is presenting.
Certainly Christ is in every detail in the bible and when we study it carefully it will strengthen us.
But we must always look at Him and not take our focus from Him, for the Bible speaks of Him and His work and wants us to focus first and only on Him.
The next verses bring us into that desired focus.
Verse 8. Have them construct a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them.
This short verse indicates the reason for these details: God wants to dwell with His people. So, He directed the people to construct a place suitable to that purpose: a sanctuary. This refers to the tabernacle (or to the holiest part thereof) and, much later, the Temple whose construction God never did demand.
The layers of curtains as walls and partitions would, on the one hand, clearly separate the sacred space of God from anything profane among the people. On the other hand, the sanctuary would announce God’s presence, for it would be the most prominent feature of Israel’s camp.
Moses usually employed one of four different terms to describe the tabernacle, each of which emphasizes one of its purposes, though other names also appear:
Sanctuary … means “place of holiness” and stresses the transcendence of Israel’s God as an Exalted Being who is different from His people. One of the purposes of the tabernacle was to manifest the glory of God. However, verse 8 also states that such a God would “dwell among” His people.
“Just as they lived in tents, so God would condescend to ‘dwell’ in a tent.
Verse 9. According to all that I am going to show you as the pattern of the tabernacle
The pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all the instruments were prescribed by God alone. Some Bible interpreters think the phrase that I shew thee means that a Heavenly tabernacle or temple was shown to Moses so that the earthly tabernacle would be built in its likeness. In support of this, Stephen in Acts 7:44 calls the tabernacle to have been made “according to the fashion that [Moses] had seen.” Likewise, the writer of Hebrews 8:5 says that Moses made the tabernacle “according to the pattern shewed to” him”.
Tabernacle… means “dwelling place” and emphasizes God’s purpose of living among His people. The tabernacle looked like the other nomads’ tents that the Israelites lived in. They would have thought of it as God’s tent among their tents. It had furniture, just like their tents did.
Tent of Meeting” (27:21) also stresses the immanence of God. God “met” with Moses and the Israelites in this tent. The Hebrew verb translated “meeting” refers to a deliberately prearranged rendezvous, rather than a casual accidental meeting.
Some scholars believe that the tent of meeting was a different structure than the tabernacle, and that it was always outside the camp of Israel (cf. 33:7).5 But several references to it equate it with the tabernacle (e.g., 27:21; 29:30, 42; 30:18, 20; 30:36; 31:7; 38:30; 39:32, 40; 40:2, 6, 7, 22, 24, 26, 29, 30, 34, 35). Apparently some speculate there was another tent, also called “the tent of meeting,” where God met with Moses that was different from the tabernacle (33:7-11).
Tabernacle of the Testimony (38:21; Num. 9:15; 17:7, 8) indicates that the structure was the repository of the Law in which God revealed His will. Moses sometimes referred to the ark of the covenant as “the ark of the testimony” (25:22), because it contained “the two tablets of the testimony” (31:18) on which were inscribed the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments are “the testimony.” They were the essential stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant, the heart of the relationship between God and His people.
God specifically designed the tabernacle structure, and all its furnishings, to teach the Israelites about Himself—and how they as sinners could have a relationship with Him since He was holy!
So what then can we consider? What tasks have you been prepared to complete? What service does God ask you to render when you examine your tools and resources?
Exodus 26:1, 31–37
Verse 1. Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and [a]violet, purple, and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer.
After describing the construction of the tabernacle’s contents in Exodus 25:10–40, Exodus 26:1 begins with specifications of the tabernacle’s construction itself.
Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant. The size of these ten curtains is noted in 26:2. Regarding the rare colors of blue, and purple, and scarlet,
see Exodus 25:4, above.
The inclusion of cherubim is a new detail (Exodus 25:18). This might mean that the curtains were going to feature images of these beings woven in. Cherubim are angelic attendants of God. They are mentioned dozens of times in the Old Testament but never in the New Testament. The Ark of the Covenant was constructed to feature two cherubim of gold on its cover (25:18–20).
They were winged creatures with a lion’s body and a man’s face..
Verse 31. … it shall be made with cherubim, … the vail (spelled veil in the New Testament) mentioned here is different from the “curtains” described in Exodus 26:1. While constructed of the same material and decorated the same way, the veil has a unique function: it separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place within the tabernacle. The same word is later used for the dividing veil in Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 3:14).
Verse 32. Then you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also of gold, on four bases of silver.
The reason the veil needed to be supported by four pillars … overlaid with gold was so it could hang and serve as the necessary partition. These golden rods would nest into silver sockets (from the gold and silver that were given in the offering). The poles would be spaced to support the stretched veil, which appears to be designed as one piece, unlike the curtains. Thus, the veil had no gaps as it sectioned off the area of the presence of God. This is the same kind of veil found in the temple in Jesus’ day, and it would be torn from top to bottom at His death (Matthew 27:51).
Verse 33. You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve as a partition for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.
Here is the explanation for the veil’s use: it separated areas within the Tabernacle. This division was to shield the area known as the most holy (which housed the very glory of God) from the area called the holy place. It was to be hung on taches (connecting buckles or rings) that were attached to four pillars.
Only a single item is designated for the most holy place: the Ark of the Testimony, which is another name for “Ark of the Covenant” (Numbers 10:33; 14:44). At first, the box would contain only the tablets of the Covenant (Exodus 25:16, 23). Eventually, other items would be added as signs of God’s provision (Hebrews 9:4).
God is never described as being in the box. Instead, the Ark is sometimes called God’s “footstool,” perhaps meaning that God was (invisibly) pictured as enthroned in Heaven while resting His feet at this point on earth (1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalms 99:5; 132:7; Isaiah 66:1). The Ark would be a focal point of Israelite faith until its disappearance at the time of the Babylonian exile.
Verse 34. You shall put the atoning cover on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place.
The box itself was to be two and a half cubits by one and a half cubits, or the equivalent of about 45 by 27 inches (Exodus 25:10). Its shittim or acacia wood was covered in gold, but the mercy seat was a solid gold cover placed on the top (25:17).
It is called a mercy seat because there, at that location between two golden cherubim, God promised to meet with Moses (25:22). God said, “I will appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat” (Leviticus 16:2). And on the Day of Atonement, one day each year when the High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place, the High Priest was to sprinkle blood upon the Mercy Seat and make atonement “for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel” (16:17).
Verse 35. And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
The tabernacle faced east (Numbers 3:38). The table with incense and bread was to be placed on the side of the veil that did not face inward toward the Most Holy Place. Likewise, the candlestick is designated for the south side. Nothing is said about the significance of the locations.
Among other things, the table would hold 12 loaves of bread to symbolize the twelve tribes (Leviticus 24:5–9). This bread was to be eaten by priests since it would be replaced regularly as an offering to God.
Verse 36. “You shall also make a curtain for the doorway of the tent of violet, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver.
Verse 37. And you shall make five pillars of acacia for the curtain and overlay them with gold, their hooks also of gold; and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.
The tabernacle doorway was to have the same coloring as the veil and curtains but would lack the interwoven cherubim decoration. The doorway was supported by five pillars instead of four, like the four holding up the internal veil. The metal used for the sockets was brass, a lesser material than the silver sockets within the tabernacle. The lesser value in the metal corresponds to the distance this doorway stands from the Most Holy Place.
The closer to God’s presence, the more valuable the materials so as to reflect the value of sacred space.
Despite the detail construction instructions and material with more to come, there are wide variations in the depictions of the Tabernacle.
CONCLUSION
It is most important that we note that God commanded the construction of the tabernacle.
One of many writers advise us this tabernacle was the means by which sinning human beings would learn they needed a Mediator if they were to enjoy the presence of God. The nation, the administrators, the spiritual leaders and the world had to be prepared for the Saviour who was the only one that could usher in the New Covenant.
There was only one way by which man could approach God. Man needed the perfect sinlessSon of Man who was the true Tabernacle. So let us read Hebrews 8:1-6 very carefully.
The idea of God with us is an amazing and incredible idea. This is a true gift of Grace.
But even more amazing is the fact of God the son taking on human flesh and the Father preparing a human tabernacle in whuch He could dwell.
It is only through the true human tabernacle, the Lord Jesus Christ that our dreams of a perfect space will be met.
Note that the Mercy Seat in the tabernacle had no blood f propitiation that would make the Day of Atonement unnecessary. But the structure God had assembled fulfilled its purpose and the day finally came when the true Tabernacle of God appeared among men. It is the Lord Jesus Christ that would secure access for us into the presence of God the Father which would satisfy all our dreams.
His precious blood atoned once and for all. His mercy saved all the previous law-breakers. He opened the way for all who repented and believed on Him.
Our Study Chapters are filled with details and more details than we sometimes want to read.
But remember God is in the details in these Chapters.
If we miss the wider context, these instructions for an offering and construction of a tabernacle seem oddly specific. Today, there is greater cultural consciousness around the giving of the Ten Commandments than the building of a mobile sanctuary, but the irony is that the tabernacle was at the heart of the covenant as the most important blessing that Israel received: instructions to house the presence of God. As the people whom God had chosen to reflect His holiness, the ancient Israelites needed to live in such a way as to reflect their holy status. Otherwise, they would not be allowed to keep God’s presence with them (Ezekiel 10).
The planning of materials, arrangement, and careful division of duties were necessary for this task. Without instructions, the people of Israel, who were by no means free of sin could not have endured a holy God in their midst.
But with the careful management of access, no one would haphazardly wander into the sacred space and look upon God enthroned above the Mercy Seat, for this would mean certain death (see a warning even to Aaron in Leviticus 16:2).
Thus, God is the ultimate planner. Not only did He plan the construction of a Tabernacle, but He ensured that His people would have the necessary materials before they left the land of Egypt.
Both in the Sinai Covenant and in the New Covenant, God can make a way for His presence to be with His people.