Slices
Prepare
Flick back through the recent notes in Exodus. Remember the two big questions that we started with: ‘What kind of God?’ and ‘Who are we as God’s people?’ What answers have you seen? Talk to God about them.
Bible passage
The altar of burnt offering
27 ‘Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. 2 Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 3 Make all its utensils of bronze – its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. 5 Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. 6 Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. 7 The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8 Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.
The courtyard
9 ‘Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side shall also be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
12 ‘The west end of the courtyard shall be fifty cubits wide and have curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. 13 On the east end, towards the sunrise, the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on the other side, with three posts and three bases.
16 ‘For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen – the work of an embroiderer – with four posts and four bases. 17 All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases. 18 The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases. 19 All the other articles used in the service of the tabernacle, whatever their function, including all the tent pegs for it and those for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.
Oil for the lampstand
20 ‘Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.
Explore
We have been following the instructions for the building of God’s ‘home’. The instructions have been given from the inside out, starting with the ark in the holiest place (25:10–22), then the table, lampstand and the tent itself (chapter 26). In today’s readings the structure is complete as we finally move to the outer courtyard (vs 9–19) in which there is to be an altar (vs 1–8).
For the first time (though not the last) the structure is described as ‘the tent of meeting’ (v 21). The Israelites were to know that their God was not someone they ‘believed in’, but someone they met with. When they worshipped in the tabernacle, they were in a place of encounter. Oh, that we would remember that when we go to our places of worship!
The final instructions that a light should be always burning (v 21) would remind Israel that God never sleeps, never slips into darkness (with all that this might represent). The God who leads them (and us) is awake, alert and always approachable!
Respond
Some people find it helpful to have physical reminders of God’s presence, like the tabernacle was for Israel. Such reminders might include wearing a small cross, a special image on your screen saver or a Bible on your desk. Might you find something like that valuable?
Deeper Bible study
… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience’.1
God sets out detailed specifications for three more components of the tabernacle. Far from being mundane, they deal with the how, where and when of the Israelites meeting with their God. The first component is the main altar (vs 1–8). A holy God can only be approached through a sacrificial offering, the most regular of which was the burnt offering. It symbolised that Israel wholly and unreservedly belonged to God, while also making atonement for them.2 I’ve attended many worship conferences which have emphasised, quite legitimately, the use of artistic gifts, following the example of Bezalel and Oholiab,3 but some of us seem to have forgotten that Israel’s worship was first and foremost sacrificial worship. The one indispensable component of worship is atonement for sin. We, too, can only worship because of Christ’s sacrifice offered in our place, as Hebrews explains at length.
The second element concerns space (vs 9–19). Only the priests, God’s servants, are permitted to enter God’s home but, like other homes at the time, the tent was surrounded by a courtyard where guests would be entertained. Here, the spacious courtyard provided a sheltered environment in which God invited people to draw near. Jesus ejected the money-changers from the Temple, not chiefly because of their greed but because they occupied the courtyard which served as the nearest access point Gentiles had to the presence of God.4 Rather than bidding people draw near they sent out a signal saying, go away. Yet, God welcomes sinners. The oil for the lamp concerns time (vs 20,21). The people’s gift of oil meant they could meet with God at any time, including throughout the night. Each element speaks of a gracious God who longs to welcome and meet with his people, providing the barrier of their sin is dealt with.
In what ways does our church’s worship reflect the tabernacle’s priorities? Are there ways in which we put obstacles in the way of people drawing near to God?
1 Heb 10:22, NIV 2 Lev 1:3–17, esp v 4 3 Exod 31:1–11 4 Mark 11:15–17
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Deuteronomy 25,26; Romans 6
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Zoraida Ali Smith, PA to Director of Culture and Innovation, as she supports the ongoing work of developing thought leadership especially in exploring ways of utilising the gifts of younger staff and volunteers throughout the movement.
