TABERNACLE - Eaton
TABERNACLE - Davis

ALTAR
ALTAR

LAVER (WASHING BASIN)

(TABLE OF) SHEWBREAD
(TABLE OF) SHOWBREAD

CANDLESTICK (LAMPSTAND)
LAMPS, LAMPSTAND:

THE ALTAR OF INCENSE
INCENSE

ARK
ARK OF THE COVENANT

Brought up in an evangelical Baptist, I have to admit hardly hearing of, and certainly not understanding the amazing truths contained within, and patterns set by, the very first church building, Moses Tabernacle. Constructed in the Sinai Desert some 3,500 years ago, to very detailed plans and specifications prepared by the ultimate Architect, God himself, supernaturally transmitted to the Construction Manager, Moses, and built by those Israelites who were particularly devoted to their God.

Twenty years ago now, when introduced to the revelations of Pentecost, I was simply ‘blown away’ (amazed) that God, three and a half millenniums ago, revealed Himself, the pattern of Heaven, and what was to be His unchanging pattern for the Church both present and future. For the Tabernacle reveals both the nature and purpose of Jesus, and of the New Testament Church that Jesus was to establish through His death and resurrection. Which we are part of today. And which sets out our future too!

As the detailed plans and drawings are perfectly preserved in the Bible, we still have an excellent picture of the physical form of the Tabernacle itself. In fact a replica has been built and is open to visit in Israel. One day I will get to see it. We also have God’s detailed instructions on the priesthood. These were the clergy who were to be responsible for looking after the Tabernacle in which God’s presence was to dwell for some 500 years or so, until Solomon’s Temple was built. Some of these exciting revelations will be investigated further in succeeding chapters.

However, before we do, I felt it would be a good idea to get in tune with the times, by paying a visit to the tabernacle for ourselves, from the perspective of an ordinary citizen, such as you or me. As details of this are sketchy, what follows is one man’s view of what it may have been like to visit.

The bible gives a comprehensive 16 chapter, detailed description of Moses Tabernacle in Exodus, through chapters 25 to 40. It describes most aspects of the physical design of the structure and the furniture it contains, in considerable detail, but is much less revealing about the way the Tabernacle functioned. Further information can be gleaned from the first 10 chapters of Leviticus, and snippets elsewhere. But nowhere is there a detailed description of the daily ‘happenings’ in this worship centre.

There are many writings on the spiritual meanings of the intricate Tabernacle design details that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. I would strongly recommend that you consider reading these for the still ‘relevant revelations’ they contain. What follows, next week, however is a story, based as closely as possible on the scriptures, hopefully giving a feeling for and understanding of, some of the amazing truths the Tabernacle contains. However it is only a story, so let’s not base our theology on it! It has been both fun and a challenge to compile. I hope you find it helpful in bringing Moses Tabernacle to life for you too.

Most discussions of Moses Tabernacle centre round its form and furniture.

What I am trying to do here is bring the Tabernacle to life by illustrating what it may have been like for an ordinary person of the times to visit.

As you will have likely gathered, I am hugely enthusiastic about the amazing truths that are hidden within Moses Tabernacle. Over the weeks ahead we will see many of these revealed. By then, I trust you will be as excited as I am!

In the Middle East, floods in the desert are a frequent occurrence because of the topography of the land. The mountains to the north of the Negev and to the west of the Judea Wilderness get significant amounts of rainfall during the short rainy season. The soil of the mountains cannot absorb this amount of water, so it runs off into the arid wilderness.

This photograph shows the effects of floods in the desert. Though the walls of this wadi are especially steep, the tracks made by rushing water are clearly seen. The wilderness has many of these dry riverbeds, which become larger as they get nearer the Dead Sea.

Floodwaters leave behind sand and gravel. Jesus’ story of the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand (Matt. 7:24—27) is probably based on this phenomenon. According to the parable, a man built his house on the sand, in a flood zone. The rains fell, the floods came, and the house was destroyed. Another man build on the rock, out of the flood area, and the rains, though severe, had no impact on his house. Imagine someone building in the wadi pictured here. Jesus’ audience must have chuckled at this story.

When a flood does occur in the desert, it is amazing to behold. The sky is clear, the sun is shining, and suddenly a wall of water roars through the narrow canyon. Anyone unfortunate enough to be in the wadi is washed away—an all-too-frequent occurrence for shepherds and sheep in this region.

Source: http://www.followtherabbi.com