(#5)
Worship at GOD'S HOUSE
(Exodus 29:38-46)
God's Plan: A Place to Dwell
When God called his people Israel out of Egypt to be his worshipers, he told them precisely how his worship was to be carried out. He commanded an elaborate system of priests, sacrifice and cleansing rituals, and provided detailed instructions for constructing the tabernacle in which this system was centered.
From one perspective this presents the huge gap between God and humanity. Yet it also shows God's concern that his people should be able to approach him. The instructions for building his tabernacle, as well as for all that was to be done there, make it possible for God to accomplish HIS goal. He wants to dwell with his people!
Twice in the book of Exodus we are given a clear statement of the role of God's sanctuary.
First, in the Song by the Sea, the Israelites, after celebrating how God had just redeemed them from their enemies at the Red Sea, look forward with hope to the end of the work God had begun.
"In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling."
"You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance--the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established." (Exodus 15:13,17)
In Exodus 15 we see God as the Great King. He is building himself a temple or palace (the Hebrew word for the two is the same) where he will sit upon his throne and reign. But, secondly, this King speaks of his care for his people. As King, when he fights and defeats his enemy, it is not only to establish his reign, but to rescue his people. For he is a good King who delights in his people, who cares for them, provides for them and desires to dwell with them.
God promises he will build his sanctuary. And in that place his glory will be displayed and he will dwell among his people, and reign.
He begins to carry out this plan at Mount Sinai. He has indeed led his people through the desert and delivered them from their enemies (Ex.15-18), and brought them to himself on his mountain. He sets them apart as his people in covenant with him (Exodus 19-24). Then he proceeds with elaborate instructions for the tabernacle his people are to build. But why a tabernacle?
God himself explains:
"Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them." (Exodus 29:46)
WHAT HAPPENS HERE?
Five words summarize what happens in this place God has chosen.
REIGNING: First, it is where God sets his throne. It is his footstool, the place of his gracious rule among his people.
MEETING: Second, it is the place where God can meet with his people. It is even called the Tent of Meeting, not first of all because it is a place for God's people to come together, but because this is where God himself COMES to meet with them. As he had come to dine 'face-to-face' with the 70 elders on Mount Sinai, he will continue to meet with his people and in his house they will feast from his table (Psalm 23: 5-6)
SPEAKING: Third, as God meets with his people, he speaks to them. He reveals himself and teaches them. The King declares his will, and speaks words of judgment and justice (Isaiah 2:3-4). And he speaks words of blessing.
WORSHIP: Fourth, it is the place where God's people worship him. In response to the King's invitation and command they come to bow at his footstool. Here they offer sacrifices and songs of tribute and thanks. Day by day they offer burnt offerings to him (29:38-42; cf. Rev.7:15)
DWELLING: Fifth, and finally, this is the place where the King takes up residence WITH his people. It is finally not just a temporary place for meeting, but his residence, God's "home" among his people, and their home with him.
THE FORM: The Tabernacle
It is in this light that we can understand the tabernacle and its form. The tabernacle, and its successor, the temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, are a means by which God fulfills his purpose in saving his people, his gracious promise of being their God and dwelling with them. Thus the tabernacle (and likewise the temple) is a gift of God.
Repeatedly it is emphasized that it is God himself who PROVIDES this gift. Exodus 15 declares that GOD will build his sanctuary. And the instruction God gives his people make it clear that not only is this his idea, but he is the one who makes all of it possible. God provides the instructions--the "blueprints" of the tabernacle-- the materials required (the plunder of the Egyptians), the abilities necessary (by his Spirit), and even the willing hearts to respond. And finally, despite all the elaborate ceremony he asks of them, it is HE himself who comes to consecrate his priests and the sanctuary (Exodus 29:44).
God's ONE plan:
The tabernacle and temple are, however, only stages in God's working out his plan. In them God makes it clear that he WANTS to dwell with his people. But this has, in fact, been his purpose from the very beginning. All of Scripture tells the story of God's fulfilling this great promise of dwelling in the midst of his people.
It begins in the "Garden of God" the place where he comes to meet with man (Gen.3:8) . This is his Holy Place guarded by his holy cherubim (Gen.3:24; cf. Exodus 25:17-22,). (In fact, all of creation is a great "temple" displaying the glory of the Great King, and he spreads it out as a tent to dwell in ( Ps 104: 2, Isaiah 40:22).
We must not, then, confuse the form and the purpose. The form of the tabernacle and temple were to become obsolete. Jesus himself announces this change. He proclaims the time that is coming and now is when people will no longer worship on the mountain in Jerusalem (John 4:21-24)
Yet the purpose has not changed. God still purposes to be with his people. What, then, has changed? The One and Only, full of grace and truth, who had revealed his glory on Sinai and in the tabernacle and temple, has comes to "tabernacle" among us and show us his glory (John 1:14). He himself is the "temple" (John 2:19-21)); he is "God with us," "Immanuel." (Mt 1:23) And he, now exalted, continues to come and dwell with us by his Spirit. God's people are themselves being built to be a "temple in which God lives by his Spirit" , the place where God's glory dwells. (Eph 2:19-22 ; cf. 1 Peter 2:4-5)
Yet even this is not God's final goal. God's people live in hope of the restoration of the Garden where the tree of life grows, watered by rivers from God's own throne. (Rev.22:1-3) God's great plan will be fulfilled.
"You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance--the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established." (Exodus 15:17)
" and God's dwelling will be with men."
(Revelation 21:2-3)
Putting it Into Practice
- Review the list of five things that happen at "God's House". What specific words and actions do you use to reflect each of these in a typical service? Are there any that you overemphasize? Are there any that tend to be forgotten?
- God provides everything for the tabernacle. How does our preparation for worship and our worship itself make it clear that all we give and do is given to us by God?
- God give precise details for the construction of the tabernacle and the worship to take place there. Since this was in part to accurately reflect the truth about God's nature, and the proper approach to God, what 'details' are important to our form of worship? (And what are the limits of our "freedom" in worship?)
- The N.T. speaks of God's People as whole as his "temple" (cf. "Bride" and the "Holy City" in Rev.21). In fact it does so much more often than referring to individual believers as "temple". How is this corporate emphasis reflected (or not) in the way we worship?
- (see Pathways Service #5)