Sermon Tone Analysis

*Just So!*

/Exodus 25.8-40/

Pastor Oesterwind

 

*Exodus 25:8–9 (NKJV) — 8* …Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

*9* According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.

*Introduction:*  God dwells in a sanctuary and a tabernacle.

The former is a place of holiness and the latter a dwelling place – where God chose to dwell among His people.

When we read about the tabernacle and its furnishings, we must remember that it was designed by God – the only building ever designed by God.

That gives this build great significance; more so than any man-made structure.

We should know that if God included all this information about the Tabernacle, then it must be important.

We should also know that all of the information does not come with the explanation we sometimes desire.

Since this is true, then we should be careful not to make the Bible say what it doesn’t say.

We do not know why God chose the metals He chose to construct the furniture and why He chose the colors He chose for the materials that made up the tent.

One commentator explained, “The ark was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold within and without.

Wood speaks of [Christ’s] incorruptible humanity, and gold His Divinity.

Two materials, yet one ark; two natures yet one person, the God-Man.”

(Example cited by Ryken – not supported by him)

In my humanness I like that interpretation.

The only problem is that it is so arbitrary.

I’m imposing upon the text what I want it to say.

Here’s the thing:  It is true that Jesus is the God-Man (two natures and one person), but that’s not taught by the composition of the Ark.

So, how is that we relate the Tabernacle with Jesus?

One way is to read our New Testaments.

The Tabernacle is a shadow of heavenly things (Heb 8.5).

It was symbolic …of the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation (Heb 9.9, 11).

A second way is                know how the Tabernacle functioned in Moses’ day.

The text tells us that God would /show/ Moses /the pattern of the tabernacle and its furnishings/.

Accordingly, Moses and the people were to construct the tabernacle /just so/.

The tabernacle and its furnishings teach us much about God and His Son.  John 1.14 states that Jesus Christ, the Word, became flesh and /dwelt/ among us.

He dwelt or literally pitched His tent among John and the people of his day.

Jesus tabernacled among men.

Israel found access to God through the tabernacle; today, believers find access to God through Christ, the Tabernacle of God.

Since the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, we have become the tabernacles of God.  “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor 6.19).

/Transition:  Exodus 25.10-40 provides the pattern for building three pieces of furniture within the tabernacle:  The Ark of the Covenant, the Table of the Showbread, and the Golden Lampstand.

From each of these, we understand more clearly what Christ accomplished for us…/

*The Ark of the Covenant (25.10-22)*

*Exodus 25:10–22 (NKJV) — 10* And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.

*11* And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around.

*12* You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side.

*13* And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

*14* You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.

*15* The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.

*16* And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.

*17* “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width.

*18* And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.

*19* Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat.

*20* And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

*21* You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.

*22* And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

There are four elements connected with the Ark’s construction that point to God’s power, holiness, and sovereignty.

However, God still desired this sanctuary to be a place where He would meet with His people.

1.

Rings – The rings demonstrated that the point of contact was strictly limited.

God would have Israel carry the ark just so.

One day Israel under King David’s leadership would forget this important detail in the Word of God (see 2 Samuel 6).

2.       Cherubim – These angels represent the holiness of God.

Psalm 99.1 states, “The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He /dwells/ between the cherubim.”

Lucifer (Satan) was the anointed cherub who covered (Ezek 28.14).

God created Him; He dwelt upon the holy mountain of God, walking back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.

The position and privilege of these angels is great.

3.       Commandments – The Testimony refers to the commands written by the finger of God upon stone tablets.

They became the basis of God’s covenant with His people.

This covenant would be broken repeatedly; therefore, the commands separated the people and became a tool of their condemnation.

4.

Mercy Seat – This is where God meets man – in the sanctuary because of the mercy seat.

It is the seat of God’s forgiveness and cleansing.

The Greek version of the OT (LXX) uses the word /hilasterion/ for mercy seat.  1 John 2.2 uses a form of this word for our English word propitiation (/hilasmos/) in referring to Jesus Christ.

“The mercy seat was for the Israelites temporarily what Jesus Christ is for all people permanently:  the place where God found satisfaction” (Constable).

The Day of Atonement was marked by sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood upon the top of the Ark – the cover.

This atonement was necessary in order to turn aside the wrath of God for violating His Law.

God looked upon the blood and forgave the sin of the people.

Thus, the ceremony became an instrument of reconciliation (at-one-met; Tyndalism along with Shewbread later).

The */blood sacrifice/* was absolutely necessary (see Heb 9.22; 9.11-12).

“According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission …Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Christ provides the greater spiritual tabernacle not made with human hands; not of this creation.

God cannot be approached in any other way.

His sanctuary in Heaven cannot be violated by sinful man.

Jesus said that one must be perfect to enter this tabernacle, but none of us are.

We need Him to be our propitiation.

God made it just so!

He is approached accordingly!

To obscure the clear picture of who God is with sensual, base forms of worship is akin to carrying the ark with a new cart.

God is looking for new innovations in worship; these detract from His holiness.

But rather, God wants us to understand who He is and what He has done in sending Jesus to be the atonement for our sins.

That is when we may draw near because God made it just so!

/Transition:    The Ark of the Covenant reminds us of our need for mercy to draw near to God.

It points to Christ as all these articles do.

Now look at the second piece of furniture…/

*The Table for the Showbread (25.23-30)*

*Exodus 25:23–30 (NKJV) — 23* You shall also make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height.

*24* And you shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a molding of gold all around.

*25* You shall make for it a frame of a handbreadth all around, and you shall make a gold molding for the frame all around.

*26* And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that are at its four legs.

*27* The rings shall be close to the frame, as holders for the poles to bear the table.

*28* And you shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.

*29* You shall make its dishes, its pans, its pitchers, and its bowls for pouring.

You shall make them of pure gold.

*30* And you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always.

The Table for Showbread had similarities with the Ark: 

·         Made of acacia wood and covered with Gold