Bible Talks: The Tabernacle

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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Exodus 25
THE TABERNACLE in the wilderness! how much is set forth by it, and what a tale of grace it tells! That the Lord should say to Moses, the leader of Israel, “Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them,” was grace indeed, when we recall all their ways towards Him. If they had asked Him to dwell among them, it would have been very gracious if He had consented; but that He should propose it unasked, that He should think of such a thing, was wonderful. Had they not been continually murmuring, complaining, and rebelling against Him from the very first? Just turn for a moment and read Exodus 15:24; 16:2,3,8,20, 27,28; 17:1-424And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? (Exodus 15:24)
2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. (Exodus 16:2‑3)
8And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. (Exodus 16:8)
20Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. (Exodus 16:20)
27And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 28And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? (Exodus 16:27‑28)
1And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? 3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. (Exodus 17:1‑4).
The Lord had redeemed them out of Egypt, through the blood of the paschal lamb, and brought them to Himself. He had led them safely through the Red Sea, and had overwhelmed their enemies (Ex. 12,13, 14); they had sung the song of redemption when they saw their enemies dead on the seashore (15); yet no sooner did they begin their joey towards the land promised to their fathers — the land of rest then they began their murmurings!
The Lord had dealt with them altogether in grace, and all that He had asked from them was faith in His power, love and mercy; yet they had none, as the very first trial proved (Ex. 15:22-2422So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? (Exodus 15:22‑24)). More than this, though unable to go on with the Lord even on the ground of grace without murmuring and rebellion, they were so blind to their own state that they actually put themselves under law (Ex. 24:33And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do. (Exodus 24:3)). Instead of pleading the covenant of grace made with Abram (Gal. 3: 16,17), and confessing their utter inability to walk in obedience, they say, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.” Ex. 19:88And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord. (Exodus 19:8).
Well, what can we say but that it was like Himself, for God is love. Thus grace surrounds the history of the tabernacle from the very first, and we are sure that you young rears who know anything of the meaning of grace, will be interested in learning something about this wonderful tent, especially when you remember that the Lord Himself designed it all, and everything it contained. We may take it for granted at once, even if we did not know anything about it, that there must be some very precious and wonderful meaning connected with it, seeing that it was God who commanded and planned it all. Moreover, because He did so is a reason why those that know Him should wish to understand it, so far as He shall enable them to do so.
ML-04/19/1970