| A PORTABLE CATHEDRAL |
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| Throughout the book of Exodus God had been progressively revealing himself to Moses: once in a burning bush, once in a mysterous appearance beside a rock, once on a trembling mountain, and often in a cloud-covered Tent of Meeting. God's presence caused such fear and awe that the people of Israel begged that he not speak to them directly (20:19). When Moses had come down from Mount Sinai after meeting with God, he glowed as if radioactive, and everyone was too frightened to go near him (34:30). Yet, on the day the tabernacle was completed, this same God moved in. His glory filled the new tabernacle. God took up residence with his people. A Visible Reminder From then on, whenever the Israelites marched or camped, their portable cathedral stayed in the exact center of the camp, with their tents and personal belongings radiating out from the Most Holy Place and Ark of the Covenant. The tabernacle gave them a visible reminder of God's central place. Each day priests performed functions of sacrifice and worship there. The story of the tabernacle, which takes up one-third of Exodus, reveals much about the character of God. He can never be taken lightly - the rituals here and in the next three books show that God must be approached with care and reverence. He cannot be experienced directly, in his fullness, by ordinary people; a holy God is simply too overwhelming. Even Moses, Exodus says, could not look on God's face and live (33:20). And yet, amazingly, that same God who seemed so distant came near. Despite the huge gulf separating God and humanity - a gulf that all the rules on holiness and purification only hint at - God allowed personal access to himself. He made himself available. |
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