THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE. EXODUS 40 Moses’ obedience to the Lord's commands is a major theme in this chapter. All the materials were prepared and ready for use. Nine months after arriving at Mount Sinai and two weeks before the second Passover, the Tabernacle was to be erected. The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for a year before the Tabernacle was set up. On the fourteenth day of the first month, the Passover occurred, and a large group of slaves left Egypt during the night. Now, nearly a year later, the Tabernacle was to be assembled in the middle of the camp.
Each piece was made as instructed by God, and together they would form the unique dwelling place fit for God to dwell with His people. In God’s timing, on the day He chose, Moses carried out exactly what God commanded. Only Moses had the authority to erect the Tabernacle and prepare it as the place where the Lord could enter and dwell among His people. He alone served as Israel's intercessor before God, and it was to him that God gave the command for each item to be placed according to His order.
It is our duty to follow what we do in the order God provides, in the way God desires, and at the time He chooses. Trying to take divine matters into our own hands is a sinful act of self-will. Making things convenient for our own reasons goes against the divine order. When we receive instructions from God, we should obey them exactly and not be satisfied with something similar to what He said and wants. We are to do it correctly and ensure the objective is fully achieved.
The Israelites made serious mistakes as their old life threatened to pull them back in their impatience. They looked back to Egypt's ways without faith and initially forgot that the Egyptian world feared them, and God, in mercy and power, redeemed and forgave them. They were no longer in bondage but in freedom!
It may take time for us to understand that freedom isn't a license. Living in freedom doesn't mean we have the right to act on self-will and independence. True freedom involves God's will and is connected with common sense, which includes an aspect of life more valuable than money: freedom in Christ—not the bondage of sin, but genuine freedom! When we are freed from the law of sin and death, we can get along better with others. Freedom in Christ brings us into fellowship with many sisters and brothers of precious faith who want to obey our heavenly Father. There is a special unity when we gather in Christ's name. We are no longer bound but live in holy freedom!
That great band of ex-slaves was united around one common center—the Person of the Lord God of Israel. On that first day of the year, Moses properly set up the Tabernacle. The Lord told him the order for assembling the building. It was his responsibility to do it in that way. There was no trial-and-error method in this work. The Tabernacle itself was erected first. We follow that pattern in obeying the Lord today.
We begin by acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord. The Tabernacle reflects the Person of Christ in many aspects of His nature and character. Our first duty is to publicly declare our commitment to Him as our Savior and Lord. The ark was the first item in the Tabernacle, and we testify that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. We come together to God Himself. Even though He is unseen and we lack images or likenesses, there is a moral glory and holy purity that is unmistakable when those who have been spiritually reborn gather as children of God.
The table of showbread with the loaves touching each other was the second item placed. Fellowship in our gatherings and worship in unity are essential principles and needs in holy things. After that, the light of the candlesticks can be lit, revealing all the sacred objects surrounding a true work of God and priestly worship. God’s word and God’s Spirit reveal truths that guide and indwell every believer. Then, the sweet fragrance of incense from the golden altar could be accepted by God and fill the dwelling Tabernacle. Holy worship has God’s glory and the testimony of His name as the goal of the Lord’s people when we meet. Worshiping in spirit and truth can ascend to God when His divine order is followed.
The veil, ark, and mercy seat were placed first. Then, the table was set up, and the bread was laid on it. The lampstand was positioned and lit, and the golden altar was put in its proper place, with incense placed on it to burn. As each piece was installed, those who built the Tabernacle under Moses' guidance were aware of moving from the Holiest inward and outward to the courtyard. The brazen altar had a burnt offering on it. The laver was positioned, and the courtyard fence was erected.
When God’s people sincerely and genuinely seek the Lord with their whole soul and spirit, the public testimony of the Gospel and “the washing of water by the word” can be openly shared and practiced. When the Gospel is preached and God's word is shared to benefit His people, one more important matter must be addressed. The curtain of separation needs to be put up. Separation between what is holy and what is profane or worldly must be established. Otherwise, there is an empty “Tabernacle” without God's presence.
Just as those who built the fence, the walls, the gate, the door, and the veil placed everything in its proper place, they could each tell others about the unique beauty of the pieces they saw. One of the many valuable aspects of fellowship is sharing thoughts of our Lord with fellow believers. "My, that's a wonderful thought." "I had never seen that before," and similar comments are made when we talk with others about our Savior.
The anointing of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, along with the washing and anointing of the priests, consecrated everything as sacred. These items were dedicated to the Lord and reserved solely for the purpose He intended. They were all for God's glory. His dwelling place was unique in design, materials, pattern, purpose, and the use of each item, ultimately serving as a testimony to the people and a means of fellowship with God. The “Testimony” placed in the ark consisted of the two tablets of stone, on which the terms of the covenant between God and Israel were inscribed.
When starting a new work, we should avoid experimenting randomly with different methods just to see what pleases people. Instead, a well-organized and carefully considered plan must be followed. The actions taken at the beginning of a new assembly are what the Lord's people will continue doing for fifty or even a hundred years. The way people approach the Lord's Supper and their attitude toward it are shaped by those present when the work first begins. Our attitude toward the Bible, how we greet each other, the singing of hymns, and the way the emblems are approached and shared are all established at the start of the work. It is essential to take care initially to maintain a sense of reverence, respect, and holiness when we gather together.
That first day of the year marked something new that had never been seen before. To God, who perceives everything as an everlasting “now,” He uses these “first days” to teach us. It was the “first day – first month” when the floodwaters receded. The flood was over; every person and animal had died except those safe in the ark, who found grace in God’s eyes. As they stepped out from the ark, each began a new life.
The phrase “First day – the first month” marked the beginning of cleansing the temple. Removing pollution from what is sacred is actually quite simple. Items that don’t belong there or anything unclean must be removed, and worship must be restored. Many left Babylon on the “first day of the first month.” Seventy years had passed, and life in Babylon was difficult. God raised up some men to lead His people back home, and the process of recovery began as they returned to where they belonged.
We should never believe, “There’s no way to start over.” When sin is confessed and lives are healed, God touches grieving hearts, guides them back on track, and allows them to begin again. God does the same for us today when we come back to Him.
Moses was given the responsibility to set up the Tabernacle. He would have assigned different tasks to people and expected them to do their work properly. One person who was supposed to set a silver socket in a specific place could have delayed the entire project if he overslept or wanted to eat a leisurely meal before reporting for his task. There were many pieces to fit together, each on the list of important things to do.
God allows us to participate in carrying out His will in sacred matters. We must not sit idly by because the tasks given to us help keep order in the entire work. The small tasks we are asked to do may seem insignificant unless we do what we do "as unto the Lord." Consistent service for the Lord in an assembly requires me to be ready and willing to fulfill my part.
It seems the final task in constructing the Tabernacle was to hang the multicolored gate, symbolizing the Lord Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They knew the work was completed correctly and everything was in order when the cloud of the Lord's presence covered the Tabernacle. Day and night, the evidence of the Lord's presence among His people was visible. The comforting shadow during the day and the shining light at night reassured the people of God that the Lord was with them.
There is great comfort and strength for God's saints when we know the Lord is present among us. The hymns we sing help make our praise genuine, especially when we are not just appreciating others' talents. Both our spoken and silent prayers lead us to true worship that originates from our spirits. When the Word of God is read, the Scriptures speak to us at the right moments and in the right context. What a wonderful blessing it is to have moved from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God—and to know that the glory of the Lord is here!
Exodus begins with God’s people in Egypt as slaves, symbolizing the world. Sadness, suffering, and gloom characterized the Israelites. They were in bondage for four hundred years. The Book of Exodus ends with them following the pillar of cloud as God guides them through the wilderness. They had the Tabernacle, the tent of meeting, where God dwelled with them, and His glory and presence were clear to all. The cloud by day over the Tabernacle, or leading them, and the pillar of fire by night, protecting them, demonstrated God's reassuring presence. How blessed it is to be freed from the bondage of sin and to have the freedom of life in Christ!