Sermon Tone Analysis

*Inscription: Writing God’s Words on Our Hearts & Minds*

*/Part 18: God’s Glorious Dwelling/*

*Exodus 25-31, 35-40; Numbers 3-9*

*/April 25, 2010/*

 

* *

*Prep: *

·         101,

 

*Scripture reading: *Exodus 40:33-35 (Geanea)

 

 

Intro

 

This week’s reading covered the *tabernacle*, which was basically a *mobile* *temple* that housed the Ark.

It is also described in great detail in *Exodus* (and we couldn’t discuss it then), so are looking at both.

·         We’ll look at what the tabernacle *meant* and still *means*.

As I started preparing this sermon, I was a little *worried* (after talking about sex last week), but I was amazed by the *lessons* for us.

Prayer

 

Once again, we wade into *unfamiliar* *territory* and it’s easy for us to miss the point.

Like Moses asked many years ago, I pray that you *show* us your *glory*.

Most boring chapter

 

Q   Have you been *keeping* *up* on the reading?

This week we read what is arguably the most *boring*, *repetitive* chapter in the Bible.

How’s that for a *sales* *pitch*?

I feel *guilty* saying it, but it’s true.

·         I actually *remember* *it* because of how dull it is, like driving to CA and dreading the Sacramento to *Grape* *Vine* stretch.

Here’s a sample:

 

*Numbers 7:12-17 * The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

13 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;  14 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;  15 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;  16 one male goat for a sin offering;  17 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.

This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

This isn’t so bad, but there are 12 tribes, and they all bring the same thing.

It starts to read like “12 Days of Christmas,” but without the *variety*.

·         Reading about the tabernacle gets *repetitive* – chapter after chapter dedicated its *building*, *transportation* and *set* *up*.

*Seventeen* chapters on the tabernacle and the *creation* of the universe only gets *two*.

*Why*?

What’s the point?

We live in an age that is *inundated* with *written* *material*.

Our mail box is full *advertisements* and our *inbox* is filled with *junk* mail.

·         It’s not surprising we miss the *significance* of the *repetition* and sheer volume of words about the tabernacle.

Q   How were *books* *made* at this time?

They were *handwritten*; this detail represents a significant investment of time.

Proper Torahs are still hand written.

Q   *What* did Moses write all this on?

This was well before the invention of paper; it was written on *vellum*, specially prepared animal skins – not cheap.

·         Every page represented a significant *financial* *investment* – these details weren’t space fillers, but vital info.

It’s like the *joke* about the teacher who asked a girl what her *favorite* *flower* was...having to write it all by hand kind of *filters* out the extra details.

Q   Think about that: *What* make this stuff so *important*?

It’s *not* instructions to *rebuild* it – the tabernacle would be replaced be the temple.

It’s not *historical* *value* – too much info (I know of no similar ancient documents).

·         Think of poetry – it is built on an “economy of words,” so when there is repetition, it is for effect.

Like Leviticus, which acts out vital *spiritual* *lessons* through *rituals* and purity laws, the *tabernacle* and everything written about it *communicates* profound spiritual lessons, many that are even *more* *applicable* today than when this was written.

·         But now remember that *Jesus* said that the *OT* *testifies* about him (John 5:39) – there are parts only we can understand.

Here are four different lessons:

 

1.

God is restoring relationship

 

The tabernacle was specifically designed to *copy* another important *Biblical* *location*.

Any guess?

The clues are very *subtle*, so it may be hard to catch.

Here is a diagram of the tabernacle (it has some clues):

 

·         The tabernacle faced to the *east*.

·         It was divided into *two* *parts*, the Holy and Holy of Holies, where the tabernacle rests.

·         They were separated by *curtain* (facing east), on which with *cherubim* were embroidered, “guarding” God’s dwelling place.

Q   Got it yet?

Last hint:

 

In Genesis, we read about the *Fall* and its *aftermath*:

 

*Genesis 3:23-24 * 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim [they are not mentioned again until the Tabernacle] and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

·         *Subtle* does not mean *insignificant* – a *ring* on the 2nd finger of the left hand is very subtle, but speaks loudly.

The tabernacle represented the *Garden* of *Eden*.

Q   *What* *happened* in the garden?

It was where God walked with us.

We should read the story of Adam and Eve and their Fall into sin and rebellion like a *tragedy*, something *beautiful* *shattered*.

In reading *Dante*, stuck by the *arrogance* of Eve in defying the glory of God.

Think a *movie* about a *perfect* *couple* that is destroyed by an *affair*.

(I don’t have specific examples, ever since becoming a pastor I stopped watching dramas.)

·         The entire story of the *Bible* is trying to *get* that *back*.

The *tabernacle* represents a significant *step* *forward* in restoring the relationship.

·         It would be like that *movie* where the *couple* *sees* each other in a store and they *start* *talking* again.

Now God chooses to *dwell* with humans again:

 

*Exodus 25:1-2, 8-9 * The LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering.

You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give....Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.

Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The very *term* tabernacle means “*dwelling* *place*” in Hebrew.

This is unprecedented, that Yahweh would dwell with a people.

·         It’s still a *far* cry from *restoring* the Garden of Eden and broken relationship.

First, he *only* dwelled with *Israel*, and he wanted to restore relationship with the world.

Second, they are still *separated* by that *curtain*, guarded by cherubim.

Only the *High* *Priest* could enter, only once a year.

But this is not the *last* we *hear* about the curtain:  

 

*Mark 15:37-39 *  37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

 

Imagine what that was like for the *priest* on duty.

He was *never* allowed to see into the Holy of Holies, now it was open to see.

This is *high* *drama*– the *gates* of *Eden* have been *thrown* *open*, we have been forgive for our unfaithfulness and welcomed back home.

·         “Jesus died for my sins” is an almost blasphemous *understatement*.

2.

God sets the terms

 

The second lesson is one that springs specifically from the *repetition*.

In Exodus 25-31, God gives detailed *instruction* on how to build everything.

Then Exodus 35-39 explains in detail that they *did* *it*.

Here is just one example:

 

*Exodus 25:31-33 *  31 ¶ “Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it.

32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand-- three on one side and three on the other.

*Exodus 37:17-19 *  17 ¶ They made the lampstand of pure gold and hammered it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms were of one piece with it.

18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand-- three on one side and three on the other.

Can you say déjà vu?

These days it would be a simple *copy*~/*paste*, then change the verb tense.