The Tabernacle

• The fact is, a person is either obedient in God’s eyes or he is disobedient.

• You see, God does not measure obedience like we do.

• We look on the outward appearance;

• God looks on the heart.

Ill:

• Rebellious small boy in car;

• “I may be sitting down in my body, but in my heart I’m standing up!”

True obedience is a right attitude leading onto right actions.

• Ill: John chapter 14 verse 21:

• “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me”

• Ill: John chapter 14 verse 23:

• "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching

Ill:

An F16 fighter jet is an amazing aircraft with incredible capabilities.

• But there is one thing that a jet pilot requires above all else.

• That the aircraft reacts completely to his control.

• If it were to have "a mind of its own" regardless of how remarkable that might sound,

• It would end up doing as much flying as a door stop.

• In the same vein, even if we had all the gifting under the sun,

• God still must be the ultimate "pilot" of our lives,

• Only then can we do amazing and remarkable things with our lives;

• If we are fully under his control.

• If we insist upon taking our lives into our own hands at every opportunity;

• We will find ourselves as effective as a preverbal door stop,

• And a less gifted by more humble man or woman will be used in our stead.

• Obedience is the golden key to a life of joy and excellence – just ask Peter!

Key word No 3: Glory (vs 34-38):

• No matter how expensive the tabernacle was:

• And it was very expensive (ill: chapter 38 verses 21-31):

• We are told the people gave 1 ton of gold, 4 tons of silver and 3 tons of copper.

• Chapter 36 verse 7 tells us they brought so much they had to be stopped!

• Without the presence of God;

• It was just another tent!

• Ill: Without its contents Tesco’s is just another shop building.

• Ill: Without its cars Rolls Royce is just another factory building.

• Ill: Without teams Wembley Stadium is just another construction.

• It is the content that makes it what it is!

• The Hebrew word translated as ‘Glory’ is often transliterated “Shekinah”;

• Transliteration is when you adopt a word into your language e.g. ‘Rendezvous’ or ‘Baptism’.

• ‘Glory’ or “Shekinah” her both refer to the “dwelling of God”.

• This is the ‘glory’ Moses caught a glimpse of at the beginning of chapter 3;

• This is the ‘glory’ that descended on Mount Sinai in chapter 19.

• This is the ‘glory’ the passed by Moses in chapter 33;

• Now this ‘glory’ descends and dwells in the midst of God’s people.

• Note: So bright is this glory that verse 35 says;

• Not even Moses could enter the ‘Tent of the Meeting’.

The appearance of God’s glory in the tabernacle;

• Was to the Hebrew wanders the assurance God’s presence among them.

• Their God was not distant and uninterested – he was present and close to them.

• God’s presence assured the Israelites;

• That he would be among them, in their centre, in spite of their sin.

Note:

The book of Exodus seems to finish very abruptly;

• The Hebrew people have been rescued out of Egypt;