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The parasha
for this Shabbat is entitled Terumah which
means “Contribution” or “offering”. With the exception
of chapters 32-34, the remainder of the book of
Exodus is concerned with just one thing: the construction
and ministry of the Tabernacle. The Hebrew word
for Tabernacle is Mishkan, the noun form
of the verb shachan - to dwell or inhabit.
God gives Moses very detailed instructions about
how to construct the Tabernacle, and the list
of materials required is very interesting:
- gold, silver and bronze
- blue, purple and scarlet
colored fabric and goat hair
- rams’ skins dyed red
and porpoise skins
- acacia wood, oil and
spices
- onyx stones and various
precious and semi-precious stones
All of
this for one purpose: (25:8) “... That I may
dwell among them.”
God’s
command that we construct a Tabernacle was not
for the mere purpose of keeping us busy and out
of trouble. It was to be a labor of love, with
love as its ultimate purpose.
While
we don’t have nearly the time just this morning
to consider in detail the rich symbolism the Tabernacle
and its furnishings represent, it is a study that
every believer should undertake; at least those
who wish to understand the book of Hebrews. Sadly,
we have too often treated these chapters of Exodus
much as people treat genealogies - something to
be gotten through quickly. Within the Tabernacle
would reside the Ark of the Covenant, the Table
of Showbread, the Menorat Zahav - the Golden
Lampstand and the Bronze Altar - each so rich
in symbolism, demonstrating God’s holiness, His
desire to draw near to men, and the great Redemption
that Messiah would bring.
The most
significant piece of furniture for the Tabernacle
was, of course, the Ark. It was to be constructed
of acacia wood; it’s dimensions 45" long x 27"
wide x 27" high, and we were to overlay it with
pure gold - inside and out. It was never to be
picked up and hand-carried, but four cast rings
of gold were to be fastened at its four corners,
and poles of acacia wood, also overlay with gold,
were to be used to carry the Ark whenever God
was leading Israel to move out. The contents of
the Ark - the tablets containing the 10 Commandments
(also called “the Testimony”).
The writer
of Hebrews reminds us that the Ark would also
eventually house the jar containing the omerful
of manna, along with Aaron’s rod which God
had supernaturally caused to sprout buds (making
it perfectly and permanently clear that the tribe
of Levi and family of Aaron were chosen to serve
in the Tabernacle and later the Temple).
The Ark
was to have a solid gold covering, called the
kapporet, which means “covering”, but which
has come to be translated alternately as the “mercy
seat” or “propitiation” because the same root,
kapper, is the verb for “atonement”. Its
dimensions were to match the measurements of the
Ark. It was far more than just the top of a box.
In fact, it was of such importance that in 2 Chronicles
28, the Holy of Holies is actually called “the
house of the kapporet”. Above the kapporet
was where God would manifest Himself in a cloud
(Lev. 16:2)! The kapporet was also to be
adorned on its top with two golden cherubim, also
of solid gold, facing each other, one at each
end, their wings spreading over it.
The Tabernacle
included an outer Court 150' long and 75' wide.
Within that court was the Tabernacle, surrounded
itself by curtains, within which only the priests
and Levites could go. Within the inner court was
the Holy Place, into which only select priests
could go, and only at appointed times. And within
the Holy Place was the Most Holy Place, into which
only the High Priest of Israel was permitted,
and only once each year (at Yom Kippur), and only
after lengthy ritual washings and the putting
on of sacred ceremonial garments.
If you
get a sense of separation, you are beginning to
understand. God, who is infinitely holy, must
separate Himself from fallen, sinful human beings.
Yet it has always been His desire to have fellowship
with us. Therefore we have these degrees of separation.
It also helps us to appreciate fully what Matthew
recorded - that at the moment of Yeshua’s
death on that Roman cross, the veil which blocked
the way into the Holy of Holies was supernaturally
ripped in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:50-51).
The way had been opened for man to have intimate
fellowship with God. What’s more, this access
to the Throne of Grace was opened to Gentiles
as well as Jews. God was making us into the one
flock, Yeshua being our one Shepherd.
Two thoughts
I would like to leave with you:
-
Never, ever mistake God’s
desire for fellowship to be an invitation
to “do your own thing”. If we have gained
something in evangelicalism, it is the sense
of joy and intimacy with God. What we have
lost, however, is a measure of regard for
the holy. God ordained the building of a Tabernacle
so that He might commune with Israel. But
it was crucial that its construction and operation
be according to His specific instructions.
Never ignore design specifications! Aaron’s
sons Nadab and Abihu would learn the hard
way that you dare not approach an infinitely
holy God in a cavalier fashion. Uzzah found
out the hard way why the Ark had rings and
poles.
-
This parasha opens with
God’s invitation to raise a contribution -
a terumah. It was not to be under any
compulsion, but rather, “from every man whose
heart moves him...”. That contribution included
silver and gold and bronze, but it also included
multi-colored fabrics, exotic stones, oil
and spices. In other words, not everyone had
silver and gold to contribute, but they might
have some scarlet or purple or blue fabric.
Some might have extra oil or an abundance
of spices. We are not told who brought what.
But those whose heart stirred them to make
contributions to the building of a place to
worship God had the extreme satisfaction of
knowing that something they contributed resulted
in a thing of inestimable value. The same
would later be true of those who contributed
to the rebuilding of Jerusalem under Ezra
and Nehemiah.
The only
question that remains is whether your heart is
one that is so stirred. I hope so. Those who give
most generously of their time, talents and finances
to the work of God are typically those whose joy
is most evident. May our congregation be overflowing
with joy!
Shalom,
Rabbi Glenn |
