The nation of Israel had finally completed the tabernacle according to the design God had given to Moses (Exodus 35:1-39:43). This endeavor was completed nearly one year following Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Moses blessed the people for their hard work and attention to every detail concerning the tabernacle (Exodus 39:42-43), which would become the center of religious worship for the Israelites. Since the children of Israel were on a journey to the Promised Land, the tabernacle was designed to be portable so that they could easily set it up and tear it down. After all the items of the tabernacle were built, the Lord spoke to Moses and commanded him to set up the tabernacle for the very first time (40:1-2). The Lord detailed the arrangement of the interior and exterior of the tabernacle (40:3-8), the consecration of the items used in the tabernacle (40:9-11), and the anointing of the priesthood who would be involved in the daily duties of the tabernacle (40:12-16). Moses obeyed did everything according to God’s command and they erected the tabernacle in the first month of the second year of their journey (40:16-33).
When the tabernacle was set up as God commanded, “…the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (40:34-35). God’s glory filling the tabernacle was a visible sign that God was pleased with the tabernacle and that everything had been done according to His word. God’s promise to “…dwell among the children of Israel and…be their God” (Exodus 29:45) had finally been fulfilled. The cloud that had initially led the children of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 13:20-22) now dwelt amongst the people. ”Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys” (40:36-38).
This event in the history of Israel was a glorious time as they looked to the Lord as the One who was leading them to the land of Canaan. Israel had endured great persecution in Egypt (Exodus 1:1-12:36), but God delivered His people and set them on a journey toward the Promised Land with Moses as their leader (Exodus 12:37-15:21). Israel’s first year of freedom from bondage was plagued with many growing pains because God wanted them to trust Him fully with their lives (Exodus 15:22-18:27). In order to establish them as a nation, God gave a written Law which provided Israel with commands and ordinances to ensure that they would maintain a proper relationship with Him and others (Exodus 19:1-24:18); furthermore, God also established the tabernacle as the center of worship for Israel (Exodus 25:1-31:18). Although Israel quickly strayed away from worshiping the Lord (Exodus 32), they were restored and eventually built the tabernacle which inhabited the presence of God (Exodus 33:1-40:38). The nation of Israel is much like mankind. God seeks those who will worship Him with a pure heart, but oftentimes man selfishly walks in his own ways. God restores and forgives those who turn back to Him. The story of Israel is a messy story, but a picture of God’s mercy and love for His people.
Dear God, may I learn much in my own life by reading about Your relationship with the nation of Israel.
