And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take My offering.
And let them make Me a Sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in Commandment unto the children of Israel.
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. (Exo 25:1-2, 8-9, 17, 21-22, 40)
GOD calls His people to offer of their abundance, freely and without compulsion to provide for the construction of the Tabernacle, the meeting place, where GOD will meet with His people. He tells Moses some specifics, shows Him the rest while Moses is on the mount, and instructs Moses to make everything according to what he has seen. GOD will come down and meet with His people at the mercy seat, between the cherubims, above the Ark of the Testimony. The children of Israel will worship GOD in the Sanctuary.
Today, many call our worship centers, sanctuaries, and there is a sense in which it is, but the truer sense for the believer, is we are the sanctuary of GOD, for GOD indwells us. We are the Temple of GOD, bought with a price, and the GOD that does not dwell in temples made of hands, meets His people through the mercy seat, Jesus Christ, and calls all people to Himself because of the sacrifice of His Son for sIn.
As His people, and indwelt with His Spirit, which empowers us to do His work and His will, we are to be Holy as He is Holy. We are to be conformed to the image of His dear Son, just as this tabernacle was to be made as GOD showed Moses. GOD has a plan for His people, and a ministry for all those that are His. As He lives in us, He accomplishes the work of grace shed abroad in our hearts. We are to continually surrender to Him on His terms, just as we did when we received His forgiveness through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary.
Until He takes us Home to the Tabernacle in Heaven, to be with Him, we are to do His will and accomplish His work here. We are to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need, as GOD blesses us and directs us. We are to disciple one another in love and in the Word of GOD. We are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who will hear and believe, that in believing they might have life in His Name.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet