As the Lord Commanded Moses (Exodus 39:32-43, 40:33b-38)

As the Lord Commanded Moses

 

Exodus 39:32-43, 40:33b-38

 

What God did for the people of Israel in Exodus can be largely divided into three things. One is saving the people from the slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1-18), another giving them the law of covenant (19-24; 32-34), and the other having them build the tabernacle (25-31; 35-40). While the redemption was restoration from the past, and the law of covenant was a promise for the future, the tabernacle is for “the present.” Building the tabernacle was to prepare God’s dwelling place among the people of Israel, and therefore it was the most urgent task to be done. This was God’s throne, on which the Lord would rule and guide his people. Chapter 39 and 40 of Exodus explain how the tent and all its furnishings were made, brought to Moses, and set up. And there is a phrase repeated in this explanation. It is “as the Lord commanded Moses.” This phrase appears 10 times in Chapter 39 (1, 5, 7, 21, 26, 29, 31, 32, 42, 43), and 8 times in 40 (16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32). This emphasizes that the tabernacle was prepared exactly as God commanded Moses. And verse 40:33b says, “And so Moses finished the work.” This word reminds us of what Jesus said on the cross: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Seeing that the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom on Jesus’ breathing of his last breath (Mark 15:37-38), we can say that Jesus’ saying “It is finished” meant the fulfillment of what God commanded Jesus and the completion of the new temple. So with today’s text, I would like to think about the meanings of the tabernacle Moses built in the wilderness and the temple Jesus built in us through his sacrifice, and the grace God gives to us through these works.

 

Moses’ tabernacle was built exactly as God commanded Moses. God gave detailed instructions on the materials, structures, and designs of the tent and its furnishings. God’s word was the masterplan ruling the entire process of building the tabernacle. And only according to the word of God, materials were prepared, and things were made and installed. The people brought freewill offerings to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary (Exodus 36:3). And God filled the workmen with wisdom and understanding so that they would work all manners of work (35:31, 36:1-2). And all the works were done as the Lord commanded Moses. The Bible does not say simply “The sanctuary was completed as the Lord commanded Moses.” It tells every detail. For example, Exodus 40:20-21 says, “He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded him,” and 26-27 says, “Moses placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded him.” This shows how important it is to obey God’s command precisely as it is. The tabernacle is the exact embodiment of God’s word through Moses’ and the workmen’s obedience. Although it is a tangible thing that we can see and touch, it is “God’s word.” It is because the sanctuary is the exact fulfillment of God’s word. In this sense, the tabernacle is God’s dwelling and throne on earth. We can understand Jesus in the same way. Referring to Jesus, John 1:14a says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Through his obedience, Jesus became the embodiment of God’s word dwelling among us. So, through Jesus, we can see and touch the word of God. A difference is that while Moses’ tabernacle was for ministering God’s law, Jesus’ temple is for ministering God’s grace and truth (John 1:17). It is because God built a better house through his son.

 

The phrase “as the Lord commanded Moses” shows the nature of God dwelling among us. It is “word.” We may call it “voice.” God warned strictly that the people of Israel should not make any “image in the form of anything” (Exodus 20:4). According to Erik’s sermon a few weeks ago, as I remember, an idol does not necessarily mean a golden calf or a carved wooden statue. It can be something that I have in my heart, which I love more than God. Furthermore, it can be “the Lord God” who was formed as I want. This is “God (Elohim)” but he doesn’t have his own word or voice. He has only ears to hear my voice, and arms and legs to work for my wish. This is still an idol, even worse and more detestable than a golden calf. God doesn’t have a form. But God has his voice. And he tells us his will. God wants us to hear the voice and obey the will. We should not form God as my desire commands. On the contrary, we should be formed as God commands us whatever it is. Moses built the sanctuary as the Lord commanded him. Jesus also listened to God’s voice. It was taking the cross. It was how Jesus was formed according to God’s will. Jesus didn’t feel ashamed of this appearance. It was because it was God’s will. If it was God’s will, Jesus endured the cross and scorned its shame (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus’ only concern was fulfilling God’s will in his body. It was representing God’s voice however the consequence was to him. Jesus’ cross is actually destroying all the beauty of visible forms so that only God’s word, God’s wisdom, and God’s power may be revealed. So Paul says, “The message of the cross is …… the power of God” (1Corinthians 1:18). We should not form God as I desire according to the beauty of human eyes. Rather, we should take the cross according to God’s will so that we may also experience the power of God.

 

The tabernacle is an interface between God and Israel. Through this, God and Israel meet and communicate with each other. An interface is “a place at which two independent systems, subjects, organizations, etc. meet and act on or communicate with each other.” There is a place called Panmunjeom in Korea. This is a small village lying on the border between South and North Korea. The two nations meet there and have talks over many different issues. South and North Korea are quite different in many ways. One is a democratic and capitalist country, and the other is a communist one. Nevertheless, the two are connected through the interface of Panmunjeom. Meeting and talking there, they communicate and solve problems. With this connection, even they feel the identity of one people and one nation. The relationship between the two nations can be determined by how actively they meet and talk at Panmunjeom. The worst situation is that they stop meeting and talking.  This is the same for God and Israel. God had Moses build the sanctuary so that he would communicate with his people Israel. The tabernacle is a place where everything is revealed. It is where God’s holiness is announced, and my sins are exposed and corrected. In fact, this is a very painful and uncomfortable process. It is because God and man are so different from each other. God’s will is too high, and man’s sin is too deep. Nevertheless, God built the sanctuary through Moses. And he wants to communicate with his people. God wants to narrow the gap between him and his people, and he wants to reach a certain level of unity with them. Still in Moses’ tabernacle, the contact point between God and man was extremely limited. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies alone, and just once a year (Hebrews 9:7).

 

Jesus is a better interface. It is because Jesus offered an eternal sacrifice that makes perfect those who draw near to worship God (Hebrews 10:1). When Moses finished the work of building the sanctuary, Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). But Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood (Hebrews 9:12). By his own blood, Jesus paid all for our sins. With regard to this, Paul says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies” (1Corithians 6:19-20). This is saying that our bodies are now completely cleansed and became the vessels of God’s glory. Even Paul says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1Corinthians 10:31). Moses asked God to show his glory (Exodus 33:18). But even he, with whom God was pleased, could not see God’s glory face to face. In Jesus, however, we came to live for the glory of God. In the past, when we drew near to God, our concern was all about “my sins.” And God’s glory was fearful and scary to such sinners. Therefore, meeting between God and man was extremely limited, and it was controlled through strict processes. In Jesus, however, what we see is not “my sins” but “God’s glory.” Even Jesus said to his disciples, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). This is truly glorious freedom given to God’s children (Romans 8:21). God’s glory is the highest hope that man can have. In Jesus, God’s glory is our prayer and expectation. The main function of Moses’ tabernacle was “offering sacrifices for my sins.” But the main function of Jesus’ temple is “expecting and praying for God’s glory.” In Jesus, therefore, we can be united with God in heart and soul in its true sense.

 

The cloud of God settled upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night. This shows that God was pleased with the tabernacle and blessed it as his dwelling place. And with this, the people of Israel could see God’s presence and his leading. Verses 40:36-37 say, “In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted.” Moses’ leadership was in his obedience to God. When he built the tabernacle as the Lord commanded him, God himself became the shepherd of Israel. Moses was not qualified for being the leader of Israel. He rejected God’s calling several times because of his own weaknesses. But when he obeyed God and committed himself to serve God’s words, God became his wisdom and power for the Israelites. Jesus also became the shepherd of all human beings through his full obedience to God. Jesus showed us how to serve God. Jesus obeyed God even when all his disciples betrayed and ran away from him. It looked he failed as a leader. But he didn’t. He was successful in obeying God. And through this, he became the Chief Shepherd for God’s flock.

 

Moses built the tabernacle as the Lord commanded him. God is holy, and man is sinful, and the gap between the two is immeasurable. But God has a way to be with us, to save us, and to lift us up to heaven. So God said to Moses, and then the Word of God himself came to the world. God has voice, and we have obedience. Then the word of God is embodied in us as living God with power and wisdom, who can save us even from the dead. May the Lord give us the Spirit obedient to the Word so that our bodies be the holy temple full of God’s glory!!!