THE MAN WHO BUILT THE TABERNACLE

The Man Who Built The Tabernacle
We have dealt considerably with this matter of "waiting", because we (like Moses) must come to know God’s ways if we are to become involved with Him in the true Tabernacle "not made with hands." At the age of 40 Moses may well have argued with himself: "What am I waiting for? I am Israel’s deliverer. I shall go forth and do what I can." We all know what disappointment and frustration he suffered. Nevertheless in the wilderness of Midian Moses learned much of God’s ways. It took him 40 years, but he learned the lesson well. He learned about his own inadequacy and helplessness, his own unworthiness and his own deficiencies. A learning course of this nature will usually require a lot longer period of time than the three or four years one might spend in a Bible School or Seminary to discover one’s abilities and potential!
But what was the result of it all? Moses accomplished in one single night what he had longed to accomplish as a powerful young prince in Egypt at the age of 40. God waited till he was 80 years of age--alienated from the favour he once had with Pharaoh, and stripped of all confidence in his own abilities--before God called him as a helpless shepherd, with nothing but a stick in his hand, to go back to Egypt and deliver a whole nation out of slavery. He had learned much of God’s ways as he tended the sheep in Midian. He would learn much more, as he became the first shepherd of Israel. He would talk with God "face to face," as God gave him living oracles, written with the finger of God on tables of stone. And to Moses was given the pattern for the Tabernacle, which was to become God’s dwelling place in the midst of His people.

Is God Really Late?
Yes, God is always late by man’s standards; but He is right on time according to His own plan and purpose. And this is what makes it all the more frustrating to those who embrace His Word and promise. If only He would delay the promise until the time drew near for Him to fulfil it! Then perhaps we could bear up under it, for we would not have the Word of the promise to torment our impatient spirit.
But we have learned that this is all part of the training course. It is in this "waiting period" that we find time to do our best--to try, and fail, and try again. Or perhaps to try again and succeed, or at least assure ourselves that we have succeeded, only to come to still greater devastation when God comes on the scene and rejects our vain efforts to build His Kingdom. May we learn this important lesson once for all: that in our natural strength and wisdom we can do nothing, and that what things we consider to be successful must be laid aside as mere refuse, for the knowledge of Christ.
God gave Abraham the promise early, but fulfilled it late. As Abraham waited (and no doubt experienced much trial and frustration) he learned the ways of the Lord and became the father of the faithful for all generations to come.
God gave Joseph the promise early, and fulfilled it late. The "word" that Joseph embraced as a promise became the "word" that tried him severely (Ps. 105:19). We need to remember this: the vision the Lord gives us becomes our trial. But that same "word" brought Joseph out of the dungeon to be a ruler and deliverer, and a sustainer of life to surrounding nations.
God gave David the promise early, and fulfilled it late. But the trials that he went through wrought in him a heart "after the heart of God." And the shepherd boy from Bethlehem became a shepherd-king over all Israel.
God gave the whole human race the promise early, and fulfilled it late. God promised that the "seed of the woman" would "bruise the serpent’s head." Men almost despaired of the promise, but "in the fullness of time" He came forth: "Late in time behold Him come...Offspring of a virgin’s womb."
No! God is not really late! Let us not submit to the pressure that is on God’s people these days "to get the job done." God is faithful to "watch over His Word to perform it." He is not trying His best to get a job done, He is bringing forth a New Creation. We are His "workmanship," the "masterpiece" that He is working on. "Wait, I say, on the LORD" (Ps. 27:14). For "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).

The Pattern Of The Tent
"And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount" (Ex. 25:40). As Moses dwelt in the midst of the celestial glory for 40 days and 40 nights, talking with God face to face, God gave him very detailed instructions for the building of the sanctuary. In this pattern we have a picture of the heavenly realm which was to be made manifest in the fullness of time. Paul calls the whole Levitical order "the example and shadow of heavenly things" (Heb. 8:5). Notice this very carefully: it was not a perfect representation of the real, but only a type, only a shadow. "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect" (Heb. 10:1).
Of course most Christians do not believe that "the very image" can bring perfection either. And if this be so God may be charged with abolishing a faulty religious system which could not bring perfection, and then replacing it with a new religious system which was still "faulty," if it too was not able to bring perfection to those who embraced it. We might just as well continue on with the sacrifices of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a red heifer, if the sacrifice of Christ can do no better. Why should He have suffered so much in vain? (God forbid the very suggestion! But it is not really mine. It is the suggestion of those who ignorantly deny the full efficacy of the blood of Christ to take away all sin.) For God has ordained that in the fullness of time the Substance of all Old Testament offering and sacrifice would be revealed; and that He would bring forth the perfection that the Old Testament pointed to in many of its types and shadows, but was never able to fulfil. The shadow speaks of an outline, a sketch. The "very image" speaks of that which is perfect, the real thing. So Christ is said to be the "image of the invisible God" and "the express image of His Person." He is not just a resemblance of God, but the exact similitude and expression of God in human form.
This is important for us to remember. For in our study of the tabernacles and temples of God we are going to discover that the pattern changes as one temple replaces another; and the tabernacle or temple that has gone into ruin and later restored is vastly different than the original structure. Why would God see fit to change the pattern from time to time? For the simple reason that it was just a shadow of the heavenly realm; and in changing it we have a different view of what God had in mind, as He outlined the substance in a somewhat different light, perhaps in a more brilliant light. Finally the heavenly Temple is revealed and manifested in Christ Himself Who declared Himself to be the very Temple of God in the earth. "Destroy this temple," He said, "And in three days I will raise it up" (Jn. 2:19). He was not the shadow, but the "very image." But there was to be a further expression of the "very image" as the Lord Jesus was glorified; that from the throne of Zion’s holy mountain He might rule and reign as "head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). His intention being to build the Church together "for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:22). Yes, God needs His people because He needs a permanent Home in which He might dwell--a Home that is compatible with His own nature and character.
Try as Israel may, therefore, to bring about a restoration of her glory to something that might equate the glory she had in the days of David, or Solomon, she will not succeed. And try as the Church may to bring about a restoration to something that might resemble the glory of early apostolic days, she too is going to be greatly frustrated and perplexed. Whether we speak of natural Israel or the Church, in striving for something that is far below God’s intention, we fail to see and to anticipate the greater glory that God has in mind. For He has promised "the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former" (Hag. 2:9). Many good ministers are puzzled as they try their best to re-establish the order and structure of the "New Testament Church." But if God has something "new" in mind, the Holy Spirit (Who is the Vicar of Christ on earth) will not seek to accommodate those who are endeavoring to bring about this kind of restoration. God has still greater things in mind. Certainly He will restore that which was lost, and the years that the caterpillar, the cankerworm, the palmerworm, and the locust have eaten. But when God has a new order in mind, in vain do we try to restore the old one. Fundamental principles of truth remain unchanged, for Jesus Christ is the Truth, and therefore eternal and unchangeable. But until the fullness of Christ is formed within His people, God will continue to do new things and bring about a new order wherein His people shall walk. And all this will be in strict conformity to the revealed Word of God, quickened and made alive to His people in the day when He arises to perform the intentions of His heart. Invariably when God moves forward with His people it is the quickening Word that leads them forth into new things. It is always according to scripture. And God always confirms what He is doing in many, many ways, so as to encourage His people to move on with Him. The trumpet sound is certain and clear. His sheep know the Voice, and they seek to follow in obedience.
The General Plan Of The Tabernacle
The Tent was situated in the very centre of the camp of Israel, and over the Tent the cloud of His glory rested, day and night: by day as a pillar of cloud, and by night as a pillar of fire. It was God Himself dwelling in the midst of His people. The Tent faced the east, and there in the front of the gate were the tents of Moses and Aaron, who were responsible for the conduct of all who ministered in the sanctuary. Facing the east, it would speak to us of the promise of a "new day." The Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem also faced the east. For the promise is, "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (Mal. 4:2).
As one might look down upon the Tabernacle from the hillsides, with thousands of little tents surrounding it, and God’s glory covering the sanctuary like a canopy, one could not help but be aware that here was a distinct people, a separate people, a holy nation. Balaam the sorcerer wanted to curse them. He was going to be paid well for doing it. But in the spirit of prophecy he was compelled to say:
"From the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him:
Lo, the people shall dwell alone,
And shall not be reckoned among the nations" (Num. 23:9).
And again,
"How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob,
And thy tabernacles, O Israel!" (Num. 24:5).
And yet, even at that very moment the people were disheartened, discouraged, and disobedient. They were filled with murmuring and complaining because of the bitterness of the way, and the drought and barrenness of the wilderness journey. Oh, that we had eyes to see, and ears to hear, and a heart to perceive, that we might behold ourselves for a moment from God’s viewpoint, and from the viewpoint of angels and principalities and powers of the heavenly realm! We may excuse Israel, for theirs was a covenant of death, a covenant of fading glory. But how shall we excuse ourselves who have been made partakers of a covenant of life, and a covenant of ever-increasing glory, and dwell in a Tabernacle "which the Lord pitched, and not man"?
The Tent itself had a partition called the veil, which separated the holy place from the most holy. Then surrounding the Tent, as well as the laver and the brazen altar which were outside the Tent, was an enclosure composed of fine linen hanging on posts which were placed in brazen sockets in the desert sand. This was called the outer court; and the linen surrounding it was much like a fence, which the priests entered from the east side in the course of their ministry. Altogether, then, we have three areas: the outer court, the holy place, and the holy of holies. There at the eastern gate the sinning Israelite would bring his sacrifice to the priest. The priest and Levite would then take the sacrifice to the brazen altar which was situated just inside the gate, sacrifice it unto the Lord, and the sinning Israelite could go away free--until he sinned again. Nor could he go into the sanctuary itself, for that was reserved for the priests. This was no arbitrary arrangement on God’s part. His heart longed for a whole nation of kings and priests, and in the fullness of time He would create such a nation. God had promised them: "Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Ex. 19:6). Because of their disobedience they could not attain to it then, and the promise remained unfulfilled. When the true Sacrifice was made, and an unchanging priesthood was established in Christ, the promise was once again brought forward from God’s heart: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people" (1 Pet. 2:9). This too has failed to materialize in fullness, but the promise is there, and it remains for those who will go God’s way--all the way. Let there be no misunderstanding here: what God declares concerning us is true. But He makes His declarations in the New Covenant that we might embrace them by faith and appropriate them, until the truth becomes practical and vital in our lives.
This truth we must emphasize over and over again, for we are living in a day when so-called positional truth, and dispensational truth have almost nullified the Word of God, and robbed God’s people of the glory that He has for them. If men do not like the truth they can readily relegate it to some dispensation other than the one we are living in. Or if it is definitely truth for this dispensation, then they have a way of relegating it to the heavens. "That’s positional truth. It’s not something you experience today." But the answer is clear from the Word of God: It is ours and we must press toward the mark, "if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:12). What God has elected and chosen for me, to that end I must press on. I know I cannot go beyond faith, or beyond the Word, nor do I desire to do so. But "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).
"Therefore, Oh Lord, give us hearing ears that we may hear Your truth. Give us open eyes to behold Your glory. Give us understanding hearts to perceive Your ways. There are no limits in You, and You have erected no barriers to the man of faith. But there are barriers that we often erect in our own hearts--hearts which are prone to presumption and unbelief. But as You would possess our reins with the pure and holy mind of Christ, then we shall truly walk with You in the pure light of Your holiness and truth, and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Truly You are Light and Life in all Your Being, and if we abide under Your shadow we shall walk, not in darkness, for Your shadow is one of pure light; and every trace of sin and the carnal nature must vanish away in the pure Light of Your presence."