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February 19 Daily Devotional

ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH THOU SHALT SET UP THE TABERNACLE

Henry T. Vriesen

Exodus 34–40

The children of Israel needed a place of worship. While they were in the wilderness it was to be a tabernacle. It was built according to the plan which God showed Moses on Mount Sinai. The sides were about forty-five feet long and fifteen feet wide. A tent covered it. For that reason it was called the tabernacle, which means tent. It was divided into two rooms by a heavy, brightly colored curtain. The first room was called the Holy, the second room was called the Holy of Holies. Around the tabernacle was an enclosed yard which was called the Court.

It was a beautiful structure. The wood which was used was covered with gold. The furniture was either covered with gold or made of solid gold. It was much finer than any tent in which the people lived. It was to be the house of God. The people gladly gave all the gold and silver and copper and fine linen necessary. God was pleased with that. The tabernacle was built so that it could be taken apart and carried along when the people moved from place to place. Thus, when they left Mt. Sinai, they did not have to leave their church behind.

In the court outside of the tabernacle stood the “altar of burnt offering,” on which the daily sacrifices were presented in the sight of the assembled people, and the laver of brass, containing water for the sacred washings. In the outer sanctuary, or Holy Place, separated by a curtain from the inner sanctuary, stood various pieces of sacred furniture—the ‘altar of incense,’ the ‘table of shewbread,’ the ‘golden candlestick’; and here day by day the priests came to offer incense with the daily sacrifice. In the innermost sanctuary, the Most Holy (Holy of Holies), was the ‘ark of the covenant,’ a chest covered with solid gold, containing the ‘tables of the law’; above the ark was the ‘mercy seat,’ upon which, once a year, the high priest sprinkled blood; and on the mercy seat knelt, face to face, two golden cherubim with outspread wings. The ark denoted that through the appointed propitiation the holy God now had blessed communion with his creatures.

On the day the tabernacle was set up a cloud covered it. The cloud which settled upon the tabernacle, and which shone like fire at night, was the sign of God’s presence. And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. God dwelt among the people. He would guide them on their way to the promised land. He would protect them against their enemies. He would forgive their sins and hear their prayers, for they were his people and he was their God.

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