The Tabernacle - Introduction
The Tabernacle - Ross Clark -
January 2005
INTRODUCTION TO STUDIES OF THE
TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS
The Tabernacle of the Lord of
Israel is an object lesson – a model – for
worship and holiness for today’s Christian
Church. Each aspect of the Tabernacle presents a
remarkable visual picture of the form of God’s
interaction with humanity. In particular, the
Tabernacle presents a beautiful image of:
- The value and worth of the
Lord Jesus Christ as our sacrifice. Each aspect
of the Tabernacle, including its design,
dimensions, furnishings, and constituent
components, clearly presents a vivid picture of
the glory and beauty of Christ.
- The way in which God wanted
to live and interact in the middle of His people
as they traveled towards Canaan, the land of
promise. The presence of God brought blessings
to Israel; the same blessings that come to His
Church today because of the presence of the
glory of God in its midst, as it travels towards
the promised land of heaven.
- The way in which God’s
presence demanded holiness and worship from
Israel, so His presence today demands Christian
lives of purity and dedication. God lives in the
middle of His people by His Spirit and He calls
them to worship Him and to live in holiness. In
return, He promises to bless them with His power
and protect them.
As Moses’ and Israel’s
traveled in the wilderness, their God-given
program was to build the Tabernacle. Likewise,
our program today is to build God’s Church –
“a
building fitly framed together…in whom ye also
are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22). The
Tabernacle is a God-given picture of how we are
to approach to God. Such is the efficacy of the
sacrifice of Christ that “He has perfected
forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews
10:14) and by the blood of Jesus, we are
invited, like the Tabernacle priests were, to
enter at all times into the Holiest of All to
meet, to understand, and to commune with God
Himself (Hebrews 10:19). A clear understanding
of the Tabernacle will enhance our understanding
of God and His purposes and illuminate within
each Christian the meaning of “Christ in you,
the hope of glory” (Colossian 1:27) to each
Christian.
G. Ross Clark Milton Gospel
Hall
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