The majority of the chapter describes the making of the priestly garments. There is far too much detail for me to cover, so please read the chapter yourself, and check out this video that can help put some visuals to the words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mznSvWsv0Xc
“Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did. Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin and its stand; the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for their service as priests. According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them.” (v32-33,35-39,41-43)
I’m not sure about you, but when I read these last few verses I thought they sounded a bit like this: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” (Gen 1:26-28,31)
Though both passages have a similar feel, the main reason I suggest the creation of the tabernacle and the creation of the earth are parallel, is that both were designed for the same purpose: so God could have relationship with humankind and dwell together with us. The original garden was where God met with us, and the tabernacle is also where God met with us (though in the tabernacle there had to be extra steps for cleansing of sin).
Fast-forward two thousand years to the death of Jesus on the cross – God enacts His final solution for sin, again with the desire to have restored relationship with us through the indwelling Holy Spirit – our hearts are now the place where God meets with us (rather than a physical location). “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom 5:5-6)
It’s pretty obvious that God goes to great lengths, again and again, even dying on a cross, to create places of meeting where He can commune with us. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1)
I encourage us, myself included, not to take God’s gift of relationship for granted – it has never been easier to have a relationship with God, and yet it has never been harder to have a relationship with God. God has made Himself more accessible than ever, yet we are more distracted than ever. Let’s make sure we regularly spend some time with God in our tent of meeting, lest we become too distracted and forget Him completely.
Father God, almighty creator of earth, the tabernacle, and our hearts, we praise You. Thank you for reaching out to us, time after time. Thank you for dealing with sin and allowing us into Your presence. Thank you for Your steadfastness and never forsaking us, even though we can often forsake You. Please guard our minds and hearts from distractions, that we may simply choose that which is better – sitting at Your feet. Father all honor, glory and praise be to You, O God of Israel. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training