MAKING, SETTING, AND DEDICATING THE TABERNACLE OF MEETING These chapters (35 to 40) presented a detailed account of the making, setting, and consecration of the tabernacle, where the Lord has proclaimed His glory. We have already dealt with the tabernacle and its furnishings (Chapters 25, 26, 27, 30, 31). Here, I shall only mention the following few remarks: 1- Mentioning the details of the tabernacle again A- The Holy Book intended to confirm that the workers were committed to great accuracy in making the tabernacle and all its furnishings, according to the pattern shown by God to Moses. God cares for setting inside us a spiritual sanctuary, with a similar accuracy in following His commandment. B- Recording the acts of obedience of the people, to become a living part of the word of God, is to proclaim that we, through obedience, would have our life likewise recorded in the book of life, and would get eternity. 2- The offerings The words of the Book, “Take from among you an offering to the Lord” (Exod. 35.5), also bears an inner offering, in which man presents his life, heart, feelings and thoughts. Therefore, the offerings were of several types. Yet, we do not find ‘lead’ among them, as it refers to sin, but we find gold, silver, and bronze, even goats’ hair, red skins of rams, and badger skins; that refer to dying to the world and controlling carnal lusts. The Book confirms, “They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart” (Exod. 35.22). This sharing in giving refers to the soul sharing with the body, and the thought with the emotions, namely, to the sanctification of man as one unit. The scholar Origen says that good women obey their husbands; the good body does not rebel against the Spirit, but obeys it and works in harmony with it1. As the body could destroy the soul by working against it through wicked lusts, leading to the deprivation of both of them of the divine glories, so also by submission, the body works together with the soul under the leadership of the Lord Christ, through His Holy Spirit, in order that both of them gain the heavenly crown. The scholar Origen says that as the soul and body spiritually work together in harmony and union, God would dwell in man, according to His words: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18.19). On the other hand, we find also in this a portrait of the Living Church, in which men, women, old and young, work together; every one, offers something; there is no lazy or barren member in the body of the Lord Christ. “Rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate; and spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense” (Exod. 35.27-28). Those rulers refer to the work of leadership. That is why they offered the stones we spoke of previously, which refer to bearing the people over the shoulders and breasts, to bring them over to the temple of God with paternal spirit, carrying their responsibility and praying for them. They fill up the lamps with oil, in order that their life would be enlightened with the living practical light of faith, 1 In Exod. 13:5. Prudentius. 247 to testify to God before all. They offer the anointing oil, to have their actions anointed with the Holy Spirit. And they offer the sweet incense, because the secret of their success is their persistent prayers, and offering of their life as a sacrifice of love, a sweet fragrance of incense to the Lord. 3- Wisdom and understanding in work and offering We are committed to have, beside the material to build the tabernacle, the wisdom, the knowledge, and all manner of workmanship, necessary to do the work. The scholar Origen asks that what would be the use, if you have all the necessary material, yet you could not properly put them into use? Therefore, we should strive to gain wisdom, to be capable of putting into use what we learn from the Holy Books, in the proper way, and in the proper time, in order to build up and adorn the sanctuary of God1. 1 Homily 13.7. Many of the sayings of the scholar Origen, from the commentary on Exodus, had been translated by the blessed sister Aida Hana Basta. 248 4- Early and diligent offering The children of Israel continued to bring to Moses freewill offerings “every morning” (Exod. 36.3). All the craftsmen were doing their work, not with a temporary zeal, but with persistent and steady spirit, that there was more than enough for the service of the work commanded by God. That is a symbol of offering to the Lord, the inner life and works “every morning”, offering it early, not waiting to offer Him whatever is left over of them at the end of the day. It is giving Him priority in the whole life: God first, and before any man or any work. That is why the Wisdom says, “I love those who love me; and those who seek me diligently will find me” (Prov. 8.17). And the Psalmist says, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You. In a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water, so I have looked for You in the sanctuary” (Ps. 63.1-2). Presenting their offerings early in the morning does not only imply that they are giving out of their need. But, they are giving joyfully and happily, with no hesitation or postponement. They thus follow the example of Mary Magdalene, who came in the early morning, carrying the fragrant oils of love, to encounter with the Lord Christ risen from the dead. 5- Consecrating the tabernacle Having obeyed the commandments of God with absolute accuracy, the tabernacle was erected, and was accepted by God, for whom the heavens and earth are not wide enough, to become His dwelling place amid His people. It was a joyful day; the priests were anointed, and the tabernacle, with all its furnishings, was consecrated. Then: “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exod. 40.34-35). Here, Moses, with all his intimacy with the Lord, could not enter into the tabernacle, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled it. It is as though he intended to proclaim to his people that he had fully presented the symbol, then left the stage to the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of God the Father. No one but Him can enter into the Holy of Holies, carrying us in Him to enjoy the cloud of the Holy Spirit, that fills the sanctuary, and enter by Him forever, into the splendor of the Lord, and the fellowship of His glories.
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