The first thing that God commanded Israel once the covenant had been consummated was:

“And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them,.. (Exodus 25:8)

Later He declared that He had brought Israel out of Egypt for this purpose (Exodus 29:45-46). Moses was given the specifications for God’s house. A free-will offering was taken to assemble the construction materials and Moses chose skilled workers to construct it. Finally, after several months of work, the house was completed. It was erected and dedicated on the first day of the first month of the second year of Israel’s journey. When it was dedicated, God’s Glory filled the tabernacle.

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34-35)

Approximately 480 years later, King Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem. King David received the specifications for this Temple and assembled the construction materials. Solomon was the construction engineer. After completed and dedicated, God’s Glory filled the First Temple.

“Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, “Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3)

Eventually, God’s people were judged for their unfaithfulness and were taken into exile. The king was deposed, the people dispersed and the First Temple destroyed. Later, a remnant of the people returned to Jerusalem and built the Second Temple. There is no indication that God’s glory filled the Second Temple which was itself destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD/CE. Because the Second Temple was not inhabited by God, I refer to it as a Jewish shrine. It was built as a result of God’s command (See Haggai and Zechariah) but God never inhabited it.

In the New Testament, entities like the Tabernacle and the Priesthood are seen as “shadows” of heavenly things.

“..who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN,…” (Hebrews 8:5) (Emphasis by the NAS Bible)

It is evident that Jesus and the early Church saw themselves as a Temple for God. Jesus proclaimed this (John 2:19-21). Paul set forth the same concept (Ephesians 2:19-22). Peter declared the same thing (I Peter 2:4-5). John described the same vision (Revelation 3:12). They saw themselves as the continuation of the Temple pattern. As opposed to a temple made of stone, wood and precious metals, they saw themselves as a “living temple” being built for God. Indeed, Messiah Jesus is building a temple for God’s indwelling (2Samuel 7:13) in accordance to the promise made by God to King David.

Institutional Christianity has almost totally lost track of this truth. The question is asked, “If Jesus is building a temple for God, when did the glory of the Lord fill it in a manner similar to that of the Tabernacle and the First Temple? In order to answer this question, we must take into account events that have already happened and those which remain to be fulfilled. The first step taken was when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism (Luke 3:21). The second step was accomplished on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). They became “living stones” as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that time a host of other believers have been made into “living stones” by the same process. Yet, the whole building has not yet been assembled. Jesus declared that when He returns, He will come “on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:29-31). His arrival will be accompanied by angels sounding the “Great Trumpet”. At the sounding of the “Great Trumpet” or “Last Trumpet”, believers will be changed into His likeness (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) and gathered from the four winds to Jerusalem. The “Living Temple” will be assembled and filled with the Glory of God as Jesus descends upon it. Hence, the “Living Temple” will have been built and God will have indwelled it.

We are living in the age when God is gathering the people of Israel back to their land. At some point in this process, God will gather in also the “Living Temple”. At that time the words of Jeremiah the prophet will be fulfilled;

“It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land, declares the Lord, “they will no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again. “At that time they will call Jerusalem “The Throne of the Lord,” and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.” In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.” (Jeremiah 3:16-18)

“They” said that God would never gather in the people of Israel to their land. “They” were wrong! “They” say that God will never gather His church into one place at the climax of the age to form a great “Living Temple” in Jerusalem. I say “they” are wrong again. What do you say?

This section of the Bible continues the specifications for the tabernacle, its furnishings and the High Priest’s garments. Last week I emphasized that the tabernacle is the first prophetic type of the church in the Bible. This pattern is continued throughout history. Following the tabernacle was the First Temple in Jerusalem. That was followed by what I call the Living Temple. The Living Temple is made up of Jesus and His church. Finally, there is the city of New Jerusalem revealed in the book of Revelation. In each case, these provide the place for God’s dwelling.

When we consider the reason why God chose to deliver Israel out of Egypt, there are many responses. Some would say that God did it simply to demonstrate His power and dominance over mankind and man’s environment. Of course, this is true. Others might add that God did this for humanitarian reasons because Israel was suffering under the Egyptian tyranny. This would be true also. But what did God say was the reason? God declared:

“And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. “And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.” (Exodus 29:45-46)

The Genesis account portrays a picture of God communing directly with man in the Garden. Evidently, the process of redemption is God’s plan to restore this open communion with the human community. God is preparing to come to planet earth and to dwell in the midst of mankind. Much of Christian theology is focused on the concept that Christians, after death, go to heaven or as I call it, the “happy place where dead people go”. This concept was introduced into early Christianity by the Gnostics. After the death experience, a person steps out of the “space-time continuum” and stands in the presence of God. Paul declared,

“Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord – for we walk by faith, not by sight – we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8)

At the Lord return, He will step back into the “space-time continuum” and bring those who belong to Him. As He returns the Living Temple will be established in Jerusalem in the midst of modern Israel. We might say that God is sending Jesus and His Church back in order for God to dwell in the midst of His people just as He did when He brought Israel out of Egypt.

Rather than attempting to describe the Priest’s garments in detail, I will focus on the shoulder pieces and the breast piece. The names of the tribes of Israel were written on these parts of the garment. On the turban was inscribed, “Holy to the Lord”. We would maintain that Messiah Jesus is the High Priest today. His mind is focused on the Holiness of God. He bears the burden of Israel on His shoulders and the tribes of Israel are always on His heart.

In the breast piece was two mysterious items called “Urim and Thummim”. We do not know what these items were or how they were used. However, the High Priest discerned the will of God concerning any matter by use of the “Urim and Thummim”.

We do know that the tabernacle was highly symbolic and served as types of future things.
The word “Urim” means lights. “Thummim” is defined as integrity or wholeness. In the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (translation dating about 200 years before the ministry of Messiah Jesus) the Greek word “aletheia” is used for “Thummim”. “Aletheia” means truth. So we could say that through these two objects and their use, the High Priest received “light and truth”. Messiah Jesus declared that,

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit who would lead believers into all truth (John 16:13).
Jesus could have said that “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Urim and Thummim”.

Is the Holy Spirit actively reigning in your heart? Are you making Jesus Lord in this way? Paul declared that,

“..no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3b)

In this section of the Bible the most powerful manifestation of God to this date is recorded. Nothing in history compares to it, however, I believe that it is prophetic of an even greater manifestation in the future.

The timing of Israel’s encounter with God will define the second of the Biblical festivals, i.e., Shavuot (described in Leviticus 23). Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai on the first day of the third month (about 42 days after the Exodus from Egypt). After a few days (we will assume 7 days total) God descended onto the mountain and a covenant was made between God and the nation of Israel. The exact timing is not specified but after their arrival, there was a three day purification period. Later the festival of Shavuot is specified to occur on the 50th day following the Shabbat after Passover. I therefore arrive at the speculation that an additional 4 days were spent at Mt. Sinai after their arrival before God initiated the covenant.

The manifestation of God on the mountain must have been awesome. Israel was terrified at what they were experiencing. A great cloud hovered over the mountain. Lighting flashes broke forth from the cloud with attending thunder. The earth shook with a great earthquake. Smoke ascended from the fiery presence of the Lord on the mountain. Finally, there was the sound of a great “trumpet” which grew louder and louder. Before speaking to the assembled people, God called Moses up on the mountain and warned him concerning any of the people attempting to ascend the mountain to approach God. Later, (the book of Leviticus) a detail method for approaching God is revealed.

There are many theories concerning the sound coming from the mountain. The Bible simply stated that they heard “a voice of a very, strong shofar”. This is translated as a “trumpet” in some versions. This is the first time that this particular sound is mentioned in the Bible. I believe that it was the sound of God’s awesome presence interacting with the atmosphere of the “Space-Time Continuum”. At any rate, we could rightly call this the sounding of the “First Trumpet”. I want to introduce this thought because the Messianic Scriptures speak of the “Last Trumpet”. It is associated with the coming of the Lord and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus spoke of this phenomenon:

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” (Matthew 24:29-31 NASB with NASB emphasis added)

This is the “Last Trump” or the “Great Trumpet” which is sounded at the coming of the Lord and our gathering together unto Him (2 Thessalonians 2:1). I maintain that the same phenomenon that was witnessed on Mt. Sinai will be witnessed at the coming of the Lord. The awesome power of God will strike fear in the hearts of all mankind just as it did to the Israelis at Mt. Sinai. Therefore the Bible prophesies that:

“So that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippines 2:10-11)

There is one additional thought that I want to set forth from this section. God spoke what we call the “ten commandments” in such a way that every Israeli heard His voice. Some believe that God spoke with a great booming voice from the summit of the mountain. I believe that the Bible gives us insight into what really happened that day. Several hundred years later, the prophet Elijah found himself at Mt. Sinai waiting to hear from the Lord. The same phenomena occurred as described in the Exodus account. However, God was not in any of these things. Finally, God spoke to Elijah in a “silent, small voice”. (I Kings 19:12) This is the voice of the Holy Spirit who guides every born-again, Son of God.

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

There are many more subjects that I could address from this section of the Bible but that will have to wait for another season. Shalom, may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob grant you peace in the week to come.