“Truths from the Tabernacle”
Exodus 16-40
Intro: Let’s play a little Bible trivia! What do the following all have in common?
Ebenezer, Ezel, Zoheleth, Galeed, and Mizpeh?
Answer - They are all the proper names given to certain stones in the Bible.
They are marker stones, memorial stones.
Yesterday I was up in Michigan at my grandmother’s funeral. When we went to the cemetary for the graveside service, there was a gravestone at each grave. Each grave had a marker, a memorial, a significant reminder of those who are meaningful to us. And when I die, I trust my children will place a fitting marker over my grave as well.
While we don’t like to admit it, we are a people of symbol, significance, and ceremony. And ten times more so are the Jews. They are a people who for centuries have thrived on symbol and significance. We’ve read about that this week in the book of Exodus. Let’s read from
1 Corinthians 10:1-14. READ TEXT
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did-- and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
What we have read about in Exodus this week has been the setting up of a lot of symbols, examples, reminders for the children of Israel, and yes, reminders for us too! Let’s talk about . . .
I. Symbols in our worship
I would remind us that symbols in themselves are not good or bad. They are neutral.
A. One can worship God without symbols
John 4:24 - God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
-There is no prerequisite to use symbols.
-You are not made holy for using symbols; you are not holy for not using symbol
B. Worship can be perverted through the use of symbol
We saw that very vividly this week. Moses is up on the mountain getting the 10 commandments. While Aaron waits below he forms a golden calf, an idol for the people to follow. Ex. 32:1-6 - When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered round Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him." Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold ear-rings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." So all the people took off their ear-rings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD." So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterwards they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
C. Used rightly, symbols serve as reminders of God’s faithfulness
They remind us of the faithfulness of God - Deut 6:6-14 - These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you--a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant--then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.
They remind us of our commitment to serve God. - Num. 15:37-41
The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.’"
II. Symbols in the Wilderness
A. The Tabernacle -
There was a full system and structure of symbols set up to be reminders to the people.
Heb. 9:1-7 - Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
The Ark of the Covenant -
*symbolic of the presence of God - God resided there - couldn’t touch or die
*symbolic of the atonement - once a year the blood was sprinkled there
Table of Showbread - Bread of the face/presence - symbolic of God’s daily provision for needs
Brazen Altar & Laver- symbolic of the need for cleansing for sin
Veil & tapestries -symbolic that God was separate, holy, apart from his people
B. The Ten Commandments - The second symbol we saw this week was the giving of the 10 commandments. I think we all visualize the scene from Cecil B. Demille’s movie. But these also were visual reminders of God.
III. Symbols in our daily lives - What is the lesson for us today. As Ray VanderLaan taught us, it is first to love our God, who gives us not rules and regulations, but a covenant of his love and care. But the second lesson we see from Exodus is that symbol and meaning are very vital parts of our lives. So often we fail to worship God because we fail to reflect upon our God. When we think about the greatness of our God, we are driven to worship and praise. So, it would seem logical that we need to do things which remind us of our God.
-ornaments: cross necklace, crossed nails, Jesus first pin, bumper stickers
-visual cues: bible on desk, prayer sheet on mirror, missionary cards on fridge
-association: set alarm to pray, prayer at certain times of day
-reminders: rubber band on wrist (smoking) - why not wordless book bead bracelet - WWJD?
