Make Me a Sanctuary

(Today's reading - Exodus 25-26; Matthew 21: 1-22)

The LORD spoke to Moses and told him that He would come dwell with His people. "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst" (Ex 25: 8) God wanted to dwell with His people; He wanted to be near them and let them be near to Him. I like that. Not some far off God that doesn't care about His people, rather a near God that wanted to to share life with those that love and serve Him. More on that later.

I find verse 9 to be very enlightening. He tells them to build Him a home and then he tells them that they must build it exactly as He specified. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. (Ex 25: 9) As an engineer/ designer/ builder, this verse speaks directly to my core being. When I design a structure and put it in the hands of a contractor to build, I want it built by my plan. Nothing else will do. If I find something that does not meet my specifications, it is removed and replaced.  God speaks of the same intent. He wasn't going to live in just any house. It had to be built by His plans and nothing else would do. If He was to live there, it was to be a structure that He designed.

The following two chapters are amazing in their detail. Take a moment and read chapters 25 and 26. Incredible isn't it. God, the Architect revealing His plans and specifications for His house. Why the detail? Why does God want things just so for His dwelling place? The human side of things would say, "what difference does it make?". God says, "it makes a difference". Moses knew it made a difference and so he made it "exactly" as God had specified. Would God have come to live there if the plans had not been followed exactly? I don't know. Maybe. But, Moses wasn't willing to risk it, so he did just as he had been told to do.

What can we learn from this? God is a detail person? For sure. We need to follow His directions as exact as possible? You betcha. God wants to live with His people? Absolutely. All of this is a prelude to what we get in on in now... no longer does God dwell in building or sanctuaries to be near His people; no, now he dwells in His people. We are now the temple that He lives in...

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2: 4,5)

For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people". (2 Cor 6:16)

The lesson for us is pretty clear... God expects us to follow His pattern, exactly! When we look at His word to find out how we become His temple, we must be exact, just like Moses! His plan must be followed if we expect Him to move in and take up residence in us.  Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4: 15-16)