(Exodus) Exodus 25:1-8

Now from chapter 25 through 30, you have the blueprint for the tabernacle and the pattern for the garments for the high priest. And then you have the construction of the tabernacle and the erection of it and the fact it was filled with the glory of the Lord. So that here for about 15 chapters, 25 through 40, with the exception of about three chapters here, when Moses went down and when they had made the golden calf.

So that this is what he was getting up in the mount. And not only this, but the book of Leviticus you will find he also was getting up there. You have the tabernacle and the service of it.

And the very center of the children of Israel, the very center of their camp, the most important part was the tabernacle because it was the place where they approached God. Now I want to, as we come now to chapter 25, and I probably first should read this first part of it. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

Now these people are just out of slavery. They've just been out of slavery just a few months. And now they're asked to make a contribution to the Lord.

And it's an amazing contribution that these people made to the Lord. By the way, they brought more than enough. This is the only time I've ever heard of it that people were asked to stop giving.

After they'd given enough to make the tabernacle, Moses had to put up the stop sign and say, we got enough. I've never heard that before. And I'm sure it's never been my experience and probably not your experience.

Now they are slaves and they're to bring these offerings. And this is what they're to bring. Verse 3, and this is the offering which you'll take of them, gold and silver and brass and blue and purple and scarlet.

That was evidently the colors that they used in the land of Egypt. And they still are bright today when they find them in the tomb. Believe me, the colors that these people used were remarkable.

And either it was the color or it was cloth, this color. And I'm of the opinion that they dyed all the material that they used in the tabernacle. Blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen.

And this is that fine twine, Egyptian bisis linen. And we'll talk about that later. And goat's hair and ram skins dyed red and badger skins.

And that's seal skins, by the way, and chitim wood, oil for the light, spices for anointing oil and for sweet incense, onyx stones and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. Now, these were the things they would bring. And the question arises, where'd they get them? These people are just out of slavery.

You will recall that we have seen where they were told to go to their masters and borrow. That's the way our translation reads. Actually, what it means, they were given this and they were to ask it as back wages.

Now, they've got 400 years of back wages to collect. It's said they spoiled the Egyptians. They took out a tremendous wealth.

And it's estimated that at least $5,000,000 of material went into the construction of the tabernacle alone. It was very small because it had to be carried on the wilderness march, but it was a very ornate, rich, beautiful thing. It was a thing of beauty.

Now, verse 8 of chapter 25, "...and let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." Now, notice, God never said that He was going to live in the tabernacle. Fact of the matter is, He did not. It's said He dwelt between the cherubim, by the way.

And that is important to see. You see, Israel was a theocracy. That is, Jehovah was king.

That was the great song of Moses when they crossed the Red Sea, you'll recall. He sang that song in which He said very definitely that God was the king. It was a great song of redemption.

And the Lord is a man of war and that He is king. Jehovah is king. And now these people are to be ruled over by God.

And the Ark was really God's throne. He didn't sit upon it. It was between the cherubims.

In other words, He actually didn't touch down to tell the truth. He dwelt between the cherubims and that's where they met Him. This idea today that God dwells in a building made with hands is not true.

The Bible does not teach that. That's a heathen, pagan notion. And a great many people call the church building today, they call it the church and they call it God's house.

Well, it's not. God doesn't dwell in a house, friends. And He never did.

But this is a place where He met with them. It was a meeting place and it was to teach them that. And the Ark in there was God's throne.

And that, by the way, will be the first article of furniture that they were to build. God didn't sit upon it, but He did sit between the cherubims. And Psalm 99, 1 reads, "...the Lord reigneth, let the people tremble, He that sitteth between the cherubims." And therefore, we'll find when we come to it, the Ark is the most important article of furniture.

It's given here next that will be that which we are to see.