Hello friends!  Over the last eight months I have been heavily involved in finding a new meeting place for our congregation.  We are changing our meeting location for Sunday worship from The Cornerstone Chapel in Appleton to The Brigade in Neenah.  We are grateful for the opportunity to use this space and are prayerful that it will serve our needs well.

This change of location has prompted me to study the significance of meeting places in the Bible. I have been pondering questions such as:

• Where did God’s people gather to worship Him throughout history?
• What were the conditions to which these meeting places were chosen and prepared?
• What did these meetings places mean to God’s people?
• How does that influence the way we perceive our own places of worship today?

Through a series of blog posts, we will explore some of the most important meeting places in the Bible and learn from their lessons and applications. In this post, we will start with the first structure that was consistently used by God’s people for worship: the Tabernacle.

The Tabernacle in the Old Testament

The Tabernacle was a portable tent that God commanded the Israelites to build after they left slavery in Egypt. The story of the Tabernacle’s construction is recorded in Exodus chapters 35 to 40. It was established about one year after the Exodus, shortly after God gave Moses the Law on Mount Sinai. This was also shortly after the Israelites defiled themselves by worshipping the Golden Calf, an idol that they made while Moses was away receiving the Law on Mount Sinai.

The Tabernacle was a symbol of God’s grace and forgiveness, as well as His presence and holiness. It was the place where God met with His people, and where they offered sacrifices and worship to Him. It was also the place where God revealed His will and guidance to the leaders of Israel.

Now, we can dig deeper and look at some of the features of the Tabernacle, and see what they teach us about God and His relationship with His people.

The Tabernacle Was Built By God's Design

God gave Moses specific instructions on how to build the Tabernacle, and what materials and measurements to use. He also showed him a pattern or a model of the Tabernacle, so that Moses could follow it exactly. God said to Moses in Exodus 25:9, “Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.”

The Tabernacle was designed to be a tent that could move with the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness. It was made of curtains of fine linen, goat hair, and animal skins, supported by wooden frames and silver bases. It had an outer courtyard, where the altar of burnt offering and the bronze basin were located, and an inner sanctuary, which was divided into two sections: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.

The Holy Place contained three items: the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense. The Most Holy Place, also called the Holy of Holies, contained only one item: the Ark of the Covenant, which was a wooden chest covered with gold, containing the stone tablets of the Law, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded. The Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred object in the Tabernacle, and it represented God’s throne and presence among His people.

The Tabernacle was also a place for sacrifices and priestly activity. Only the priests, who were from the tribe of Levi, could enter the Tabernacle and perform the various rituals and ceremonies that God prescribed. The high priest, who was the chief representative of the people before God, could enter the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for the sins of the nation.

The fact that the Tabernacle was built by God’s design shows us that God is a God of order and detail. He cares about how we worship Him, and He expects us to follow His commands and instructions. He also shows us His wisdom and creativity, as He designed the Tabernacle to suit the needs and circumstances of His people. He provided them with a way to worship Him, even amid their wandering and uncertainty.

The Israelites devoted treasure and skill to building the Tabernacle

The Tabernacle was not only built by God’s design, but also by the Israelites’ devotion. God asked the people to contribute to the construction of the Tabernacle, by giving freely of their materials and skills. He said to Moses in Exodus 25:2, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.”

The Israelites had plundered the Egyptians as they left slavery, and they had acquired a lot of valuable items, such as gold, silver, bronze, jewels, and fabrics. These items were given up by the community to build the Tabernacle, as an act of worship and gratitude to God. The Bible says in Exodus 36:5-7, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done. Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: ‘No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.’ And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.”

Not only did the people give their treasure, but they also gave their skill. God selected two men, Bezalel and Oholiab, from the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Dan, to be the chief craftsmen of the Tabernacle. These men were gifted with artistic and technical abilities, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit to perform their work. God said to Moses in Exodus 31:1-6, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you.”

The fact that the Israelites devoted their treasure and skill to building the Tabernacle shows us that God is a God of generosity and excellence. He gives us good gifts, and He expects us to use them for His glory. God also shows us His grace and empowerment, as He enables us to fulfill our calling. He provides us with the resources and the abilities to serve Him, even in our weakness and inadequacy.

The Tabernacle was the center of the Israelite community

The Tabernacle was not only built by God’s design and by the Israelites’ devotion, but also by God’s direction. God told the Israelites how to arrange their camp around the Tabernacle, and how to move with the Tabernacle as they traveled. He said to Moses in Numbers 2:1-2, “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ‘The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.’”

Thus, the Tabernacle was placed at the center of the Israelite camp, surrounded by the twelve tribes of Israel, each with their own flag and position. The tribe of Levi, caretaker of the Tabernacle, was also placed around the Tabernacle, to guard it and to minister in it. The Tabernacle was the focal point of the Israelite community, and it established the one place and method for worship.

The Tabernacle was also the source of guidance and direction for the Israelites. God’s presence was manifested over the Tabernacle in the form of a cloud by day and a fire by night. The Bible says in Exodus 40:36-38, “In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So, the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.”

Finally, the Tabernacle was the place of decision making and consultation for the Israelites. The leaders of the tribes and the people would come to the Tabernacle to seek God’s will and counsel. The priests would use the Urim and Thummim, which were two objects kept in the breast piece of the high priest, to determine God’s answer to certain questions. The Bible says in Numbers 27:21, “He [Joshua] is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

The fact that the Tabernacle was the center of the Israelite camp shows us that God is a God of authority and guidance. He rules over His people and expects us to follow His lead and direction. God also shows us His presence and protection, as He dwells among us and watches over us. He provides us with the means and the methods to know Him, even amid our confusion and uncertainty.

The Tabernacle in the New Testament

The Tabernacle was a significant structure in the Old Testament, but what does it mean for us today? How does it relate to the new covenant that God has established with us through Jesus Christ?

The book of Hebrews, chapters 8 to 10, teaches us that the Tabernacle was a symbol of God’s spiritual dwelling in heaven. It was a copy and a shadow of the heavenly reality, where God’s presence and glory are fully manifested. The author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 8:5, “They [the priests] serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’”

The Tabernacle was also a symbol of the need for a mediator between God and humanity. Because of our sin and rebellion, we could not approach God’s holiness and righteousness without a sacrifice and a representative. The priests and the sacrifices of the Tabernacle were meant to point us to the ultimate mediator and sacrifice: Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 9:11-12, “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

Jesus is our mediator in this heavenly “tabernacle”, where he stands in God’s presence on our behalf. He is the one who intercedes for us, who pleads our case, who secures our forgiveness, and who grants us access to God. He is the one who fulfills the Law and the Prophets, who embodies God’s grace and truth, and who reveals God’s will and purpose. He is the one who inaugurates the new covenant, which is based on God’s promise and power, not on our performance and obedience. The author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 8:6, “But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.”

As a result, an earthly Tabernacle is no longer needed for Christ followers. We do not need to rely on a physical structure or a human institution to worship God. Nor do we need to observe rituals and ceremonies to please God as we do not fear God’s judgment or wrath. Christians have a better and more perfect way to approach God: through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:19-22, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

This does not mean that Christians do not need a place or a community to worship God. We still need to gather as the body of Christ, to encourage one another, to edify one another, and to glorify God together. But we do not need to be bound by a specific location or a specific tradition. We can worship God anywhere and anytime, in spirit and in truth, with our whole lives, as living sacrifices. This is because we are His holy temple, where His Spirit dwells. The author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

So, as we prepare to move to our new meeting place, let us remember the lessons and the applications of the Tabernacle. Let us remember that God is a God of order and detail, of generosity and excellence, of authority and guidance, of presence and protection. Let us remember that in the New Covenant, Jesus is our mediator and our sacrifice, our high priest and our king, our Lord and our Savior. Let us remember that we are God’s people and God’s temple, His chosen and His beloved, His heirs and His co-workers. Let us remember that we are called to worship God in spirit and in truth, in faith and in love, in word and in deed. And lastly, let us remember that we are on a journey to our heavenly home, where we will see God face to face, and worship Him forever and ever. Amen.

Author’s Note:  The post was generated using an outline of my creation based on personal Bible study with the first draft of the narrative created by ChatGPT.  I edited and arranged the final copy prior to posting.  Citation giving credit to ChatGPT and other sources are below.  

Bing. “The Places We Worship – The Tabernacle” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.

The Holy Bible. New International Version, Zondervan, 2011.

Weed, David. “The Tabernacle: A Symbol of God’s Grace and Presence.” Grace Communion International, 22 Jan. 2010, 1.