Title: Faith more precious than gold
Exodus (108) Faith more precious than gold (Ex 36:8-38)
< Practical tabernacle construction >
From the main text to chapter 39, there is a scene where the various tools necessary for the construction of the tabernacle are actually made according to the design God instructed through Moses. The main text contains the four-fold ceiling veil (verses 8-19), the tabernacle boards (verses 20-30), the bands for fixing the boards (verses 31-34), the curtain in front of the Most Holy (verses 35-36), and the curtain at the entrance to the sanctuary (verses 35-36). 37-38) is described.
Looking at these verses, I wonder why the tabernacle should be described in such detail. How precious is the Bible? The words of the Bible are unchanging. That means that none of the words in the Bible are nonsense. However, you may think that describing the tabernacle in such detail is a kind of waste of words. However, it is proof that the tabernacle is so important.
The word about the tabernacle is mentioned in Exodus 13. In Leviticus it is mentioned in chapter 18, in Numbers it is mentioned in chapter 13, and in Deuteronomy it is mentioned in chapter 2. It is also mentioned in Chapter 4 of the New Testament. After all, the mention of the tabernacle in about 50 chapters throughout the Bible means that the tabernacle is so important. In fact, the tabernacle became the center of worship and life of the people of Israel in the wilderness as ‘the dwelling place of God who is with the people’.
To the Israelites who had left Egypt, God gave two great gifts at Mount Sinai. One is the Ten Commandments, and the other is the tabernacle. The Ten Commandments served as a 'gift of suffering' to make people realize their sins by reflecting on the law like a mirror, and the tabernacle as a 'gift of thanks' played a role in opening the way to salvation for sinners through the atonement ceremony. In other words, the method God has set to relieve the suffering of being cut off from God is the tabernacle.
In the Old Testament times, the tabernacle and sanctuary were places that people went to for the rites of remission of sins, and they received forgiveness of sins through the sacrifices of the tabernacle and sanctuary, but in the New Testament times they receive forgiveness of sins through Jesus. In that sense, the tabernacle is a model of the Old Testament era that reveals Jesus. After all, the tabernacle is a 'channel of grace' through which sinners can receive forgiveness of their sins and meet God.
< Faith more precious than gold >
There is also one important lesson to be learned from the text. If you look at the text, you can see that many of the tabernacle utensils were made of gold. Why did God use expensive gold as the main material when making the tabernacle? God had the ark and the seraphs on the ark plated with gold, and the altar of incense and the table of bread outside the Holy of Holies were also plated with gold. The lampstand and all its accessories were made entirely of pure gold.
In the text, the fifty hooks connecting the first curtain were made of gold (verse 13), the boards and belts were made of gilded wood with gold, and the rings that fastened the belts on the boards were also made of gold (verse 34). The four pillars that supported the veil in front of the Most Holy were also gilded with gold, and the hooks for the veil were also made of gold (verse 36). Also, the head and rungs of the pillars supporting the veil at the entrance to the sanctuary were gilded with gold (verse 38).
There is also a hint that the reason why gold is used so much is to have faith that does not change like gold. In fact, when the Israelites saw the tabernacle made of gold, they realized the precious value and greatness of God and were challenged to their unchanging faith.
Why should a believer not despair in any desperate situation? Because God's love does not change yesterday or today. God's love does not change. It just feels like God's love is changing because our love changes. Therefore, have unchanging faith in God's unchanging love.
When I look back on my life so far, I sometimes feel upset because I feel like I have wasted time. However, it is important to know that you have managed to survive in spite of many difficulties, and more importantly, God always remembers and repays you for the small devotion of the past years. So life is not hopeless. By showing unchanging faith that is more precious than gold to God, who has always shown unchanging love, become blessed hearts overflowing with God's grace in whatever you pursue.