In our passage today we read about plans for the tabernacle and everything inside it. It can come across as a bit dry and boring to us, but it helps to remember that the tabernacle symbolized God's very presence gives us a glimpse into His holiness and glory, and is a description of biblical worship.
It was important that the tabernacle be portable so that it could be easily taken down and set up whenever the Israelites moved, so that the symbol of God's presence would always be with them. Why? To remind them (and us!) that God IS always with us, no matter where we are. He is here, He is with us, He is near us. And this was, of course, fulfilled with the incarnation of Jesus as Immanuel, God with us.
It is interesting to note that the areas of the tabernacle that were the closest to the Holy of Holies were constructed of the most finest materials, and that the materials diminished in quality the further removed they were from that inner sanctuary - representing, of course, the decrease in holiness. The closer to the symbols of God's presence, the finer the material.
Modern, western Christians have, as a whole, lost their grasp on the holiness of God. Truly God is a consuming fire, terrible and wonderful in His awesome power and majesty. When we fail to grasp this, words like sin and grace completely lose their meaning and significance. We being to justify or minimize our sin and to presume upon His grace. How many Canadians (and Americans) naively believe that as long as they are basically good, God will forgive them because it would be rather inconvenient if He wouldn't, or that it would certainly be inconvenient if they actually had to change anything about their lives and their moral compass? That is a description of a pagan God, not the God of the Bible, not the God of the tabernacle described in our passage today!
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Exodus 28-29
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And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. - Exodus 25:8
God wanted to live with Israelites. This verse stood out to me which ties in with your point of the tabernacle being portable for the Israelites, and that God wants a portable relationship with us too. He is always in our midst. How reassuring as I am about to go on with a new day!
I also noticed that certain parts of the tabernacle were wood coated in gold and bronze and immediately thought of Olympic medals with gold being first and bronze still special but not as good as gold.
A good reminder that our God is holy and we need to respect and honour God more than we do. God loves us and sacrificed for us, merely being nice to others isn't what He wants in return, He wants our hearts and minds to be devoted to Him.
Chapter 25 verse 2: "Tell the people of Israel to bring me their scared offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them."
When we worship God whether by singing, or by turning, or anything else, are our hearts moved to offer them?
I don't know if I ever noticed the decreasing value of materials from the outside in.
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