Monday

Psalm 20

Exodus 40:1-15

Hebrews 10:19-25

If God has cable, I wonder if God enjoys watching HGTV. In the Old Testament God repeatedly lays out specific visions articulating design aspects of every physical object and human action required to realize a full relationship between God and God’s chosen people. Noah practically received a blue print for the ark and Moses had to spend 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai receiving instructions including 3 chapters of specific details like color scheme and types of materials used for the construction of the tabernacle. (see Exodus 25-27, then Exodus 28 when God catches “Project Runway” fever and designs the priests’ clothing.)

Does today’s Old Testament reading construe God as a control freak? All throughout these final chapters of Exodus God has specified the minute details of how the Israelites will worship, praise and interact with God. Perhaps God has earned the right to dictate every detail of the Israelites’ lives. After all God has freed them from slavery, led them with pillars of cloud and fire, washed the Egyptian army into the sea, and provided them with food and water in the midst of a desolate wilderness. Perhaps also after 430 years living in Egypt the Israelites forgotten sacramental language of the covenant made with their ancestor Abraham.

Whether God intends to extract an elaborate tribute for miraculous acts or desires a covenantal reeducation the children of Abraham, God’s actions do have at least one clear implication. Even in the midst of the wilderness God’s people need to create sacramental space to house the holiest of holies.

Those who are unsettled in the world, must not think that this will excuse want of religion; as if it were enough to begin to serve God when they begin to be settled in the world. No; a tabernacle for God is very needful, even in a wilderness, especially as we may be in another world before we come to fix in this. And we may justly fear lest we should deceive ourselves with a form of godliness. The thought that so few entered Canaan, should warn young persons especially, not to put off the care of their souls.

Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary on the Bible

Do not put off erecting a tabernacle, even in the midst of unsettled wandering. Few who fled Egypt ever reached a permanent settlement in the Promised Land. It is God’s design for us to have rich sacramental space where God may dwell; regardless of where we are in the wilderness.