All I can say after reading this passage is Thank You Lord Jesus! This is a hard few chapters to get through. I appreciate the detail, how the Lord makes sure that his tabernacle is made very specifically so that the people could approach him. I appreciate the fact that he asks for skilled laborers, whom HE has given the skill. He is specific and he blesses the people through skill and through his presence. Here he also asks for a love offering.
Think about this offering for a minute. The Lord has given all of the gold and jewels, linens and animals to the Israelites by having them find favor with the Egyptians as they left Egypt. Now he is asking for a portion back to build his tabernacle. Isn't this just a picture of what we are to do every time we tithe? We too should recognize we only have what we do by the providence of God and that we are stewards until that time when God should require it back from us - in this case to build the temple. In my case? It could be the next missionary to come to our church, the organization down the road, or even the person next door who needs a meal. God has given in abundance and so should we.
But the thing that strikes me the most is the precision with which everything has to be done. The incense (prayers of the saints - isn't that so cool!) is to be lit, the blood sprinkled so that the Lord sees the repentance and blood before he sees the law, the atonement seat, the curtains that Jesus later tore.
I am so glad that we no longer have to look to the rituals and sacrifices to approach God, but rather our bodies are the temple and we have the Holy Spirit inside of us.
How much more does that mean we should take care of it? How much more does that mean that we should take care to treat it like the Lord wants his temple or tabernacle treated, with reverence? We should still approach him with reverence, and with confession and covered in the sacrifice of Christ. But I am so grateful that I can approach my Lord without robes, blood, incense and an ark.
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