Scripture Reading: Exo. 25:8-9; 31:1-6, 12-17; 36:1-2; 39:32-43–40:1-38
Ⅰ
The book of Exodus reveals that what God wants is the Ark of the Testimony in the Tabernacle of the Testimony—25:8, 21-22; 40:1-3, 20-21:
A
God's intention is to have the ark; the ark is the Ark of the Testimony; and the Ark of the Testimony causes the tabernacle to become the Tabernacle of the Testimony—25:10, 16, 22; 38:21; 40:2-3.
B
According to the book of Revelation, the ark of God eventually consummates in a tabernacle which will be the New Jerusalem—God's eternal goal—11:19; 15:5; 21:2-3.
Ⅱ
The book of Exodus portrays the building of the tabernacle—35:1—39:43:
A
The most noble task is the work of building up God's dwelling place with all the furniture portraying Christ and our Christian experience—36:8—39:31.
B
For God's building we need an uplifted heart; this kind of heart is an inner motor motivating us to do the work of building up God's dwelling place—36:2.
C
All the builders of God's dwelling place should be full of the Lord's light—31:2.
D
If we would build God's dwelling place, we must be filled with the Spirit of God—v. 3; 35:31:
１
Nothing natural is capable of building God's dwelling place.
２
Only the Spirit of God can build His own dwelling place through us.
E
The materials offered for the building of the tabernacle typify the Christ experienced by us in different aspects—25:2-7; 35:4—36:7:
１
For the building of the church, God's dwelling place, we all need to experience Christ.
２
The materials for God's building are the virtues of Christ's person and work that we have possessed, experienced, and enjoyed and then offered to God in resurrection as a heave offering—25:2-7.
F
In order to have the building, there is the need of the skillful workers, who are filled with wisdom and understanding—31:1-6; 35:10, 30-35; 38:22-23; Eph. 3:4.
G
If we would participate in the building of God's dwelling place, we need to keep the principle of resting with the Lord before we work with Him and for Him—Gen. 1:26, 31; 2:2-3; Deut. 5:12-15; Exo. 31:12-17; 35:1-3:
１
The principle of the Sabbath is that working with the Lord requires that we learn how to rest with Him; the Sabbath means that before we work for God, we need to enjoy God and be filled with Him—Matt. 11:28-30.
２
If we intend to work for God, we must first receive grace, enjoy grace, and rest with God; then we may proceed to do something for God.
３
It is a divine principle that God does not ask us to work until we have had enjoyment; God first supplies us with enjoyment, and then, after a full enjoyment with Him, we may work together with Him.
４
If we have enjoyed God and if we have been filled with God, we are ready to work for Him; such work will not be by ourselves—it will be by God.
H
Concerning the building up of the church, we need to present everything to the Lord for His blessing—Exo. 39:32-43.
Ⅲ
The book of Exodus portrays the erecting of the tabernacle—40:1-38:
A
The book of Exodus indicates that we need to have two beginnings: one typified by the Passover in chapter twelve, and the other typified by the erecting of the tabernacle in chapter forty:
１
The second beginning is related to the building of God's dwelling place—40:2.
２
The building of the church as God's house (1 Tim. 3:15) is the genuine second blessing, the blessing that takes place on the first day of the first month of the second year.
３
When in our Christian life we experience the building of God's dwelling place in a practical way, we have the second beginning.
B
After the tabernacle was erected, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory filled the tabernacle—Exo. 40:34:
１
The same structure was both the Tent of Meeting with respect to man outwardly and the tabernacle with respect to God inwardly:
ａ
The word tabernacle points to something directly related to God's testimony.
ｂ
The term Tent of Meeting points to something more outward and related to God's interest and move.
２
We need to enjoy not only the cloud upon the Tent of Meeting but also the glory within the tabernacle.
３
Both at the end of Exodus and at the end of Revelation, we see the glory of God filling the tabernacle, God's house:
ａ
In Exodus 40 we see a tabernacle occupied by God and possessed by Him in the way of glory to express Him.
ｂ
In Revelation 21—22 we see a tabernacle, the New Jerusalem, occupied and possessed by God in the way of glory for His expression—21:3, 11.
C
According to the typology in Exodus 40, apart from God's dwelling place there is no guidance or leading—vv. 36-38:
１
The dwelling place of God is the unique leading.
２
Our Christian journey must be a journey that follows God's move with His dwelling place; this is our way in the Lord's recovery.