April 25, 2019
A Present in Our Midst
Exodus 25: 1-22
Amy Smith
Central Truth
The God of the universe makes us a priority! His heart values reconciliation, restoration, and relationship with mankind. He names all the stars and has counted all the grains of sand, but He focuses on knowing each of us intimately. Because He is love, He is in the details.
Key Verse | Exodus 25:8
"And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst."
Exodus 25: 1-22
Contributions for the Sanctuary
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, 5 tanned rams' skins, goatskins, 1 25:5 Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins; compare 26:14 acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
The Ark of the Covenant
10 They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits 2 25:10 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.
17 You shall make a mercy seat 3 25:17 Or cover of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.
Dive Deeper | Exodus 25: 1-22
God's creativity and faithfulness never cease to amaze me. Duh, He's God, and I'm not! I tend to put Him in a nice little box—sometimes even a bottle, like a genie. But His goodness and His love cannot be contained! He was so in love with His people—people who, like me, were wishy-washy, selfish, and prideful—that He came to them on top of a mountain in thunderous glory. I mean, that's pretty AWESOME! He is above us all, the Almighty, and He humbled Himself to meet His people right where they were and dwell in their midst.
Let's be honest, we all have busy schedules, and sometimes it's a challenge to choose others over our own comforts. But God treasures us. He delights in us (Zephaniah 3:17). He's never too busy, nor does He give up on us. I'm a details girl, and this passage is so beautiful. The colors, texture, and intricacies all point to Jesus. Red, blue, and purple represent His broken, beaten, bloody body on the cross. The gold and wood represent His deity and His humanity. But what gets me the most is that He avails Himself to us, making Himself known because of His overwhelming love, coming down to us in our own messy spaces. God is intentional and relational, desiring to walk and talk with us.
I avoided the church for years because I didn't think I was worthy. I would come in reeking of smells from my wild weekend, shoulders hunched over in shame from my abuse and self-harm. But He used others to point me to Him, and since the day I surrendered my life to Him, I have never felt alone. He has made it a priority to dwell in our midst, then with the Israelites and now in our chaotic twenty-first century. He knows us intimately—all the details of our brokenness and hurts—and He STILL calls us beloved.
Discussion Questions
1. If God were a genie in a bottle, His powers, authority, goodness, and grace would be constrained and limited. It would be pretty difficult to be all-knowing if He were stuck inside a bottle. Thankfully, He sits above and has made a way to be with us through His Son. He is limitless and forever, without constraints. He has given us His Spirit and His Word so that we can learn about His infinite power and love. How do you make time to sit with Him and take in some of His unlimited wisdom and mercy?
2. The Israelites were asked to contribute materials for the Ark of the Covenant; they were not forced to give. What an opportunity to partner with God! Being a cheerful giver doesn't ask, "What must we do for God?," but rather "What may we do for God?" How are you stewarding your gifts and resources for His Kingdom? What are your motives behind serving and giving?
3. God used the Ark of the Covenant to dwell with His people. When Christ came, He fulfilled the law and gave us His power and presence in our hearts so that He is always with us. The gospel of Jesus is transformative, changing our hearts, minds, and lives. Have you come into a saving faith with Christ? Do you know that He seeks to make you new and give you good things? The way you make decisions and live each day is a testimony to His unfailing love and never-ending grace. How do you share your testimony with others?
4. Where do you go for help when making decisions? What does it look like to respond to His pursuit of your heart?