MEET WITH GOD

The Tabernacle

Moses is up on top of the mountain talking with God. God is giving Him the law and at the same time giving him detailed instruction as to how the tabernacle was to be constructed. In both the Old and New Testament, God continually repeats Himself as to how precise the construction is to be. He wants them to make sure they build it just exactly according to His guidelines. They are not to make any mistakes. God tells Moses what material each thing is to be made of. He gives him all the dimensions. God would also puts His Spirit of wisdom into the men who are going to build each individual piece so that no mistakes are made. The tabernacle is to be built exactly to God’s requirements. In Hebrews 8:5 God says, “… Make all things according to the pattern shown to you in the mount.” Have you ever wondered why the details of the building of the Tabernacle were so important to God?

The Meeting Place

God has been meeting with Moses up on the mountain, and Moses has been walking down and revealing God’s words to the nation Israel. But once the tabernacle is built all that is going to change. God Himself is going to come down off the mountain and personally dwell in the tabernacle. He is going to come closer to the people, and Israel is to assemble at the tabernacle to meet with Him. Before any of this can happen, everything has to be sanctified. The tent, the poles, the curtains, the laver, lampstand, alter, ark, showbread, veil, altar, everything is to be sanctified. We are told that the reason God gave the instruction so carefully is because He wanted to sanctify them. The reason they had to be sanctified was that His special presence was going to dwell there. And everything that God comes close to has to be sanctified. This is now going to be the meeting place of God and the nation Israel.

The Temple

Later under the leadership of Solomon, the meeting place for God and His people changes to the Temple. In the book of Isaiah God says, “When you come to appear before Me…” This is at the temple in Jerusalem. There are times when Israel is to gather together corporately and appear before God to meet with Him and to worship and fellowship. Many of the prophets call these times “the calling of assemblies,” or “solemn assemblies.” It is my view the assembling of ourselves together in church today serves the same purpose. To meet with God. The word church in the New Testament means assembly. It is the assembling of God’s people together to have an encounter with God. We are to “appear before Him,” corporately to meet with Him and fellowship and worship Him. True worship can only occur if God is there.

Thing Changed

In the book of Amos God speaking through the prophet says, “I hate, I despise your assemblies.” You wouldn’t think He would say such a thing since He is the one who told them to assemble in the first place. God is so upset with Israel that He can’t stand their worship any longer. He says, “Take away from me the noise of your songs.” He can’t stand their music. “Stop singing, I can’t stand to hear it.” He no longer wants them to sacrifice or give offerings. Their religion has become all wrong and yet they are doing everything that God originally told them to do. Since it was all His idea, they thought they were doing everything right. And yet He says He will hide His eyes from them because their worship wearies Him. He is no longer going to show up. They are there practicing their religion, but God is absent. In the book of Ezekiel chapters 8 through 10 you can even read about His leaving the temple. First His glory is seen outside the temple. Then it hovers over the the building. Next you see Him on top of the wall. He then moves over to a mountain which is outside the city. It is as though He does not want to leave but He knows He has to. The problem is their lack of love for God and their boredom with their religion.

Today

I believe the same problem exists in the church today. God is displeased, but nobody is paying any attention to Him. Since the Holy Spirit is not drawing people into the church, man has to come up with all the bells and whistles to attract them and keep them there. When God is not blessing the people, leaders must come up with gimmicks to keep them from getting bored and to make them feel that they have had a religious experience. What is the solution to bring God back? Let’s ask Him. In Jeremiah 6:16, God says, “Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls.” We should not be asking questions like, “What kind of music do I like to worship with.” Or “What kind of service do I like?” The true question is what does God want. And He is saying, “the old ways.” But some people are saying, “If you go into the churches that have nothing but old people in them they are empty and God is not there either.” They are right! You have to go back even farther than that. Go back to the book of Acts and ask yourself, “Why was God there, blessing the people?” God was there because of the quality of their sanctification. That’s what is needed today. Repentance, prayer, hearts directed towards Him, these are the things that please God. These are the only things that will bring Him back.