The Tabernacle

~ Special Guest Blog ~

My wife, and the mother of two wonderful daughters, is also an accomplished Bible Study Leader. Recently as a group she was leading came to their final lesson on a Beth Moore video series, she wrote the following poem. Enjoy! 

“In your tabernacle, Lord, you are there.

“Months ago we came together, a group of ladies of different backgrounds, different ages, different personalities, different strengths, weaknesses, and gifts. We prayed, ‘Lord, we want to see you. We want to know you more. Show us your glory. Teach us from your Word.’

“You gently guided us into your tabernacle and we found you there.

“We first approach the high curtained outer walls, made of fine white linen. You are there in the radiant, righteous covering of your salvation.

“You draw us toward the gate, on the eastern side, hung with curtains embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. In the blue we see your heavenly character, in the purple your royalty, and in the scarlet your precious blood shed in sacrifice for us. You are there.

“Just inside the gate, we stand before the imposing altar of sacrifice, acacia wood covered in bronze. You are there, in the consuming fire lit by your holy hand and in the sacrifices made there as payment for sin, a foreshadow of you, the precious Lamb of God whose sacrifice for us was once and for all.

“Moving past the altar, we see the bronze basin. Gazing into the mirrored basin, we see our own unrighteousness reflected back to us.  We take off our sandals and wash our hands and feet.  You teach us that this cleansing symbolizes the perfect cleansing provided by your pure water, which purifies us and makes us holy. You are there.

“Cleansed by the pure water, we now enter the Holy Place, where our eyes are drawn to the left, to the light of the lampstand made of one solid piece of pure hammered gold. We smell the pure oil of pressed olives that fuels the seven flames, and we think of the you, the Light of the World. You are there.

“To our right, illuminated by the golden lampstand, stands the table of showbread. You teach us that the twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes of Israel, a continual reminder of your covenant with your children and a memorial of your provision of food. We think about the Bread of Life, and we know you are there.

“Passing between the golden lampstand on our left and the table of showbread on our right, we move towards the far end of the Holy Place, where we find the altar of incense. The sweet-smelling incense, burned every morning and every evening, speaks of our prayers, rising as sweet vapor to you.

“Now, just beyond the altar of our prayers, we find before us the veil, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, embroidered with designs of cherubim. Dare we pass through the veil, to the place only the high priest is allowed? On what grounds are we worthy? You remind us of your Word, Christ Jesus, who gave His life as the final, perfect, complete sacrifice, when the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom! And we understand it clearly – we enter through the veil not on our own merit, but through the blood sacrifice of our Lord and Savior. We praise you, Lord. You are there!

“Beyond the veil, we find ourselves in the most precious place, the Holy of Holies. In your presence, we fall on our faces before the Ark of the Testimony and the Mercy Seat. Your Word tells us, ‘And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the testimony’ (Exodus 25:22). Your promise is sure – we find you there.

“We think back to our prayer, ‘Lord, we want to see you. We want to know you more. Show us your glory. Teach us from your Word.’ Thank you, our dear Lord, for answering that prayer in a mighty way!

“Thank you for leading us through your tabernacle, and for being there every step of the way. Thank you for your great love for us and your sacrifice for us. Thank you for your precious Word, which teaches us that we are your tabernacle, and you dwell with us (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

“ ‘The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us’ (John 1:14). In your tabernacle, Lord, you are here.”