The function of the sanctuary.
Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
God said-- let them make me a sanctuary and then He told them why… that I may dwell among them.
Catching the whole picture we have to put this into perspective a bit.
The people of Israel were enslaved to the Pharoah of Egypt for hundreds of years. These were God's chosen people descendents of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…Joseph and they were slaves. God didn't want them to remain slaves, being slaves kept them from freely being able to worship Him. The people of Egypt worshipped false gods not the one true God. God's chosen people were being contaminated by association with the Egyptians and after hundreds of years it was time to separate them so that God's people would have a chance to worship their one true God, their deliverer, their redeemer. The power of God was fully realized in all He did for them to free them from the tyrannical gripe of their captor.
After their miraculous deliverance they were led out of Egypt and God wasn't going to leave them to their own devices. These were His people, He'd saved them, He loved them and He wanted them to live for Him because He knew this would be best for them. Intent on helping them as never before, God wanted to dwell among them in a very visible manner.
God wanted His people to have a hand in building Him a Sanctuary, a place where He could dwell among them. This was going to be a portable Sanctuary because God's people were going to be traveling to the land promised to them by God and every step of the way God wanted them to realize He was with them, guiding them.
God with us. This brings us to another reference to that particular idea--
Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
'God with us'
Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Dwell among them- God with us.
The connection is undeniable. God reconciling man to Himself. God offering a chance to restore the lost connection between Himself and mankind.
The amazing love God has for us is something we cannot comprehend. We can go into the Sanctuary, God wants us to go into the Sanctuary so we can understand. God wants to be with us.
May our hearts and eyes be opened to understand the unique relationship God offers to mankind, to all of us. By His grace we can be with Him, through His love and unending mercy. All in Christ's righteousness.
Amen.
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