If the children of Israel wouldn’t come near to God, well then, He would—draw near to them!
What took so long on this occasion that Moses must be 40 days on the mountain of God? Believe it or not, among other things, the Lord was going to give him a scale model of heaven! The New Testament calls the structure “the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true [one in] heaven itself” (Heb 9:24). Yes, God was going to go camping with His people, and He must instruct Moses on the construction of this prefab portable building which would be His home-away-from-home on the trip to Canaan. “Let them make Me a sanctuary,” said the Lord, “that I may dwell among them” (Ex 25:8). What would this building designed by God and for God be like? Immediately we have a hint, because the Lord gives His servant a gift list for the people. “From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering…: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate” (vv 2-7). Say, that’s quite a list! And there’s a crucial principle here. Remember, Israel was involved in constructing the treasure cities in Egypt (1:11). Couldn’t God have said, “Make Me something nice”? But no, “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it” (25:9). Just so! Why was God so particular? Because this remarkable structure, its furnishings and function, were going to be detailed object lessons teaching us about God Himself and His perfect provision in Christ so He could dwell eternally with us in the true tabernacle in Heaven!