Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 96
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IMMERSE
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BEGINNINGS
foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners
in the land of Egypt.”
Many more laws of both kinds are given in the books that follow.
But Exodus, after presenting an initial collection of laws, then turns to
describe the Tabernacle. This is a beautiful tent with a courtyard and
furnishings where God will live in the midst of the people’s encampment. The Tabernacle is filled with representations of different parts
of the creation (earth, sea, lights in the sky, etc.), revealing that God
intends for the world to be his home, with humanity living in close
fellowship with him. The Tabernacle’s description is actually recounted
twice in detail: once as the plans for the Tabernacle are given and again
when those plans are carried out. Then, the Tabernacle’s construction
is summarized three additional times. These repeated descriptions of
the Tabernacle indicate the importance of God returning to live among
his people.
This is one of the places in the Bible where it can feel like the story
stops because there are practically no action episodes for a very long
stretch. (Although Moses does put down a rebellion among the people
between the two detailed descriptions of the Tabernacle.) But the story
of God’s covenant relationship with humanity continues to unfold as
that relationship is given statutory expression through the Law and artistic expression through the craftsmanship of the Tabernacle. It’s early
in the Bible’s story, but God is already working to create a new humanity
and a new world.
