Some thoughts for meditation following our daily devotional Scripture reading that is provided each week.

God gave the pattern on how the lampstand should be made so it would accomplish the purposes he had for it in the tabernacle. Similarly, he gave instructions how it should be arranged in the tabernacle (vv. 1-4).

God also chose the Levites to serve him in the work of the tabernacle in place of the firstborn of every Israelite. For the Levites to serve in this capacity they had to be consecrated to this task by ritual cleansing; set apart by Israel to serve in their place by the laying on of hands; and the offering of sacrifices for their sin and dedication (vv. 5-26). This is also ascribed in Leviticus 8; Exodus 29:1-37; and occurred in Exodus 40:12-15.

Note:

1. The tabernacle and Levites were a great gift of God to Israel. These gifts enabled Israel to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” to the Lord (Exod 19:6). By these they were separated from the nations and signally blessed. These were God’s grace and mercy to Israel and essential aspects of the fulfillment of every promise he made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
2. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, giving instruction on how Israel was to worship him. Worship of God is not left to individual whim, desire, feeling, or creativity, but must be according to divine revelation.
3. Details of God’s revelation matter. The arrangement of furniture seems boring, “inauthentic,” trite, and even legalistic. Such attitudes and responses arise from rebellious sinful natures, not from the devotion of faith in and love for the God of all flesh.
4. Sinful men need a mediator with a holy God. Such a mediator must be human but must also be consecrated and holy.

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” 1 Timothy 2:15

“Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man,” Hebrews 7:23-8:2