My husband and I like to joke that, from 2012 to 2015, we were exiled to the Midwest. In truth, we loved our time in two new states, but our hearts longed to be home in Nashville with our friends and family. But graduate school and a new job took us to Missouri and then Kentucky, and by the time we limped bleary-eyed and empty back to Nashville, by the grace of God and a few new opportunities, we were ready to set down permanent roots.
So we decided to build a house. It took months and a million decisions. (Do you have any idea how much grout is in your house? A lot. And we had to decide the colors of all of it.) But when we finally moved in, we knew we were home. We carefully chose each detail to create what is, to us, our ideal home. The kitchen floors are resilient hardwood, designed to handle three kiddos and a crazy cat. We chose carpet for the stairs so when we run up and down them a hundred times a day, we don’t risk a fall. Thoughtful, intentional, and reflective of our family’s particular brand of chaos—this is our home.
I have a tendency to skim over these pages in Exodus because I’m not sure all of these details really matter. Does knowing that the pots on the altar of the tabernacle were made of bronze really help me draw closer to God?
There are no wasted words in the Word of God; every detail reveals something glorious. Even when the details seem incredibly minor, they matter. There is a rich theology of the building of the tabernacle, and it is woven through these passages about bronze and gold and linen.
The writer of Exodus used the Hebrew word mishkan, which means “tabernacle” or “dwelling place.” The tabernacle was not just a mobile house of worship where the Israelites could come to offer sacrifices to God; it was the literal dwelling place of the Lord among His people. And so, unlike the half-dozen different shades of grout for my new house, every detail of building the tabernacle really matters. Every detail reveals its holy purpose. Thoughtful, intentional, reflective of God’s glory and His promise to dwell among his people—the tabernacle was God’s home.
The Israelites built the tabernacle with bronze, silver, and gold. The outer areas were bronze, and the holy of holies (where God Himself dwells) was constructed of gold, the most precious of metals. God’s holiness was evident at every turn, drawing His people to Him.
Eventually, God would come to dwell with His people in flesh and bone. John 1 tells us that the Word would become flesh and tabernacle (dwell) among us (vv. 1-2)—a far more precious thing in His sight than even the most valuable metals and cloths.
From the garden of Eden to the tabernacle in the desert, from Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem to the flesh and blood of Jesus, from our modern sanctuaries to the promised new heaven and new earth—God’s desire to dwell among His people is clear. It is His heart’s desire. May it be ours as well.
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30 thoughts on "Furnishing the Courtyard"
He is the God who Sees. Every detail matters to him. Lord, may the details of my life please you. Dwell here ♥️
What a great thought. Praying for you Katherine!
Thank you, Katherine. I am encouraged by your words.
❤️
It struck me while reading this today that maybe the reason this is all listened out for us is because God knew that eventually our bodies would be his dwelling place and if he put all this care and detail into making his first real dwelling place on earth just right, why would we think we’re less than exactly how God wanted us to be designed? I’m saying this as a 25-year-old who has had part of her lung removed, has several chronic illnesses, and just got out of the hospital for a GI bleed that hasn’t been sourced yet. I know my body is far from perfect, but when I read this, it reminds me that God made me the way I am for a reason. I hope this encourages you all today as well!
The additional insights into these verses are so beautiful, thank you all who take the time to respond and share!
Gf has always wanted to “tabernacle” with His people: in the garden, in the pillar of cloud and fire, in the actual tabernacle and then the temple, in Jesus, in the church and finally in the kingdom! How amazing that our God loves us so much that He wants to dwell with us!
Dorothy — praising God He is working it all out!
@Kelly Neo @Angie Mills @Kristen — love your insights. It seems verse 8 about the women and their mirrors stands out to all of us. How beautiful it is that their were women who worshipped this way. What a breath of fresh air in Exodus. I can sometimes feel so sad that Israel was so rebellious. It blesses me to know people worshipped this way.
@Rebecca Fuller– my heart jumped at your comment. the Lord is putting me in a place of transition as well where I will be moving in the near future. I want to pray for you.
God, what a beautiful desire Rebecca has to find community. I know Lord You WILL bless her heart’s desire to find it. Please lead her and light the path towards whom You are calling her to. Let her not worry but trust You to bring her into a safe and loving group of people. I know Lord You bless our obedience. I pray Your peace over her and joy overflowing, in Jesus’s name!
All of the beauty, wealth and fame CANNOT MATCH the love the Lord, my God has for me/us. All He asks in return is for us to believe, have faith and love those around us. Sometimes those are hard things to do, or so we think, but are they REALLY all that hard to do? Yes, I believe, with all my heart I believe and nothing anyone would say would change that. My faith is strong, sometimes stronger than others, but my faith will not waiver. Love those around us, this is the one I have the most difficulty with. When someone has wronged me sometimes it is hard for me to forgive them; then when I do, I have a hard time forgetting about the wrong they did to me a lot of the time. Lord help to work on this, help me to forgive AND forget. AMEN.
Update on my sister, she will be coming home Friday. She got an apartment closer to mine so I will be able to check on her more frequently. Also, good friend of my niece’s (whose a realtor and fixes up houses) bought my sisters house so she has until the middle of November to get out of it. PRAISE THE LORD. Our angels — my niece, my son, and my brother-in-law — have been watching over us.
Sisters, be blessed and SHOUT PRAISES TO THE LORD!!!!
Hello fellow SHES! I’ve been away from the SRT community for the past few months, but am eager to jump back in and feel like I belong to this community. I’ve moved and am starting a new job soon (teaching) and desperately need to form new and healthy routines. Being part of the SRT community can hopefully bring a sense of peace and belonging, as well as getting connected to a local church. Anyways, I’d appreciate prayer in this season of change and transition, and I’ll be praying for all of you, that God would provide for your needs through Christ Jesus our Lord. He loves you!
Details! They seem overwhelming but this same God of the details knows every thing about me and you! How incredibly awesome is that!!!
I spent most of the summer studying Numbers for the first time in a long time. I didn’t realize it was basically an extension of Exodus – what came next until they finally got to go to the Promised Land. In that book, there is a lot of space given to describing how the tabernacle moved – the order the tribes moved in, which tribes carried which parts of the tabernacle, etc. I feel like these descriptions in Exodus help me understand more of what all they had to carry and move. And at the same time, that each part was important to God.
KELLY NEO – Thank you for pointing this out about the mirrors. I missed it.
KRISTEN – Your comment that some are so focused on looking at themselves that they fail to look at Jesus. WOW so good!
ANGIE MILLS – Thank you for looking up the names and sharing with us.
In the devotional Melanie wrote that the tabernacle was God’s home. That brought it all into a new light for me. All these details that I want to skim over. When we built our house, the details were all so important to me. Melanie also wrote that God’s desire to dwell among His people is clear. It is His hearts desire. Such love our Father shows us. It’s amazing. Help my Lord to always dwell in your word and presence.
Yesterday someone shared with me Bill Johnsons sermon after his wife died. So many good tidbits in there! The backslider in heart will always judge God by what He didn’t do.
Laughter with tears makes a wonderful rainbow. Mourning will either take you to the comforter or to unbelief. Answers won’t fix the problem. Presence will. Since we are surrounded by those who have gone before us and they are now forever with the Lord, those heroes are actually like a cloud surrounding us and since this is absolutely true, we need to live a certain way. Holiness and endurance. My passion for holiness and my longevity and ability to endure tough situations is usually equal to my awareness to my eternity. If you remember this you won’t make stupid choices.
Okay! I found one more to add to what I typed above about the basin and cleansing! Thought I would share: II. A laver, to hold water for the priests to wash in when they went in to minister, v. 8. This signified the provision that is made in the gospel of Christ for the cleansing of our souls from the moral pollution of sin by the merit and grace of Christ, that we may be fit to serve the holy God in holy duties. This is here said to be made of the looking-glasses (or mirrors) of the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle.
Thank you, Jesus!
@Kelly Neo and all the SHES I found this from a commentary too about the bronze basins. So much here! i. It is wonderful to think that these women gave up their ability to measure their own physical beauty to make this reservoir for the water of ceremonial washing. By analogy, it may be said that some are so focused on looking at themselves that they fail to look to Jesus. It is always time to surrender such a mirror to Jesus.
ii. From a New Testament perspective, one may say that believers experience the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26), and that the word of God is like a mirror (James 1:22-25).
iii. “It was highly significant that the brass of these mirrors was employed to construct that laver in which the priests must wash on approaching the altar or entering the Tabernacle. It is in the beauty of holiness men must worship, and by the surrender of everything of the flesh.” (Morgan)
iv. “Let those who view themselves oft in their looking-glasses take his counsel who said, ‘Art thou fair? Be not like an Egyptian temple, varnish without and vermin within. Art thou foul? Let thy soul be like a rich pearl in a rude shell.’” (Trapp)
Amazing! Prayers for you all today!
@Kelly Neo, thank you for sharing. I was thinking about this. The basin was used for cleansing. We are only cleansed by Him. Thank you @Angie Mills. How beautiful and amazing! Also proof that all His Word is important! There will never not be more to learn and be amazed at in His Holy Word.! Also, this helps me. My name is Kristen which means Christian. I am ruined without being saved by God’s grace and the work and Blood of Jesus!
What struck me is the directions: North side, South, West, and East, which was the gate. The tabernacle, Solomon’s temple, the rebuilt temple.
Many things in life are beautiful, but they need to be positioned and pointed in the right direction, towards God!
Years ago I did a Beth Moore Bible study called “A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place” about the tabernacle of God, and it was absolutely fascinating! I highly recommend it if anyone wanted to do a more in depth study on this subject. I even looked on line and saw that someone had posted her video sessions!
Sorry not finished— in minute detail for His presence to dwell- His Holy Spirit, here and now.
A new thought comes to mind for me- how He created each and every one of us perfectly with details
Verse 8 of the ministering women stood out for me.
A story isn’t a good story without all the details. I am thinking of how God created this world we live in, all the details in the backdrop and setting of our lives. Like my favorite movies, the scenery, architecture, lights and sounds, beauty, shadows and contrast, all working together to create the experience. The story of Jesus and God’s love is the theme running all through the Bible. As I look at the life of Jesus lived out in the pages of scripture, the scenes come alive and captivate me like no other story ever told. This beautiful story was told and lived for us. The details of the tabernacle, the sacrifices and washings, the imperfect lives of people and how God cast them into roles for His good purpose and glory amazes me. All woven together to draw me near to God right now. I see His shining light in the wilderness reminding me how to get home to Him. My hope here lies in the end of this story. He offered His life for mine so my happily ever after ending is guaranteed. Lord, let my life lived out in the coming moments of each day You give me tell Your story. May Your redemption and love play out through me. Help me to slow down and depend on You. Like in Isaiah 35:4 You “Say to those who are hasty in heart, ‘Be strong; you must not fear! Look! Your God will come with a vengeance, with divine retribution. He is the one who will come down and save you.” You have Lord. You will come again. And one day I will be Home with You forever. In the meantime, help me to live strong today. You are my hope and my deliverer from all the things. My joy and good story is found in You. Selah. Maranatha. Amen.
What struck me about this passage was that God truly is in all the details. While this passage is specifically about the building of the tabernacle, He also cares about all the seemingly minor details in our lives. It is comforting to me to know that not only does He have a plan for our lives, but He also has a plan for our week, our day, and even the next hour!
@KELLY (NEO)
Thank you for meditating on the mirrors. I was also struck that that particular basin was made from the bronze mirrors that had belonged to the women serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
Even though this was not the first time we were introduced to Bezalel & Oholiab, the men who constructed the tabernacle, I decided to look up their names. What I discovered is so beautiful.
1. Bezalel = “in the shadow of God”
Psalm 91:1 ESV-“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Hebrews 8:5 talks about how the tabernacle served as a copy and shadow of heavenly things.
This man who dwelled in the shadow of God worked on the tabernacle that would be used to shadow (copy, outline) God’s glory.
2. Oholiab = “father’s tent”
The tabernacle was also referred to as “the Tent of Meeting”. This man named “father’s tent” worked on the Father’s tent. The place where Father God dwelled among His people. Oholiab was the embroider who worked with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen, so he would have spent a lot of hours on constructing the actual tent of the tabernacle.
Just as God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV)
So also were these men consecrated and appointed for the holy work they did on the Tabernacle. The names that Bezalel & Oholiab were given reflect what God had chosen them to do. What we are called has significance. Many times in life, we believe we are the person that we are called by others. What is most important to remember is what we are called by God. We are His people. We are a new creation. We are redeemed.
Grateful for a God who desires to live my life with me, standing next to me, never to abandon me. It can be hard to remember in the challenging moments, but He’s there to see me through those and polish me there – to make me more like Him. Grateful for the eternal gift of love.
Kelly (Neo) thanks for pointing out about the women and their mirrors. It can be so easy to tune out during chapters like this. I was thinking why did God choose to include this in the Bible. All scripture is God breathed, so there must be a reason. God is in the details and the Jews were obedient in this command.
Father Your nearness is a blessing full of Grace and Mercy. Thank you! In Jesus name. Amen
This stood out to me as well as I read it. Thanks for the insight.
38:8 “He made the bronze basin and its stand from the bronze mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.”
Don’t often hear about women who served the Lord in the wilderness. There were enough of them to make this basin from their mirrors. The mirrors once reflected their faces but would now reflect God’s dwelling place with His people.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” 1Cor 13:12.
The bronze laver was not used to wash the blood off, but to wash the hands and feet of the priest before they went into the tabernacle.