The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Tabernacle and Worship Today

Of late the “church” has been in “worship wars.” We have had them here as well. As we all know worship has a theology developed throughout the whole of Scripture. Thus, we come to the Tabernacle and Temple.

I am sure that everyone here has thought to some extent about the Tabernacle and our pattern of worship “today.” I am not speaking here of worshiping “in” Moses’ (David’s, close of OT) Tabernacle per se, but the attitude of worship and the reverence it was conducted with in Moses’ time and comparing it with what we see today. What type of liturgy would one expect in the church today if it was compared to the Tabernacle of the past? Remembering your position “in Christ,” where would one worship today (outer court, inner court, holy of holies)? What would be the attitude of worship from the church in Moses, David’s, etc. day to the church of today?, etc.

Here is an article by Iain D. Campbell as a primer: THE TABERNACLE

Interesting pics of the Tabernacle (theology not so hot).

Good topic, Joe. I'm printing out the article to read later.

Oh, it's not an article. Hmm. Where do you recommend I start (keep in mind I don't have a whole lot of time to spare on the weekends.)

Iain D. Campbell: THE TABERNACLE

Thanks, Joe. I printed it out.

When I was thinking of this, I thought:

1. As one of the divines points out the Tabernacle (which is mobile) can represent our individual worship, while the Temple (a more permanent structure) represents our congregational worship.

2. When we behold the architecture of the Tabernacle (building, colors, etc) and the Tabernacle it makes us stop and take notice. There is established a reverence and an awe. It is someplace "different" then normal. It did not conform to what other religions did or to what the world expected. The same with the furniture, etc.

3. When we look at the clothing worn as compared to the shorts and flip-flops some wear to church today, it ... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/puke.gif" alt="" />

4. In Ezekiel's vision (apocalyptic) the uncircumcised were not allowed "in." So much for attracting the world with our worship, etc. Worship was meant for the Church.

5. The services were very orderly, as if they were there for a specific purpose--I don't think it was the purpose driven life <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/drop.gif" alt="" />

I believe there are other elements that could be pointed out. Anyone else?

Interesting article by the way. Now, if I may play the devil's advocate.

There is established a reference and awe. Were all the worshippers giving reference and awe to the objective God, or just to the God that they themselves created. Can it be said that only Scripture was read, and there was no preaching or teaching. Unless they were a lot smarter than we today, I imagine many were not worshipping the same God. And, that proves out by their open disobedience. I, also, imagine that they were continuiing worshiping God during those times. I know a couple of RCC who comment that one of the reasons they like the RCC is that the stain glass windows and other reverent-looking furniture/staging help them in their meditation. The problem is that they are meditating on their idea of God. It would be far better for them to wear their flipflops and go to a church that worships God through the preaching and teaching of the Word.

The comment about not letting the uncircumcised in. There were many circumcised that were not true believers. Instead of pretending everyone were believers, they should have been challenging everyone, not just by reading the Word, to the importance of the Word. Isn't there a difference hetween making the Word an idol to be worship as oppose to the living Word of God.

Just throwing that out.

John,

Sorry, methinks your "devil's advocate" argument is like those false worshippers you are referring to. (cf. Jer 2:13) The reverence and awe outwardly displayed was proper and not dependent upon the object of it. Remember, the "visible Church" always had and always will have unbelievers among the people of God. And the proper demeanor in approaching the Almighty is to be expected regardless of who comes before Him. Contrariwise, even those who have true faith and don't exhibit a sense of reverence and awe are liable to being temporally chastised by God and their worship rejected.

On your second point, there are instances when the people were challenged, e.g., we read:

Deuteronomy 10:14-17 (ASV) "Behold, unto Jehovah thy God belongeth heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein. Only Jehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. For Jehovah your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward."

In His grace,

In reviewing some of the instructions and symbolism for the creation of the Tabernacle some interesting features appear.

First, God does not leave it to us humans to define the type of worship we will offer Him. God gave specific instructions for the creation of the Tabernacle and informed Israel to build His ornate structure exactly His way (Exodus 25:9; Hebrews 8:5).

Second, I wonder why God did not just use some normal inexpensive wood and pottery objects to decorate His space? Could not the gold, silver, bronze, and the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, etc have been sold to feed the poor? While God does take care of the destitute, He also desires that the destitute (us) properly understand who He is and that He is properly given the honor and worship due him. As Tremper Longman states, “As one walked into the tabernacle, he would be symbolically transferred from an earthly location to a (symbolically at least) heavenly one. Is this the sense (and I am not speaking of a physical building) we receive today when entering into worship both individually and corporately? Does our music, our demeanor, and our presence denote the presence of the Almighty (Isaiah 6, etc.)?

Third, as has already been mentioned, there were limits to accessibility in the building of the Tabernacle. Those outside the camp were considered unclean. They were not allowed inside the camp, the courtyard, the Tabernacle, or the Holy of Holies. Worship was not for them, but for Israel. Today, it appears our seeker sensitive type churches have embraced the outside the camp mentality for the worship of God! They embrace the mindset that the church needs to be of “one language and of one speech” with the world to attract the world (Genesis 11, Babel). Am I suggesting that we should never today bring the unsaved to Church—may it never be, we are no longer under the previous dispensation? However, when it comes to worship—God has given us His example of whom worship is for and to whom it is to be directed. How can the unsaved truly worship God? They can’t and thus how dare one even suggest building for them a worship service—this is the height of Babel worship and idolatry!

Fourth, look at Solomon’s Temple. God choose the location of His building (2 Chronicles 3:1-2). Again, God gives specific instructions for its building (1 Chronicles 28:19). The Temple was even more magnificent, ornate, and luxurious than the Tabernacle (1 Kings 6). As with the Tabernacle in the Temple the symbolism that God was with His people is rich (the cherubim, the Garden imagery (Eden), and the menorah (in basic terms a tree that is on fire—the burning bush), etc.). Do we sense God’s presence in our services today? Do our services embrace that God is “really” there? What is our attitude and character like in the presence of “real” royalty? How do I dress when I am in a King’s court? What do I speak about when in the presence of royality?

Fifth, the Ark of the Covenant was there. This of course is symbolic of God’s footstool (1 Chronicles 28:2, compare throne in Jeremiah 3:16-17). However, the Ark was also the place where the covenant tablets were stored. Let us simplify it. The Word of God is here. Notice the Word of God had a central place, it was protected, it was revered and honored, and it was handled in a certain way (the Ark had to be carried by poles, etc.). How is the Word of God handled in our churches today? Is it protected or changed, is it central or second place to the casserole dinner, is it revered and honored, or is it just another short story in the midst of other poems, Fox news, and other minority reports?

We could go on and on with the incense altar, the table of bread, and the sacrificial altar, etc. However, I believe we can safely say that the structures and the instructions for those structures in the past inform us much about what our worship should and should not be today!

Thanks Joe,

What you have written is beautifully presented.


I think Calvin expressed this same thing but in a little different way.


Denny

Romans 3:22-24