How does the completion of the tabernacle in Exodus 40:33 connect to Jesus' mission? The completed structure: Exodus 40:33 “Then Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.” Why the finished tabernacle matters • A visible, touchable sanctuary confirming that God keeps His promises (Exodus 25:8). • A divinely designed place where God’s glory could dwell among redeemed people (Exodus 40:34). • A temporary but tangible preview of a greater, permanent dwelling God intended to establish. Connecting threads to Jesus’ mission • Incarnation—God pitching His tent among us – “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” (John 1:14 literal rendering) – Just as the tabernacle brought God into Israel’s camp, Jesus brought God into the human neighborhood—fully God, fully man. • Perfect priest and perfect sanctuary – “Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands.” (Hebrews 9:11) – The earthly tabernacle needed daily priests. Jesus is both the sinless Priest and the once-for-all Sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12). • The veil and the cross – Inside the finished tabernacle hung a veil blocking the way to the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33). – At Jesus’ death “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Matthew 27:51) – What the tabernacle restricted, Jesus’ completed work opened—direct access to the Father (Hebrews 10:19-20). • “Finished”—echoes of Exodus 40:33 – Moses “finished the work.” – Jesus declared from the cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) – Both statements mark completion, but Christ’s pronouncement secures eternal redemption; He fulfills what the tabernacle foreshadowed. • Glory filling the house – After the tabernacle was finished, “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34) – At Pentecost, God’s Spirit filled believers, now His living temple (Acts 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16). – The pattern persists: completed dwelling → divine filling → ongoing guidance (Exodus 40:36-38; Romans 8:14). What this means for daily life • Confidence: Christ’s work is complete—nothing more needs adding for salvation. • Nearness: God’s presence is no longer behind curtains but within every believer. • Purpose: As living tabernacles, we carry God’s glory into homes, workplaces, and communities. |
    |