How does the completion of the tabernacle connect to New Testament teachings on obedience? Completion Celebrated: Exodus 39:33 “Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, boards, crossbars, posts, and bases.” Obedience on Display in the Wilderness • Repeated refrain in Exodus 39 – 40: “just as the LORD had commanded Moses.” • Every peg, thread, and gemstone followed God’s exact pattern. • The people’s careful compliance unveiled a tangible dwelling for God among them. Foreshadowing of Perfect Obedience in Christ • John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” Jesus fulfilled the tabernacle’s purpose by embodying flawless obedience. • Philippians 2:8: Christ “humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross.” • Hebrews 3:5-6: Moses was faithful in God’s house as a servant; Christ is faithful as Son over that house. New Testament Echoes of Tabernacle Obedience • John 14:15 – “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” • Luke 11:28 – “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” • James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” • 1 Corinthians 6:19 – Believers are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. • Ephesians 2:21-22 – The church is “a holy temple in the Lord… a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” • 1 Peter 2:5 – “Living stones” being built into a spiritual house, offering acceptable sacrifices through Christ. Living Stones: How Completion Translates to Us • Precise obedience then: assembling curtains and clasps exactly as spoken. • Precise obedience now: aligning attitudes, speech, relationships, and service with the written Word. • Just as God filled the tabernacle with His glory (Exodus 40:34), He fills obedient believers with His Spirit (Acts 5:32). Practical Ways to Walk in Whole-Hearted Obedience • Treat every command—large or small—as significant, mirroring Israel’s care with “every peg.” • Regularly measure choices against Scripture’s pattern, not culture’s blueprint. • Pursue fellowship; stones are set together, not scattered. • Depend on the Spirit’s power (Galatians 5:16) to translate intent into action. • Anticipate His presence; where obedience is completed, God delights to dwell. |
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