Originally posted: 03/15/2019

“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. ⁹ According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it… ⁴⁰ See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain,” (25:8-9, 40).

Does this thought knock the wind out of you? Did you find yourself gasping to catch your breath when you read the words? That Creator of the Universe God, Perfect and Sinless God, Present Everywhere God, allows man to construct a sanctuary for Him, that He may dwell among them? I can’t get over it. It makes no sense to my finite mind. His ways are beyond comprehension. But what does make sense… He is the one to designate the Perfect Pattern for His sanctuary. That I can understand.

Consider His Perfect Pattern

1. His Perfect Pattern for the construction of the sanctuary, that He may dwell among His people: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them,” (25:8).
2. His Perfect Pattern for the willing heart: “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution,” (25:1-2).
3. His Perfect Pattern for the Ark of the Covenant that would hold His given Word: “You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you,” (25:16)
4. His Perfect Pattern for the mercy seat, the place of atonement; from there He would meet with His people: “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. ²² There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel,” (25:21-22).
5. His Perfect Pattern for the table where the bread of the Presence was to be set before Him at all times: “You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times,” (25:30).
6. His Perfect Pattern for the lampstand to shed light on the space in front of it: “Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it,” (25:37)
7. His Perfect Pattern would be fashioned primarily out of pure gold: (25:3, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 36, 38, 39)

Consider His Perfect Pattern demonstrated in the Perfect Man, His Son Jesus

1. His Perfect Pattern for the construction of the sanctuary that the LORD may dwell among His people: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth,” (John 1:14).
2. His Perfect Pattern for the willing heart: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done,” (Luke 22:42).
3. His Perfect Pattern for the Ark of the Covenant that would hold His given Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh,” (John 1:1, 14).
4. His Perfect Pattern for the mercy seat, the place of atonement; from there He would meet with His people: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins,” (1 John 4:10 NIV).
5. His Perfect Pattern for the table where the bread of the Presence was to be set before Him at all times: “And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me,'” (Luke 22:19).
6. His Perfect Pattern for the lampstand to shed light on the space in front of it: “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life,'” (John 8:12).
7. His Perfect Pattern would be fashioned primarily out of pure gold: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ,” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

How are we to respond to His Perfect Pattern?

He has designated His Perfect Pattern for all His children. Let us ask Him to search our hearts as we prayerfully consider the following questions and Scriptures.

1. Am I cooperating with His Perfect Pattern in the construction of His dwelling place? “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? …For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people,” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).
2. Am I a willing and cheerful giver? “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
3. Am I believing His Word to work in my life? ^“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe,” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
4. Am I relying on His mercy alone for salvation? “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5).
5. Am I presenting my body as a living sacrifice at all times? “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship,” (Romans 12:1).
6. Am I being a light to those around me… and thereby bringing Him glory? “You are the light of the world…¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 5:14, 16).
7. Is the proof of my faith, even more precious than gold, standing the test? “So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (1 Peter 1:7).

 Let us pray and depend on Him to manifest His Perfect Pattern in our lives, that we would draw a world, in dying need, to His Perfect Savior.

 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

Let’s Grow Together!