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Why Does God's Tabernacle Matter?

WHY ARE YOU HERE?
Why Does God's "Tabernacle" Matter?

Throughout the course of life, most people will reach a point where they not only ask, "why are we here" in a larger public and philosophical sense, but also "why am I here" in an individual and personal sense. Needless to say, such questions are multifaceted and far-reaching; and they may be applied over the course of a lifetime just as well as they may be applied to the smallest fraction of time as we come to a conclusion or make a life-defining decision. So, why are you here, at this very moment in time, visiting this website, and reading this article?

I personally believe that the answer to the question, "why are we here?" can only be found in our created state of being. Believing that we are created in the image of God, I also conclude that our humble origins, our finite lives, and certain deaths testify to the notion of divinely orchestrated purpose. As each of us is created to temporarily dwell in this physical state of existence, it becomes clear that apart from divine intent, man in his mortality cannot serve a purpose—or at least a purpose that is of lasting significance. Man's true purpose, both individual and communal, momentary or lifelong, can only be found in God. Thus, without God, men will lack a sense of purpose, belonging, and identity—which may explain why you are here in search of God's "Tabernacle".

The search for God's true Tabernacle, of course, is not a search for a crude desert tent or dilapidated shack, as it has been represented by various religious traditions for thousands of years. "Tabernacle", after all, is an English term that is almost exclusively associated with a boxy, bizarre, and impractical tent as seen depicted in religious folklore. In fact, "Tabernacle" is derived from the Latin taberna term, which also happens to be the origin of the English word for tavern!

Despite the gross physical and etymological misrepresentation of God's residence, the Exodus story and so-called "Tabernacle" account nevertheless continues to resonate with people to this very day. Why? Because mankind intuitively understands that he lacks purpose, belonging, and identity without God, and because the Exodus "Tabernacle" was a place or structure where God came to dwell among his people. And this is exactly what is conveyed by the Hebrew term Mishkan, which is crudely translated into "Tabernacle". More accurately, the Hebrew Mishkan was God's "dwelling place".

Of course, ignorant critics of the Exodus already have and will continue to say that God's "Tabernacle" did not or does not matter. Ironically, given the warped Tabernacle connotation—which is rooted in the bizarre corresponding traditional religious representation—I am sympathetic to the critics' claim. However, using somewhat parallel language, the same critics would probably be very reluctant to propose that God's "dwelling place" does not and no longer matters. In other words, because God's Tabernacle is perceived and presented in an anglicized sense, its significance and purpose is systematically undermined.

Unfortunately, the hijacked "Tabernacle" word has far-reaching implications; only by acknowledging that God's "Tabernacle" was God's "dwelling place" can one begin to come to understand and fully appreciate what was given to Israel in the Sinai desert—and never since rescinded. The reality remains that God's dwelling place matters simply because God first said it did, and because it's only within the presence and will of God that man finds true purpose. So, as the old Tabernacle story ends, a new story of a quest for God's dwelling place begins.

Read more: Why Does God's Tabernacle Matter?

The Tabernacle Manifesto

THE TABERNACLE MANIFESTO

~ A Call for Revolution ~

Do You Want to "Make a Difference" in an Imperfect World?

It should go without saying that people of every community, color, and creed should want the world to be a better place. Starting with this underlying presumption, I believe that this is why people are so often invited to “make a difference” and why so many calls to “make a difference” are favorably received and even enthusiastically embraced. People find themselves compelled to do something in response once they are made aware of the pain and need in the world.

Make more than a difference.

Make an improvement!

Misappropriated sentiment and effort

leaves empty hands and empty hearts.

However, I also believe that people who answer the call to “make a difference” often walk away feeling unsatisfied, exploited, and perhaps even emotionally manipulated. After all, people are frequently motivated to participate in “make a difference” campaigns by means of sympathy-induced guilt, a longing for community and belonging, and perhaps even a promise of a sense of purpose or self worth. Ironically, experienced participants of “make a difference” programs call might feel a sense of futility, knowing that their efforts are unlikely to result in permanent or lasting changes, especially once they are made aware that the sea of need is infinite, whereas their means and contributions are finite in comparison. Thus, many “make a difference” outings and efforts might often be likened unto “Novocain for the soul”. In other words, they might temporarily numb some pain and even fill a void as they preoccupy people with busy work, but in the end, realizing that the mound of social ills is virtually insurmountable, people are likely to walk away feeling empty-hearted as well as empty-handed.

For such reasons, and contrary to popular slogans, I believe that people want to do more than “make a difference”. After all, "a difference" is inherently vague and morally ambiguous when presented without stated goals or ends that quantify or qualify the "difference". Thus, rather than committing time, money, and effort into making a mere "difference", people should instead endeavor to make an improvement! For those aspiring to merely make a difference, there a proverb that says that “zeal without knowledge is not good”. Needless to say, change for the sake of change is not necessarily virtuous. In fact, change can actually be pointless and even counterproductive—and the same can even be said of efforts to make improvements without having understanding or proper direction. So before undertaking any endeavor in life—especially something as radical, controversial, and extreme as revolution—people should first acquire knowledge and seek instruction to ensure their precious time and effort is not spent in vain.

Exodus Terumah - Q1 2022 Webinar

LEVITE BOOT CAMP

~ Live Zoom Webinar: From Terumah to Passover 2022 / 5782 ~

Do you have a clear understanding of God's plans for his people?

Nearly 3,500 years ago, the ancient Hebrew people found themselves liberated from Egypt and at the foot of Mount Sinai. Of course, God had big plans for his people, aspiring to make them a "nation of priests". Unfortunately, the people had other ideas. After hearing God's voice utter Ten Commandments, they responded to Moses, saying, "don't have God speak to us again, or we will die." So much for a nation of priests.

So, enter in the Levites in the place of Israels' firstborn males, who originally were selected for the job. As the Levites were cut from a different cloth, so to speak, it was the Levites that were given the privilege of assisting the priests and ministering on behalf of Israel, all because they were willing to do exactly what Moses told them to and without fail.

Needless to say, the Levites would need one thing in common to do their job. They would need to hear and understand instructions of Moses, instead of requesting for a mediator to act in their stead, as did the rest of the nation.

This "Levite Boot Camp" six-part webinar was created to explore and expound upon these wilderness instructions found in latter Exodus and Leviticus texts:

    SESSION 1 — The Exodus Tabernacle: Raised for a Reason (Exodus 25:1-27:19, a.k.a. "Terumah")
    SESSION 2 — Tabernacle Fabrication: As He Commanded (Exodus 27:20-30:10, a.k.a. "Tetzaveh")
    SESSION 3 — Tabernacle Anatomy: Elevating the Body (Exodus 30:11-34:35, a.k.a. "Ki Tisa")
    SESSION 4 — Priestly Garments: Assembling & Appointing (Exodus 35:1-40:38, a.k.a. "Vayakhel" & "Pekudei")
    SESSION 5 — Tabernacle Utility: Calling for Sacrifice (Leviticus 1:1-5:26, a.k.a. "Vayikra")
    SESSION 6 — The Tabernacle Anointed: Consecration and Consummation (Leviticus 6:1-8:36, a.k.a. "Tzav")

Designed to help explain many of the enigmatic Bible commandments following the Egyptian Exodus, these live Zoom courses are  preemptively scheduled on Sunday afternoons (3:00 EST / 2:00 CST / 1:00 MST / 12:00 PST) to discuss content ahead of each Exodus and Leviticus "Torah Parsha" as established per the annual Jewish liturgical reading cycle. These sessions are all designed to "make the Bible relevant again".

REGISTER

Read more: Exodus Terumah - Q1 2022 Webinar

The Tabernacle Engineers

THE TABERNACLE ENGINEERS

~ Building by Inspiration ~

You don't need to be a brain surgeon, rocket scientist, or even an engineer to figure out that this orderly world did not come in to existence all by itself. To the contrary, logic demands that something or someone took action to create life—along with the amazing earth which sustains it. For those unable to reach this conclusion, i.e., that something doesn’t come from nothing via observation and deductive reasoning, the Hebrew Bible creation account is written, as it begins with the very idea of a self-existent creator. The introduction of the book of Genesis declares that “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” From this, we might aptly infer that God is the ultimate builder and first engineer.

Within the Hebrew language, there are several names of God which succinctly speak to his self-existent nature. In fact, first and foremost, God’s predominant Hebrew name יהוה, which is poorly translated as “LORD” in English Bible texts over six thousand times, is rooted in the Hebrew verb היה, which refers to the action of existing. While people may frequently and passionately argue over the phonetics of the sacred יהוה name (represented as YHVH, YHWH, YHUH, Yehovah, Jehovah, Yahwey, Yahuah, etc.), the spelling of the Hebrew word seems to convey a fascinating and powerful message, as it refers to “He who is self-existing”. This should come as no surprise; after all, only a self-existing being could possibly be responsible for creating something from nothing. Logically, it follows that a self-existent creator would also be a "lord", but to solely or simply call him by this title clearly undermines other character aspects, and is yet one of many other truths that have been lost in translation.

The Tabernacle Discovery

THE TABERNACLE DISCOVERY

~ A Providential Accident? ~

The idea that “necessity is the mother of invention” is said to date back to Plato’s Republic (~380 BC). While it is a historical fact that inventions are sometimes conceived under circumstances of true need and desperation, it’s also worth considering that necessity isn't the only parent in the room. For example, the airplane, the automobile, and the telephone were never life-or-death necessities before they were invented. These few examples clearly demonstrate that premeditated want or desire can equally inspire innovation, especially given the fact that most inventions must be nurtured with time and resources, which is contrary to the conditions of duress and scarcity of resources which usually define a condition of absolute need.

Of course, the needs or wants that inspire invention aren't always exactly scripted. In fact, many great innovations (like Post-it notes and Velcro) are prompted by incidental circumstance or unforeseen opportunity. While discovery, like innovation, may be achieved based upon deliberate planning, perseverance, and observation, in most cases, discovery—which often leads to invention—is often a matter of fate or happenstance.

“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."
~ Ecclesiastes 9:11 ~

To credit fate with discovery, of course, is not to say that the destiny of individuals or of humanity is materially predetermined or dictated by random chance (which has no causal power), but rather to acknowledge that human destinies are often governed by circumstances outside of our control. In the words of Albert Einstein, “Almighty God does not play dice.”

"The king's heart
is in the hand of the LORD,
as the rivers of water:
he turneth it whither
soever he will."
~ Proverbs 21:1 ~

I believe that man has been granted freewill, and that God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, personal, and benevolent; and therefore I believe that the fate of individuals and humanity as a whole is a mysterious and precarious mixture of divine providence and human decision. In other words, I believe that God is not an absentee landlord, involving himself in human affairs. And given these principles, I am compelled to say that this Tabernacle discovery is not to be mistaken for a modern Tabernacle invention. Although I am an engineer, I did not set out with a need or even a desire to invent, or reinvent, the ancient Tabernacle of 3,500 years ago. To the contrary, the Project 314 Tabernacle design was the outworking of a discovery and fateful event that was made possible by my favorable response to a divine prompting back in 2014.

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