“AND I WILL DWELL AMONG THEM”

Passage: Exodus 25:1-22

Key verse: 8

NIV

Offerings for the Tabernacle(A)

25 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts(B) them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn(C) and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a];(D) acacia wood;(E) 6 olive oil(F) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;(G) 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod(H) and breastpiece.(I)

8 “Then have them make a sanctuary(J) for me, and I will dwell(K) among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern(L) I will show you.

The Ark(M)

10 “Have them make an ark[b](N) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Overlay(O) it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings(P) on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.(Q) 14 Insert the poles(R) into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.(S) 16 Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law,(T) which I will give you.

17 “Make an atonement cover(U) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim(V) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim(W) are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing(X) the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark(Y) and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law(Z) that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim(AA) that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet(AB) with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.(AC)

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 25:5 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals
  2. Exodus 25:10 That is, a chest
  3. Exodus 25:10 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 17
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Contributions for the Sanctuary

25 The Lord said to Moses, 2 (A)“Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From (B)every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 (C)blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, 5 tanned (D)rams' skins, goatskins,[a] acacia wood, 6 (E)oil for the lamps, (F)spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the (G)ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a (H)sanctuary, that (I)I may dwell in their midst. 9 (J)Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the (K)tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

The Ark of the Covenant

10 (L)“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits[b] and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with (M)pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its (N)four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The (O)poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 (P)And you shall put into the ark the (Q)testimony that I shall give you.

17 (R)“You shall make a mercy seat[c] of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of (S)hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. (T)Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 (U)The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 (V)There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from (W)between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 25:5 Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins; compare 26:14
  2. Exodus 25:10 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  3. Exodus 25:17 Or cover
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Lord instructed the Israelites to offer from their hearts. Their offering would be used to build a sanctuary for the Lord to dwell with them. God wanted to dwell with his people. He instructed them to build his dwelling place to his exact instructions. When we obey God, we invite his presence to dwell with us.

God also instructed them how to build an ark. The ark was to hold the words of the covenant law that bound the people to the Lord. We are bound to God by his word and our obedience to it.

God also instructed the people to make an atonement cover of pure gold to put on top of the ark. We meet God because of his atoning love. We are covered by his grace of atonement for our sins. God dwells among men only through his atoning love and the forgiveness of sin.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your word and your atoning love. Help me to listen to your word and trust in your love. Come and dwell with me.

One Word: God dwells with his people