A Role Model

We've spent the last couple of days looking at Genesis 22 and beginning to study what we can learn from this passage about worship.  As we begin today, let's look at this same passage from another angle as well.  Not only "what do we learn from this passage", but what do we learn from Abraham about worship?  In other words, how is Abraham a role model for us?  Let's begin there.  How did Abraham worship God?  What can we learn from that?

One of the things you may have noted is that God gave Abraham specific instrucftions about how he was to worship Him.  Today we're going to begin to look at another Old Testament worshiper - Moses - and we're going to see that God gave Moses some specific instructions as well.  The instructions to Moses include how God's people were to approach Him in worship and a detailed design for the tabernacle where they were to worship.  As we look at this tabernacle structure, we're going to see a pattern for how believers can properly worship God and experience His presence.  Through it all, we're going to continue to learn about God, about His character, about what an awesome God He is!!

This examination of the tabernacle will take several days, so let's begin today in Exodus 25:8-9.  Read those two verses and do three things:  mark "God" as you did before (I use a red triangle); mark the word "pattern" (I draw a squiggly line over it); and mark "tabernacle" and "sanctuary" (I mark these the same way, with a rectangle around the word).

Now that you've done that, also read Hebrews 8:1-2,5 and mark the same words.   We're doing this to compare Scripture with Scripture.  This will increase our understanding.  Review your markings and think about what you learn from marking those words.  Then consider the following questions:

• What did God instruct Moses to do?
• Why?
• What did you learn from marking "pattern" and "tabernacle"?
• How is the tabernacle described?

It is interesting to note that the word translated "tabernacle" is a noun that is derived from a Hebrew verb that means "to dwell".  It was the place where God met with man and communicated with Him.  It was also the place where man could approach God through a sacrifice.

That's an awesome thought, isn't it?  A place to meet with God!!  That God desires to meet with us!!  WOW!