TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023
/Tuesday, February 21, 2023
The Tabernacle: A Practice Rooted in Culture
Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. 35 Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.
Exodus 40: 34 – 35 (NLT)
In pagan religions, idols are representations of, or residing places for, the
gods. As such, the idol is believed to take on the characteristics, abilities, persona, and power of the god it represents. READ: Exodus 25: 8 & 22
a. Where did God say he would dwell if His people made a sanctuary for Him?
b. Did the sanctuary acquire any special power, or did God expect His people to worship it because His presence was there?
c. How do you explain your answer?
READ: Exodus 20: 3–6; 34: 17; Deuteronomy 29: 17-18 & 32: 21
d. What did God repeatedly teach His people about the worship of idols?
e. How does His presence differ from what pagan people believed about idols?
People of pagan cultures developed their own rituals regarding access to the presence of their god(s). READ: Leviticus 16; 1, 2, 32 & 33
a. Who decided who was allowed to enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle and under what conditions?
Do you notice secular / pagan idols, rituals, practices, and beliefs that are similar to the pagans of biblical times?
Do you believe these beliefs and practices can be part of an authentic biblical worldview?