8. Discuss the function and importance of the tabernacle. And the effects the golden calf had on Israel and Moses.

Question 1

discuss the function and importance of the tabernacle

Answer 1

PARALLELS TO THE CREATION ACCOUNT (importance of the tabernacle)

• The building of the Tabernacle was a parallel to Creation. The tabernacle is portrayed as a reconstruction of God’s ‘good’ creation. Moreover, the garden is described in ways similar to that of the Tabernacle: both contained pure gold, precious jewels, and both were guarded by cherubim.
• At the close of the Creation account, God rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath. The last instruction -for the Tabernacle is the reminder that Israel is to observe the Lord’s Sabbath.
• God concluded his last work with an inspection and evaluation of all He had done. When the tabernacle was completed, Moses inspected and evaluated all that was done.
• In the Genesis account, man was made according to a specific pattern, the ‘image’ of God. The whole Tabernacle, as well as all it’s parts were to be made according to the ‘pattern’ God had shown Moses.
• The creation account is followed by the account of the fall. At the close of the instruction for the building of the Tabernacle, there is also a “fall narrative”, the account of Israel’s sin of the golden calf.

Two main points of God’s plan or pattern that He showed Moses on the mountain.

• the Tabernacle was intended as a model of God’s heavenly abode.
• That the Tabernacle was a ‘pattern’ of something in heaven shows that it had symbolic value as well as a practical purpose. This symbolism suggests that its various physical forms also had a spiritual meaning or sense to them.

(the problem is that the text itself explains very little of the heavenly meaning of the tabernacle and its parts. We can only imagine based on the earthly tabernacle how it represents the heavenly one. There appears to be an intentional mystery to the tabernacle and the meaning of its parts, with little desire on God’s part to resolve it.)

[it is estimated that it took six to nine months to build the tabernacle]

Question 2

discuss the golden calf

Answer 2

• the narrative shows that the covenant was being broken even while Moses was still on the mountain
• Moses had delayed in returning from the top of Mt. Sinai and the people became anxious and impatient. They asked for a visible representation of God provided for them.
  
  • clearly, Aaron emerges as the villain in the story. He should be leading the people, but lets them control him. He tells them to bring him all the gold and he would build it for them
• In Exodus 32:6 it states the people rose up to “indulge in revelry” before the image.
• When Moses confronted Aaron, Aaron put the blame on the people (just like the garden)
• Moses intercedes with God to spare the people
• Moses grinds the calf up and put it on the water and the people are forced to drink the water.
• This is an object lesson to show the people the utter worthlessness of idolatry
• Aaron attempted to solve the wrong problem; Moses addressed the right one
  
  • Aaron attacked the functional problem
  • Moses confronted the character problem
  • Aaron focused on the activity
  • Moses focused on the morality that was driving the morality
• Lasting solutions come from address “why” questions - instead of “how” questions.