Israel has been redeemed from slavery in Egypt with great power, signs and wonders, and by the deaths of the Passover Lambs. We are a free people. We have crossed through the Red Sea on dry ground. God is providing for our needs, even miraculously, with manna and water that came from the rock that Moses struck. We’ve fought and defeated the Amalekites by  relying on the Lord, symbolized by the hands of Moses being lifted up – then there was victory. God then manifested His presence on Mount Sinai, and the voice of God was heard by all of Israel, and the Ten Commandments were given. Other laws were given. Israel accepted the covenant with God. Animals are killed, and blood is sprinkled on the people.

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, climbed Mount Sinai, celebrated this covenant with God. They had a meal on Mount Sinai, and they saw the God of Israel, who manifested Himself to them. Then the Lord called Moses up on Mount Sinai by himself, where God gave him two stone tablets, and other laws. Now it’s time to build a tent so that God can dwell among us. That brings us to this week’s Torah portion. I want to simply bring up the highlights, and then help us understand how we can apply these things to our lives.

Why build a Mishkan? So that in spite of the Fall of man, and our sinfulness, God could still dwell among us, and be close to us, and so that we could learn how to draw near to Him.

It was made of the most valuable and precious materials, telling us that God is precious and valuable. A Terumah – from the Hebrew root Ram – to take up, or life up or raise – an offering, was taken. But these valuable items of gold, silver, skins, oil, spices, and precious stones was offered up only from those who freely wanted to give.

The Lord deserves the best we have to offer. You should be giving generously to build up the dwelling place of God. There is something wrong, something out of order, when a person isn’t giving voluntarily, willingly, generously, when the desire to build up the Mishkan of God isn’t there.

Three times in this portion we are told that the Mishkan was made according to a pattern that God showed Moses. The earthly Tabernacle was patterned after the True Tabernacle, the Greater Tabernacle, that is in Heaven.

In the Most Holy Place of the Mishkan was the Ark and the Ark Cover. This is the exact location where God most especially and powerfully dwelt on Planet Earth. Atop the Ark was the Ark Cover, with two Cherubim, their wings touching each other. From above the Ark Covering the Creator would manifest His Presence on Earth. Inside the Aron were the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a golden jar with manna.

The Two Tablets tell us that the God of Israel is a God of law and justice. His laws are of central importance to Him. If we are going to have any kind of genuine relationship with God, it will only happen on the basis of His laws. We must come to Him on His terms – there is no other way. The demands of His Torah must be met – not bypassed. If you violate God’s laws, ignore them or try to circumvent them, you will not dwell with God. It’s that simple.

The golden jar with manna reminded us that God promised to supernaturally provide for His people – even in a desert wilderness. Just as He miraculously provided for Israel, so He will provide for us too!

Aaron’s rod tells us that we need a God-appointed, God-ordained mediator to approach God for us. Man in his fallen state cannot enter the Presence of God. Sin has damaged us too deeply to approach the presence of God directly. We can’t approach Him directly ourselves, and we can’t appoint anyone we please.

There was a Table for the Bread of God’s Presence. The table and bread speak of God’s provision. God will provide for the spiritual and physical needs of His people. It also speaks of chah-vay-root – fellowship. Eating together has always represented sharing and friendship. The God of Israel wants to be intimate with us, sharing in our lives, so that we are His friends. God called Abraham His friend. Do you have that kind of relationship with God. Is He your friend?

There was the Golden Seven Branched Menorah, which gave light for the priests to serve the Lord in the Holy Place. It tells us that God is the fullness of truth and victory.

There were curtains, boards, and veil, all of which were designed to keep people at various distances from God. Israelis could enter the court, but not the Holy Place. Priests could enter the Holy Place, but not the Most Holy Place. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only on Yom Kippur. God is too holy and pure for sinful men and women to approach directly.

Outside the Holy Place, but in the Court, was the Bronze Altar, telling us that God made provision for our sins through the sacrifices that were offered on it.

Now, the Mishkan and it’s individual parts are also fulfilled in the Messiah. The Mishkan itself points us to the Messiah. He is the true Tabernacle., the place where God most fully dwells and manifests His presence among human beings.

Yeshua is the fulfillment of the Ark. He is the place where God and man meet. The rod that budded points to Yeshua, the ultimate High Priest, the One and only Mediator between God and man. The Two Tablets points to Yeshua who kept the Law, and enables us to fulfill it. The jar of manna tells us that He can miraculously provide for all the needs of His followers.

The Table and the Bread of the Presence tells us that Yeshua can provide for His followers, and that He wants to have fellowship and friendship with us. He promises, “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he will eat with Me.” The bread of the Presence speaks of Messiah as the bread of life. We need to constantly feed on the Bread of Life, have fellowship with Him, be intimate with Him as we would a friend. Yeshua calls us friends if we do the things that He asks us to.

The Seven Branched Golden Menorah tells us that Messiah is the Light of God, the Light of the world. The seven branches, seven being the number of completion, perfection, speaks of the complete sufficiency Messiah to bring truth and understanding, salvation and victory.

The veil represents Messiah’s body. The moment Messiah Yeshua died the veil was torn in two from top to bottom. That means that the way to God’s presence was not available for mankind until Messiah died. Man is now invited to boldly come before the God’s throne of grace. That incredible privilege was not possible before Messiah’s death.

The bronze altar was the God appointed way of atonement, through the sacrifices. Yeshua is the altar, the place where reconciliation with God took place.

The Mishkan is gone. Everything in it is missing or destroyed. But Messiah, who is the Substance to which the Shadows pointed, remains. Do you know Him? Do you have Him? Are you friends with Him?