Proclaim the Gospel to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Shalom and welcome to the Everlasting Nation, a radio ministry of International Board of Jewish Missions. This is Mark Oshman with the International Board of Jewish Missions, bringing you another radio Bible program. Today we begin a series on the typology contained in the Israelites' tabernacle in the wilderness. Over the latter portion of the book of Exodus, God gave the Israelites explicit details relating to constructing this tabernacle. His instructions include what material to use for the different items and specific dimensions to follow when constructing the items in the tabernacle, both the coverings and the furniture housed within that structure. God planned to use that tabernacle for a specific purpose. As he explained in Exodus chapter 29, quote, there will I meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory, unquote. Moses moved the tabernacle outside of the Israelite encampment. According to Exodus chapter 33, quote, everyone which sought the Lord went out into the tabernacle of the congregation. which was without the camp." Moses, as the designated God-appointed leader of the Jewish nation, Moses frequently visited this structure. When he came to the tabernacle, according to Exodus chapter 33, quote, all the people rose up and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses until he was gone into the tabernacle, unquote. Stephen, in Acts chapter 7, referred to the building as, quote, the tabernacle of witness, unquote. In addition, according to Exodus, quote, As Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses." Upon beholding that sight, the Israelites, quote, rose up and worshipped. Every man in his tent door, unquote. So long as Moses remained inside the tabernacle, communing with God there, Moses functioned as the intermediary between God and the Israelites. God devoted a sizable portion of the Old Testament to describing the tabernacle, its furnishings, and those services which the priests conducted in it. Why should believers look at such details relating to an edifice which has not existed for literally thousands of years? One reason lies in the very nature of the tabernacle. That structure had its own prototype, one which the author of Hebrews termed the true tabernacle. God instructed Moses, quote, according to all that I show thee after the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it, unquote. For the Jews to follow a pattern in constructing a tabernacle, there had to be an original, one that God had in mind that He wanted the Israelites to emulate. The existence of the Old Testament tabernacle determined God's determination to interact with the Israelites. Though the tabernacle remained outside of the Israelite encampment, any Jew could leave the camp and visit it. God also used the tabernacle as a means of guiding the Jewish nation throughout the wilderness. He did so by means of a cloud over the tabernacle by day and a pillar of fire over it by night. One of the most important functions of the tabernacle, though, involved how it foreshadowed Jesus Christ and the nature of the Christian life. Over the next few sessions, we will look at these things. We'll examine how the construction and the furnishings of the tabernacle symbolized spiritual truths which were made explicit in the New Testament. In short, how God instructed the Israelites using the tabernacle as an object lesson, teaching the Israelites about himself, his nature, the Messiah's coming atonement, and how to live a godly life. This is Mark Oshman with the International Board of Jewish Missions, bringing you another radio Bible study. You've been listening to The Everlasting Nation, a ministry of International Board of Jewish Missions. For more information, you can contact us at 423-876-8150, or go online to ibjm.org. Until next time, may God bless and shalom.