Before I reflect on the Day of Atonement itself, I thought it would be appropriate on this eve of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to reflect on the Tabernacle.

(photo from The ESV Study Bible – Logos Bible Software 4 edition)

Only two chapters of the Bible are devoted to describing the creation of the world and of mankind, however, fifty chapters describe the Tabernacle and its related ministries! We rarely hear sermons on the Tabernacle anymore these days, but I suspect it was something God wanted us to focus on!

Five names describe the Tabernacle in Scripture:

1. sanctuary – mikdash; Exodus 25:8
2. tabernacle – mishkan; Exodus 25:9
3. tent – ohel; Exodus 26:36
4. tent of meeting – ohel moed; Exodus 29:42
5. tabernacle of testimony – mishkan ha edut; Exodus 38:21

I believe there are five significant truths conveyed by the five different names of the Tabernacle, but I will leave it to you to meditate upon those yourself.

Problem: the North American Church has lost her identity and forgotten her calling

Result: the North American Church is no longer identifiably distinct from the world

Solution: Remind the Church who she is; teach her God’s calling and God’s ways

Method: change beliefs by teaching and modeling seemingly new information and new practices

Catechesis – what’s old is new again…our Ancient Future.