ODJ: Accessible

April 8, 2016 

READ: Exodus 25:1-30 

Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them (v.8).

My first roommate in college didn’t seem to want to be friends. He listened to music with his headphones on and stared at his computer all day, and nearly all night. He didn’t want to joke around or share a meal. We rarely spoke for the first few weeks. He simply didn’t want to interact.

Fortunately, we worship a God who loves to interact with us. In Exodus 25 He gave Moses a series of instructions on laws, festival rules, and other directions for how ancient Israel should worship and draw close to Him. It’s easy to think this section of the Bible is boring or not applicable to our lives today. But tucked within these verses are important details about God.

The first nine verses cover the making of offerings, but the section ends this way: “build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them” (v.8).

God was moving in.

Verses 10 through 22 of Exodus 25 are directions on how to construct a small wooden ark that will hold God’s laws and more. Verse 22 says, “I will meet with you [above the ark] and talk to you.”

God was available to talk. He was accessible.

Verses 23 through 30 are about a table on which “the Bread of the Presence” would rest (v.30).

God’s bread given to us. A foreshadowing of Jesus (John 6:48—50).

Imagine what it was like to be an Israelite and hear these things from God! Here was the One powerful enough to drown whole armies in the sea, telling them He was going to be with them! (Exodus 13:17–14:31).

A recurring theme in Exodus 25 is that God is with us, something fully revealed in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I don’t know what challenge you’re facing today, but if Jesus is your Savior, then God is with you (John 14:6—7). Call out to Him. He’s truly accessible.

—Andy Rogers

365-day-plan: 2 Samuel 13:20-39