"Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst."

As the story of Scripture is told at its heart is the desire of God to be with the people he has made in his image.  Eden was the perfect picture of fellowship between man and God; one day God’s new Kingdom will again bring man into true and eternal fellowship.

After the fall, perfect fellowship was damaged, yet God still desired to be with His people.  As the people of God made their way out of a pagan Egypt and through the desert to the land God had promised them, God set out plans for how the people could maintain a relationship with God.  Exodus details for us God’s design for what we know as The Tabernacle, God’s dwelling place.

The wonderful and elaborate designs of the Tabernacle are however not just of historic interest they are pointers to spiritual realities of great importance to our relationship with God as Christians as we make our journey through the world with its many difficulties towards God’s promise of a new Kingdom.

Where God will meet His people - Jonny Gilmour (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, November 7, 2021
The purpose of the Tabernacle is summed up in Exodus 25:8 - it is how and where God purposes to be present with His people, to recover place of relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden. In this message Jonny Gilmour considers the person in and through whom God is present with His people, and the pattern of God's perfect presence with His people.
Exodus 25:1-9; Exodus 31:1-11 - Contributions and skills - Tim Haddow (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, November 14, 2021
The Tabernacle was not to be a shabby sand and sun stained tent that just looked like the tents the people inhabited. This tent was to be different, this was God’s dwelling and it needed to reflect something of his Glory. The list of materials is impressive, the call for contributions challenging. God then ensured the skills were available to make the tabernacle the glorious tent it became. Here is a challenge we should mediate on as we consider our contributions to God and our use of the gifts he has given to us.
Exodus 25: 10-22 - Truth and Mercy - Ken Douglas (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, November 21, 2021
Exodus 25:23-40 - The bread of life and the light of life - Adrian Armstrong (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, November 28, 2021
A table was to be constructed along with a lamp stand with 7 lights. The table would be set out with bread a constant reminder for the people of how God had fed them and would continue to feed them, whilst the light from the lamps dispelled any sense of darkness or lack of direction from God. These symbols would see their significance come to fruition in Jesus the bread of life and the light of life.