7# Terumah (Ex 25:1-27:19) (THE TABERNACLE: ‘BUILD IT AND HE WILL COME) (2-20-21)

(A Rabbi once asked:“WHERE DOES GOD DWELL?” to which he replied, “WHEREVER YOU LET HIM!”)

(Exodus 25:8):

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may Dwell AMONG THEM.”

In The Bible, it took God 34 verses to create the entire universe. Just Chapter 1 of Genesis and 3 verses of Chapter 2. How long did it take the Israelites to build the much simpler Tabernacle the Wilderness? More than 600 verses in The Book of Exodus, beginning with This Week’s Torah Portion (Terumah), and plus the next 4 Portions! Why is this asked The Sages of Israel! – It was not just because getting any group of Families to agree upon how to complete a building project is always a very time consuming! Or could it be because whileis it NOT so difficult for God to ‘Build A Home Fit For Humanity To Live In (Creation)’, it is extremely difficult for ‘Humanity To Make A Home Fit For God (Tabernacle)’!

The TABERNACLE (MISHKAN) was a physical manifestation of God’s Presence on earth as designed and built by human hands. The Word of God called upon every Israelite to present the finest ‘Gifts (Terumah)’ in their possession in metal, gems, wood, fabric, and other materials and to offer them (From The Heart) for the purpose of its construction:

(Exodus 25:8):

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may Dwell AMONG THEM.”

But by reading this passage in The Original Hebrew, we fine something much more personal spoken to us from The LORD:

(Exodus 25:8):

(Asu li mikdash v’shachanti B’TOCHAM)

The final Hebrew word of this divine instruction is: (B’TOCHAM), translated in English as: (AMONG THEM)…

But the Hebrew Word:‘B’TOCHAM’, should more accurately be translated as: ‘IN THEM’, making the passage say:

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may Dwell ‘IN THEM.”

Therefore, The same Divine Presence which came to rest in the Tabernacle would have rested within each individual.' This understanding caused The Sages to developed the notion that each home is in actuality, ‘A Small Temple (Mikdash Me'at), And Each Of God’s People was also is a ‘Miniature Temple’. That is to say the Divine Presence of God (i.e. The Holy Spirit) Dwells Within The Individual.

The prophet Ezekiel was one of those who saw the need for The Restoration of The Fallen House of God to it’s Original Foundation, and it is to him we owe the first reference to a radically ‘New Reformation’ that eventually became known as the Bet Knesset:(The House of Gathering).

(Ezekiel 11: 16)

‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet I have become to them a ‘Small Sanctuary’ (Mikdash Me’at) in the countries where they have gone’.

Therefore, because His People had strayed so far from Him and His Word, their ‘Gathering Places’ were destroyed, but in this manner, a miniature sanctuary remained: ‘I Will Dwell IN Their Homes and IN THEM’!

This is a concept with which the writers of the Apostolic Scriptures were certainly familiar. Paul repeatedly symbolizes both the individual believer and the congregation of believers as the 'Temple of God' with the Holy Spirit ‘Dwelling Within Us’.

(2 Corinthians 6:16 quoting Leviticus 26:12):

“For we are ‘The Temple of The Living God; just as God said, "I Will Dwell ‘IN THEM’ and walk ‘Among Them’; and I will be their God, and they shall be My People."

This is the reason for which God has Redeemed Us. Far more than simply Saving Us From Damnation, He has chosen to make His dwelling ‘Amongst Us and Within Us’. He desired to live Within His people.

(“WHERE DOES GOD DWELL? WHEREVER YOU LET HIM!”)…