In this video listen to Exodus 25 read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.

In Exodus 25 we get to one of the biggest shadows in the Bible. As humans we use metaphor to illustrate an idea sometimes in a unique powerful way. God does this too, but he also uses real things to illustrate (or to shadow) something that is even more real that the real thing. The tabernacle is one such thing, and we are about to start seeing it built, commencing with its furniture.

This chapter is God’s instructions to Moses while he is on Mt Sinai. God tells the Israelites to bring gifts of gold, silver and other precious things for the construction project. The giving however is not compulsory. What joy to contribute to what God is doing?

Now the chapter describes the first three things to be built, the ark of the covenant, the tab ...