The last chapter of Exodus may give us a little idea why it took 40 years for the Israelites to travel to the Promised Land. The erection of the Tabernacle slowed down their journey.
On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting (Exodus 40:2).
First of all, there was the tabernacle. This term first appears in Exodus 25.
And let them (the Israelites) make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.
According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it (Exodus 25:8-9).
Therefore, the tabernacle was supposed to be a place where God dwelt among the Israelites.
There follows a very elaborate description of the building of an Ark, 4 gold rings on its 4 feet, 2 poles, a mercy seat of pure gold decorated with 2 cherubim, a table on which the bread of Presence was put, the 7-branch lampstand again made of pure gold etc.
And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; in skilled work shall it be made, with cherubim; (Exodus 26:31)
This veil was supported by 4 pillars to cover the Ark. This was the most holy place, the holy of the holies. On the north was placed the table and the south the lampstand. These two items were outside the holy of the holies, yet within the Tabernacle. The whole Tabernacle was made up of ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet stuff; with cherubim skilfully worked (Exodus 26:1). Then, the Tabernacle would be housed in a tent made up of 11 curtains of goat's hair (Exodus 26:7). I am sure there are a lot of webpages on the Internet showing what the Tabernacle the authors think look like. Have fun.
Then, there was "the tent of meeting". The term first appears in Exodus 27:21 but its meaning becomes clear later.
Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; and he called it the tent of meeting. And every one who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp (Exodus 33:7).
It was a holy place and far off from the camp site of the 600000 Israelites. It was a meeting place between God and His chosen men.
Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and every man stood at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he had gone into the tent.
When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses.
And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, every man at his tent door.
Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tent (Exodus 33:8-11).
Moses spoke to God face to face in the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons also entered because they were consecrated as priests to minister the Tabernacle.
So, on the first day of the year, they would re-erect the Tabernacle, that is the 11 goat's hair curtains plus the 10 curtains of fine tweined linen stuff, inside the tent of meeting. It seemed that they were not allowed to erect it at any other time. So, once they were on the move, the Tabernacle would be dislodged and could not be erected until it was New Year.
The book of Exodus ends in these verses.
Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would go onward;
but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not go onward till the day that it was taken up.
For throughout all their journeys the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel (Exodus 40:36-38).
So, there is a time for everything. A time to stay, a time to move. When the time comes, the cloud of the Lord would be taken up from over the Tabernacle and the Israelites would dislodge the Tabernacle, the tent of meeting and moved onward. I guess they would go until the year ended, settle down, and erect the Tabernacle on New Year day. The glory of the Lord would fill the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). The Israelites would wait until the cloud of the Lord left the Tabernacle. Then the annual trek would commence. There is a time for everything.
I intended to stay in Chai Wan until Saturday. Unfortunately, flu caught me up and I had to leave. My mum was too drunk to take care of herself, not to mention me. My younger brother already had two senior citizens to take care of. Instead of lightening his burden, it is unfair for me to weigh him down any further. Still, my good brother accompanied me home to Tuen Mun. Thanks brother.
Dear Lord, You are the Lord over time. May we humbly learn to follow Your schedule. Amen.
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