The Tabernacle in the Wilderness is a study of God-Manifestation. When thus viewed, many of its lessons become clearer and their impressions upon us deeper and more lasting.

Its many features were designed to teach Israel what Yahweh required as a suitable dwelling place in the midst of His people during their wilderness sojourn. Thus He gave them a place at which they could meet Him, as well as a Law by which to educate them: both essential pre-requisites to His purpose in preparing them as a holy people unto Himself (Deut 28:9).

He had seperated them as His Ecclesia, out of the Egyptian world in which they had been enslaved. He had baptised them in the waters of the Red Sea and in the cloud (1 Cor 10:2). He had led them through a wilderness of experience and testing and brought them to an elevated place, Mt Sinai. Before they could enter into their promised "rest" (cp. Heb 4:8), however, they must learn to apply the lessons that those experiences taught, that the Law taught, and those that were symbolised by the Tabernacle in their midst.

By means of its many features Yahweh revealed to them His own character and glory, and what He required as a basis for faith in Him and His ways.

Through these same features we also are led to discern Yahweh's manifestation in His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We, like Israel, have been "taken out of the Gentiles a people for His name" (Acts 15:14). He has drawn us to Himself through His Son; and we, too, as Israel of old, need to learn those principles incorporated in the spiritual significance of the Tabernacle types.

In those various ways the Tabernacle teaches Yahweh's Divine plan and purpose for His Ecclisia in the past, now at this present time, and in the future.

The plan of study before us is designed to follow item by item, the Divine Design or Pattern as shown in the Tabernacle. That pattern is recorded for us so that we may better understand the ways of Yahweh, and learn to manifest them in our lives and worship before Him.

May all readers be helped in this way in their consideration and application of the many spiritual lessons that they will find in "YAHWEH'S DWELLING PLACE IN THE WILDERNESS".

- K. Cook