I’ve been reading through the books of Moses lately and was stuck by the detail God requires in the building of the tabernacle and its accessories. The Menorah, for instance, takes ten verses (243 words) alone to describe. God has very specific requirements for His house. He covers every detail He wants, every carving, every curtain, the fabric, the design, everything. Assignments like these would be difficult to impossible for even the most skilled craftspeople, but God has made arrangements for that issue as well:
Exodus 31:1-11 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, 10 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”
So, God has extreme requirements for His Tabernacle, requirements so great He needed to supernaturally gift already talented craftsmen to complete the tasks.
While thinking about this, I began to think “God isn’t showy. He doesn’t present Himself as a prideful God. After all, He stepped down from the grandest throne, the throne of heaven, to be born in a stable as a human, wash the feet of men, allow lowly men to torture Him, then carried a cross Himself – the symbol of His greatest humility – to the place where He allowed humans to execute His human form. On top of that, He calls us fellow workers, friends, and brothers. That is not a prideful God.”
“Why, then, does He feel the need for such splendor in His Tabernacle,” I wondered. Then it came to me. It was not pride that required such beauty but worthiness. God is worthy of such majestic a structure. As the old saying goes: “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.” Well, with God, it isn’t bragging if it’s who you are.
There’s a respect that comes with who someone is and/or what they’ve done. Veterans, for instance, often hear “Thank you for your service” because they are worthy of such a statement. We stand when a judge enters the courtroom to show due respect for their office. For the same reasons, God is worthy of the best and finest not because He is prideful, but because He is due such respect and adornment.
Because of God’s character, nature, actions, and relationship with humanity, He is worthy of our worship, trust, and obedience. But, it isn’t that that makes Him worthy. He is worthy by His nature alone. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, holy, and omnibenevolent.
Anselm of Canterbury said God is “That than which nothing greater can be conceived.” It is understood, then, that if we could imagine anything greater, that would be God. Such a God is worthy of all He asks.
Why is this important?
It’s difficult to wrap our minds around the concept of God’s nature, What God is rather than Who He is. I hope this has helped a little, but I’m only human like you. Certainly I don’t have all the answers or even many of them. I just know the God we serve is worthy of all we and the hosts of heaven can give Him and then some.
If God had a business card, what more could it say than just “God?” I think that’s why, when Moses asked His name in Exodus 3:14, God just said “I am that I am.” What more is there?
Believers Armed and Dangerous 