The Nation of Yahweh's Choice
"Out of Egypt have I called My son" (Hos. 11:1).

IN partial fulfillment of the Covenant He had made with Abraham, Yahweh called upon His chosen people to separate themselves from Egypt, and to seek protection from the death that threatened the firstborn of the land, through the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. Those who responded were then separated by baptism (1 Cor. 10:1), and taught by trials experienced in the wilderness what was required of them.

Ultimately, at Mt. Sinai, the people were constituted Yahweh's "ecclesia in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38).

Thus began the pattern that Yahweh has always followed in calling His ecclesia, His son, or each of us, to be His dwelling place in the land (cp. 1 Cor. 6:19).

Of Christ it is stated, that "though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered" (Heb. 5:8). As Hosea prophesied (Ch. 11:1), Yahweh's Son was called out of Egypt, having first been taken there through fear of Herod (Matt. 2:14-15). Later he was baptized (Matt. 3:13-17), and then taken into the wilderness (Matt. 4) to be proved by trial, before commencing his public ministry.

The pattern, therefore, demands separation from the world of all who would become part of the family of God. This is a basic principle of the Divine call:

"God. .. did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name" (Acts 15:14).

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

These important statements reveal that sonship is predicated upon separation: the status of the former being conditional upon obedience to the latter. There is a need to stand aside from the present Egypt-world, and to seek the protection that is afforded by identification with the Passover Lamb provided in the offering of Christ. This may take us temporarily into the wilderness for the purpose of trial, but that is a necessary means to an end: the attainment of our promised inheritance.

"Unto The Mount That Might Be Touched" - Heb. 12:18

Having "borne Israel on eagle's wings, and brought the nation unto Himself" (Exod. 19:4). Yahweh led the people to the precincts of Mount Horeb in the vicinity of Sinai.

They were assembled according to their tribes as described in Numbers 2 and 3. Each tribe was allotted its position in a four-sided encampment, so that there were four groups, each made up of three tribes. Yet, though there were twelve tribes, thus divided, they were still one nation: a multitude of people estimated to exceed two million, all positioned in a Divinely-arranged relationship to each other, to each tribe, and to each group of tribes.

Each tribe had its own standard or ensign (Num. 2:2), but each of the four groups of tribes was represented by its leader, thus:

1. East side: Judah represented by the face of a lion (Num. 2:3; Gen. 49:9).
2. South side: Reuben represented by the face of a man (Num. 2:10; Ezek. 1:4,10).
3. West side: Ephraim represented by the face of an ox (Num. 2:18; Deut. 33:17)
4. North side: Dan represented by the face of an eagle (Num. 2:25).

This arrangement may be confirmed by reference to Ezekiel 1:4 where Ezekiel, looking northwards, saw the face of a man (v.10) that looked southwards towards Ezekiel's location. From this position the faces of the remaining three sides are known.

Within this foursquare encampment were positioned the Levitical tribes as follows:

1. East side, the families of Moses and Aaron (Num. 3:38).
2. South side, the family of Kohath (Num. 3:29).
3. West side, the family of Gershon (Num. 3:23).
4. North side, the family of Merari (Num. 3:35).

Thus the priestly tribes separated the people from the central structure, The Tabernacle. They formed, as it were, a 5th camp and it was necessary for anyone in the encampment who would approach the Tabernacle, to do so by first making contact with the priestly people.

The Tabernacle erected in the midst of the Ecclesial encampment, was made and erected according to the pattern Yahweh gave to Moses when he was on the mount (Exod. 25:9,40).

In the midst of that structure was the place where Yahweh met His people (Exod. 25:8; 29:45-46) - The Most Holy Place.

The Tabernacle was provided to teach the Israelites three principal lessons:

1. Their relationship with Yahweh.
2. What it involved in acceptable worship and service. This was designed to teach and prepare them mentally and morally for their future inheritance.
3. That there is a glorious future purposed for them if they performed the pleasure of Yahweh.

Israel was constantly reminded of the lessons of the Tabernacle as they daily viewed the structure and carried out their services:

1. They recognized the Tabernacle as a Sanctuary, the dwelling place of Yahweh, separate from them and approachable only through the Divinely-appointed priesthood.
2. They understood that their worship and service were acceptable to God only if offered through the priests in the Divinely-appointed manner. Therefore their approach to the Tabernacle and its services required the correct mental attitude: one that was reflected by obedience and subjected to Divine laws and commandments. By that means, their lives and characters would conform to, and imitate, the Divine pattern of what was required to enter the promised inheritance.
3. Because their service was carried out through priestly mediation by those representing them inside the Tabernacle, they realized that there was a further aspect to the lessons to be learned from the Tabernacle and its contents. Furthermore, insofar as one (the High Priest) represented both priests and people in the provision of the atonement, they learned that one was to come who would carry out similar functions associated with the Divine manifestation of light, glory and power.