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This is the 20th sermon in this series of homilies on the divine liturgy of the holy Orthodox Church. We have been systematically looking at all of the types and shadows and prefigurements of the Divine Liturgy in the Old Testament and today we come to a close look at the tabernacle of the Jewish people as they wandered through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. Moses spent 40 days with God on Mount Sinai and during that time God showed to him all that happened in the creation of the world and then revealed to him how he desired for the people of Israel to worship Him. He begins with a very general and overall description of what He wants them to do: “Speak to the children of Israel that they take first fruits from everyone who gives it willingly from the heart. Then you shall take my first fruits. This is the offering you shall take from them: Gold, silver, and bronze, blue, purple, and Scarlet cloth, finespun linen and female goats hair, ram skins dyed red, and skins dyed blue and incorruptible would, oil for the light and incense for anointing oil, and for the composition of incense. Sardis stones and stones for the carved work of the breast plate and the full length robe. Also you shall make me a sanctuary and I will appear among you according to all I show you that is the pattern of the tabernacle in the pattern of all its furnishings so you shall make it.” God is asking the people to give the first fruits of their lives, a tithe of all they have for the sole purpose of building and furnishing a special and unique place where God can dwell among them. Look around you! Isn’t that what we have done here? Willingly from our hearts we have given the first fruits of our lives to build this church, to furnish it, and to continually supply it with what is needed for divine worship of the Most Holy Trinity. This introduction concludes with a statement that is repeated over and over throughout this lengthy description of how the tabernacle is to be constructed, “And see to it you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” My children in Christ it is so important that we have this concept deep in our hearts and our minds and in our physical lives. That is to live by divine revelation given to us through holy scripture and holy tradition and a spirit-filled life. “God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.“ To be in the church is to live in that divine cloud that descended on Mount Sinai where God revealed Himself to Moses and showed him the pattern of divine life. Every encounter with God follows this pattern: Moses went up the mountain and God came down from heaven to meet him there. When we pray, when we make the sign of the cross, when we turn to God in despair or thanksgiving, when we gather here at the church, we are ascending to Him and He comes down to meet us. This ascension can be as simple as lying in bed and whispering “Lord have mercy.“ It is the offering up of a broken and contrite spirit. “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app