Building All Things According To The Pattern:

 

 Hebrews 8:5

Many features of the Old Testament system (Law of Moses) were put in place by God, to picture what would eventually become reality through the work of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. For instance, various details in the Jewish tabernacle served to foreshadow the good things God would eventually confer upon believers. The good things to come were pictured by various elements of the Mosaic system. The law, therefore was a shadow of things to come, (see Heb. 9:11 & 10:1)

This is one reason why, when Moses supervised the building of that tabernacle, it was crucial for him to make all things according to the pattern which came from the perfect mind of God. Even the detailed furnishing had to be made exactly like the pattern the Lord had shown Moses, (Numbers. 8:4). Various features of the old Jewish system were designed by God to foreshadow the gospel blessings; these institutions served as copies or shadow of the heavenly things, so Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. God said to him: see that you make all things according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain. {Heb. 8:5; acts 7:44; Ex. 25:9, 40; 26:30; Num. 8:4}.

We have not been instructed to build, or rebuilt that mosaic tabernacle, but when we study these things we must carefully explore for any underlying principle that pertain to us. Just as God expressed His mind to Moses and gave instructions to Him, He has expressed His mind to us, and given us instructions to follow (Heb. 1:1, 2).

In God’s dealings with Moses, are there principles that pertains to us?

I'm convinced that there is such a principle, and I can best express it this way: God’s purpose is carried out when his pattern is followed! the Tabernacle is an excellent example. In having the the Jews build that tabernacle, we know that God had a purpose in mind. He did not do this accidentally, nor was this an exercise to keep Jewish laborers and artisans busy. God had a purpose in mind, when He had the people build the tabernacle; an immediate purpose [Jewish worship], and an ultimate purpose [symbolic of the covenant blessings, see Heb. 9:9]. The pattern, or blueprint God gave to Moses was designed to implement God’s purposes, both immediate and ultimate.

The principle is: God, in perfect mind, forms a purpose; then He reveals His pattern, with admonition to follow His instructions. Only when man follow God’s pattern, is God’s purposes carried out. Stated negatively, if I don’t follow God’s pattern, I fail to carry out His purpose!

In this case of the tabernacle, if Moses had ignored God’s pattern and followed a human plan the tabernacle would not have fulfilled God’s purpose; it would not have effectively functioned in foreshadowing the new covenant and the High-Priestly ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary (of which the earthly was only a replica) ! Only as we follow God’s pattern, can it be said that we have performed His purpose.

We need to acknowledge how purpose and pattern go together.

Behind every pattern revealed by God, there are divine purposes, which are fulfilled to the extent we follow His pattern.