⁴⁴“Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.”

Stephen moves on to describe very briefly the true tabernacle of God, what he calls the “tabernacle of testimony” (this description is used elsewhere only in Rev. 14:5). The tabernacle was a message from God, His teaching to them. Indeed, God did not give Moses artistic license to carry out his own impressions of the teaching. His inspiration was not like that of a modern-day architect commissioned to creatively design an elaborate edifice according to his own personal interpretation.

One cannot help but think of the variety of cathedrals built over the centuries intended to capture all at once God’s grandeur, magnificence, and glory; His immanence (God’s closeness, in depicting the building to be God’s residence among His people); and His transcendence (exemplified by extremely high ceilings). But Moses’ commissioning was different: God prescribed the exact design of the tabernacle and told him to construct it exactly as he saw it on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 25:40, 26:30; Heb. 8:4–5), right down to the details of the furniture (Ex. 25:9). God’s specificity allowed little room for artistic license. To add his own flourishes would be like attempting to improve on the famed “Mona Lisa.” One cannot improve, embellish, or otherwise change God’s message as depicted in the tabernacle.

The tabernacle was the central focus of worship for ancient Israel. It represented God’s presence and conveyed His majesty and glory—indeed, there was no tent in the ancient world that could compare with it in opulence and illustriousness. And it was all given to Israel as a “testimony,” a statement of who God is and what He is like. While the full understanding of this is beyond the scope of these short meditations, and beyond the purposes of Stephen in his message, the point is clear: God is the One who defines the message; it is not a human construct.

The clear implication is that the authority of the Jewish faith resides with God and not religious leaders, rabbis, or traditions. This is true for God’s people today. Our authority resides in God as revealed in His Word, not in pastors, priests, or elders (see John 12:48), not in powerful preachers, seminaries, or the traditions of our upbringing. We stand individually before God, who is our authority!

Lord, I renew my commitment to live by Your Word alone, through faith alone.