“And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”
My Notes
What Does Exodus 25:40 Mean?
"Look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount." God gives Moses a heavenly blueprint: the Tabernacle on earth must match the pattern (tavnit — model, architectural plan, design template) shown in heaven. The earthly structure is a copy of the heavenly reality. The construction below must conform to the design above.
The command "look" (re'eh — see, observe carefully) means the pattern requires attention. The design isn't approximate. It's specific. The earthly construction must precisely replicate what Moses saw on the mountain. Deviation from the pattern isn't creative freedom — it's disobedience.
Hebrews 8:5 interprets this verse as evidence that the earthly Tabernacle is "the example and shadow of heavenly things." The pattern Moses saw was the heavenly reality itself. The Tabernacle on earth is a shadow cast by a substance in heaven. The copy serves until the original is directly accessible.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What heavenly pattern has God shown you that you're responsible for implementing?
- 2.Why does God insist on exact replication rather than allowing creative modification?
- 3.How carefully are you 'looking' at the pattern before you build?
- 4.What does the earthly-copy-of-heavenly-original teach about the relationship between your life and God's design?
Devotional
Make it exactly as I showed you. No modifications. No improvements. No creative alternatives. The pattern on the mountain IS the design for the valley. The heavenly original produces the earthly copy.
The insistence on matching the pattern means the Tabernacle's design isn't human. Moses doesn't commission architects or consult designers. He replicates what he saw on the mountain. Every measurement, every material, every placement — dictated by a heavenly blueprint. The building on earth is a reproduction of a reality in heaven.
The pattern-matching requirement extends beyond the Tabernacle to every dimension of spiritual life: God has a design, and your job is to reproduce it faithfully. Not to improve it. Not to adapt it to your preferences. Not to update it for cultural relevance. To make it after the pattern shown on the mount.
The word 'look' — see carefully, observe attentively — means the pattern requires your full attention. Casual observation produces inaccurate reproduction. The details matter. The measurements matter. The materials matter. What you saw on the mountain has to be precisely implemented on the ground.
What pattern has God shown you 'on the mount' — in prayer, in Scripture, in moments of revelation — that you're responsible for reproducing faithfully? The earthly implementation is your job. The heavenly pattern is His gift. The match between the two is the measure of your obedience.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And look that thou make, etc. - This verse should be understood as an order to Moses after the tabernacle, etc., had…
I. The next thing ordered to be made for the furnishing of God's palace was a rich stately candlestick, all of pure…
Cf. v.9: also Num 8:4; and Act 7:44.
In Solomon's Temple there were ten golden candlesticks, five standing on each side…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture