Even though Jacob dreamed this dream and received a vision, he foolishly still went on to his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram and foolishly returned from Paddan-aram to Canaan, the land of his father and his ancestors. Later, due to the matter of eating, he went down to Egypt with his sons, altogether forgetting God’s revelation. While in Egypt, his descendants cared only for the matter of eating and ended up falling under Satan’s usurpation. As Abraham’s grandson, Jacob was the seed of Abraham, and his descendants were also the seed of Abraham. God promised seed to Abraham as building materials; but due to the matter of eating, this seed went down to Egypt and was usurped by Satan.
First, Abraham went down to Egypt for food. Then Jacob and his descendants went down to Egypt and stayed there for food. In the entire Bible, whenever God’s people went down to Egypt, it was always for food and pleasure. Egypt had an abundance of food and the Nile was rich in its produce; so there was food and pleasure. However, do not forget that while the world gives food and pleasure, it also usurps. If we desire its food and pleasure, we will be under its usurpation. Thus, God’s people, whom God prepared as building materials, were kept in Egypt and usurped by Satan.
While the children of Israel were in Egypt, the Bible specifically says that Pharaoh ordered them to build two cities. They had to find straw and make fire to burn clay bricks for building these cities. All these stories have significance in the Bible. As the people of God, the children of Israel should have been building a dwelling place for God. However, due to their desire for food and pleasure, they fell into bondage under the hand of the Egyptians and were building two cities for Pharaoh instead. The city of God is built with gold and precious stones, but the cities of Egypt, like the city of Babel, were built with bricks of clay. Babel is opposite of Jerusalem; Egypt, from another direction, also is opposite of Jerusalem. According to the books of prophecy, when God’s people were not firm in their standing, they either went to Babylon or went down to Egypt. These two places—Egypt and Babylon—are in rivalry with Jerusalem; they are in opposition to Jerusalem. In Babel man built a city with bricks of clay; in Egypt man also built cities with bricks of clay. These cities were clayish and earthly, and they were for man; they were not heavenly, and they were not for God. God wants His people to build a heavenly dwelling place, but the children of Israel fell to Egypt and were usurped by Pharaoh to build earthly cities for Satan.
Of course, God could not tolerate His building materials remaining in Egypt under Satan’s usurpation, so He came in to deliver the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. After God delivered them, He charged them to set up a tabernacle for Him, in which all the furnishings and boards had to be overlaid with gold and the breastplate and the shoulder pieces of the high priest had to be inlaid with precious stones. In Egypt the children of Israel built Egyptian cities with bricks of clay; after they came out of Egypt, they built God’s tabernacle with gold and precious stones. What a great difference there is when the two cities are compared!
After God delivered the children of Israel, His desire was fulfilled to a certain extent—the children of Israel erected a tabernacle for God. Even though the tabernacle was only temporary and physical, God filled it with His glory, taking it as His dwelling place after its erection. Strictly speaking, the tabernacle was only a figure; God’s real dwelling place was the children of Israel. The tabernacle symbolized the children of Israel coordinated to become God’s dwelling place. God’s dwelling in the tabernacle indicates His dwelling among the children of Israel. This is clearly seen at the end of Exodus 29.
After the children of Israel came to the foot of Mount Sinai and became a corporate entity, in the eyes of God, they were His spiritual house. However, in their midst God had a symbol, a figure—the tabernacle. The tabernacle being among them signified that they were a group of people who were coordinated and built up to become the dwelling place of God. God had a visible dwelling place on the earth, and His glory was able to rest in this tabernacle. At this point God’s desire was fulfilled in figure.
After setting up the tabernacle under God’s leading, the children of Israel went on their journey, defeated enemies on the way, entered Canaan, destroyed enemies in the land, possessed the entire land, and set up and established the tabernacle at Shiloh. Finally, God had a secure dwelling place. Satan, however, came in again to corrupt, in particular, the priests who served God in the tabernacle. During Eli’s time, his two sons, who were priests, were very corrupt; they represented the corruptness of all the children of Israel. Not only was the house of Eli corrupt, but the house of Israel was also corrupt. Consequently, the tabernacle and the Ark were both devastated; the Ark was captured and the tabernacle became desolate. This was Satan’s corruption of God’s building, God’s house, on the earth.