When Moses was about to build the sanctuary as a dwelling place for God, he was directed to make all things according to the pattern shown him in the mount. Moses was full of zeal to do God's work; the most talented, skillful men were at hand to carry out his suggestions. Yet he was not to make a bell, a pomegranate, a tassel, a fringe, a curtain, or any vessel of the sanctuary, except according to the pattern shown him. God called him into the mount, and revealed to him the heavenly things. The Lord covered him with His own glory, that he might see 209 the pattern, and according to it all things were made. So to Israel, whom He desired to make His dwelling place, He had revealed His glorious ideal of character. The pattern was shown them in the mount when the law was given from Sinai, and when the Lord passed by before Moses and proclaimed, "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." Ex. 34:6, 7.

Da Moses skulle til at bygge helligdommen som en bolig for Gud, fik han anvisning på at indrette alt efter det mønster, der var blevet vist ham på bjerget. Moses var fuld af nidkærhed for at gøre Guds vilje. De mest begavede og duelige mænd stod parat til at udføre, hvad han sagde. Men alligevel måtte han ikke lade lave en bjælde, et granatæble, en kvast, et forhæng eller noget kar til helligdommen, uden at det var i overensstemmelse med det forbillede, Gud havde vist ham. Gud kaldte ham op på bjerget og åbenbarede ham det himmelske. Herren overskyggede ham med sin egen herlighed, så han kunne se mønstret, og alting blev tildannet i overensstemmelse hermed. For Israel, som Gud havde ønsket at gøre til sin bolig, havde han ligeledes åbenbaret sit herlige fuldkommenhedsideal. Forbilledet blev givet dem på bjerget, da loven blev givet fra Sinaj, og da Herren gik forbi Moses og forkyndte: "Herren, Herren, Gud, som er barmhjertig og nådig, langmodig og rig på miskundhed og trofasthed, som bevarer miskundhed mod tusinder, som tilgiver brøde, overtrædelse og synd." 2Mos. 34,6.