The Tabernacle Plan PT 1

Exodus 25:1-9 KJV — And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and (Acacia) shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

How did we receive the tabernacle?

Moses had led the people to Mount Sinai. God told Moses to sanctify the people because He was going to come down to be seen of all the people and speak (19:11). After three day there were thunders and lightenings and a thick cloud on the mountain and the LORD descended upon the mountain as a fire. The people saw this and were scared and told Moses “you speak unto God for us, lest we die". But God desired to be among His people.

Again God called Moses up to the mountain (24:12) where he would give him tables of stone, and a law, and commandments for Moses to teach. The glory of the LORD was on the mountain and it looked like fire consuming the mountain to the children of Israel. There Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights receiving the things God told him He would give Moses.

The Materials For The Tabernacle

The Children of Israel were asked to willingly bring an offering for the building of the Tabernacle. (borrowed jewels from the Egyptians)

Even tho the children of Israel desired Moses to speak to God for them, He still found a way to live among His people, in a Tent. *Exodus 25:8 KJV — And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.* We know this was not meant to be permanent because the sanctuary was literally a tent, something that could be broken down and sat up over and over again easily.

How To Build It

This Tabernacle and the instruments were to be built according to the pattern that God had shown Moses, “Even so shall ye make it"(25:9)

God spends the next 6 chapters describing exactly how this Tabernacle should be built, how the instruments were to be build, and all of the requirements for everything concerning the tabernacle, the instruments, the priest, and the people.

God even told who was to craft all these things one man from the Tribe of Judah and one from the tribe of Dan were both specially anointed to carry out this work. The Lord also appointed “wise hearted men" to work with them in this building.

How was the tabernacle set up?

The full perspective of the tabernacle would not be realized until late: Hebrews 8:5 KJV — Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

The Tabernacle was to be set up in the same fashion every time.

There was only one door the tabernacle and it was to always face the East. The people were also boken up into 4 camps around the tabernacle. Reuben to the south, Ephram to the west, Dan to the North and Judah (Praise) to the East in front the the door to the tabernacle. The Psalm 100:4 says “enter His courts with praise", Any man entering or exiting atleast passed by the camp of Judah.

The Messiah would come from the blood line of Judah.

The Fence

It is important to remember that these are SHADOWS of things to come.

150’ x 75’ x 7.5’ tall

The fence was white and went all the way around the tabernacle and had only one opening to the East.

White represents righteousness or holiness, and the tabernacle was surrounded by this fine linen in a way where no man could see over the fence, no man could go under the fence. (without holiness no man shall see the Lord)

The importance of building according to Gods plan: Revelation 19:8 KJV — And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

The Gate

The only entrance to the site was through the East gate. It was a 30’ wide gate compared to the 15’ door of the Holy Place (250 sq ft)

To the Israelite people, this carried great significance, because just behind that gate you could find fellowship with God, you could bring your offerings to Him there, and behind that gate was atonement for your sins. There was no other way to get to that, except through the only gate.

John 10:9–10 “9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV — “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Jesus has given us access to not only the outer courts but into the Holy places of God by His blood.

Entering The Gate

Upon entering the gate you would see some of the furniture of the tabernacle that was ordained by God. The first thing you would see is the brazen alter. Behind that would be a brass laver (basin or pot) for washing , which was between the brazen alter and the tabernacle its self.

The tabernacle was divided into to two parts The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies separated by a veil, inside the Holy Place was the Golden Candle stick, Table Of Shewbred, and the Alter of Incense.

Inside the Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat. Again the objective of this tabernacle was for God to have fellowship with His creation and Moses was to building according to the pattern that God had showed him.

The Brazen Alter

7 ½’ x 7 ½’ x 4’

The alter was made of Acacia wood overlayed with brass.

This alter was the largest pieces of furniture of all.

After completing the building of the tabernacle fire came down and lit the alter.

God told Moses: Leviticus 6:13 KJV — The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

The continual offering

At this place there were many offerings made. But one was continual, the burnt offering.

Two lambs, one in the morning and one in the evening. God said if you do this I will meet with you and will sanctify you by my glory and this offering will be a sweet smelling savour to the Lord.

Romans 12:1 KJV — I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 KJV — Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

You are important to the God: Luke 15:10 KJV — Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

It was upon this altar thankgiving was made, communion was had, and atonement for sins could be found, much blood was shed. It is at the altar that God desires to meet with you and I every single day.

Hebrews 10:19 KJV — Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice, tho the animals had to be killed every single day, Jesus shed his blood one time for all sins.

Isaiah 53:7-8 KJV — He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

The Lord has laid the iniquity of us all, upon Him. A person must completely give themselves to God. He desires all of you, everything you have. And He is faith and Just to forgive all those who come to him.

All who are weary and heaven laided, anyone burdened with sin, any one consumed by cares of this world, come to Jesus Christ and he will give you rest.

John 1:29 NKJV — The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

This is he who will baptized you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

Brazen Laver

The Laver sat between the tabernacle and the Alter of sacrifice. The women of Israel had offered there looking glasses to the Lord and this is what the laver was made of.

At the consecration of the priest they were to be washed totally Leviticus 8:6 NKJV — Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.

The priest used this for washing before entering the tabernacle: Exodus 30:21 KJV — So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

Here they would see all the blood and all of the filth from the sacrifices they had made on their clothes. And they would wash. It was important that they washed before entering the tabernacle because God said if they did not they would die.

With this laver God established the patter of baptism. Peter noticed this parallel: Acts 10:47 NKJV — “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

These gentiles had skipped part of the pattern, they went from the alter straight into the holy place and Peter “commanded" them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. The washing was vital in the eyes of Peter and it should be to us also.

Not just a one time thing but us being made kings and priest unto our God by the blood of Jesus Christ, we continue to wash our hands and our feet daily.

1 Peter 3:21 KJV — The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

This was speaking of Noah but the same principle applies. The water in that laver cleaned the outside, all the filth that could be seen, but when we attach the importance of this laver along with the alter we get a complete picture.

Romans 6:4 NKJV — Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

In order to die with Christ you must have the alter and the laver, you must be a living sacrifice that had died out to your own desires. Without the alter, you have no atonement and without the laver you have no cleansing water to enter the Holy Place.

Peter said it like this: Acts 2:38 KJV — Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

No comeliness badger skins

We must be built according to the pattern layed out.