2025.01.26 Restoration: Phase 1 -The Tabernacle

Exodus 25:1–9 NIV

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; 6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

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Restoration: Phase 1 - The Tabernacle

Last Week, we played Simon Says. And we talked about God cheated at Simon Says in order to help us … because he knew we couldn’t win without his mercy. If you remember, I got one of the players “out” in Simon Says with very specific instructions: “Simon Says … lick your elbow.”

This week, it feels kinda like God has taken that path in being so specific there is no way to misunderstand, and the level of detail is overwhelming to us.

I want to start with a few rhetorical questions.

Why did God provide any instructions for the tabernacle at all? I mean ...

The passage from Exodus 25 read for us should have been sufficient, right? I mean, God said, “Build me a sanctuary!” That should have been good enough, shouldn’t it?

But God is about to go all “control freak micromanager” on us!

Before we get there, let me ask you non-rhetorically: Why do you think God would be picky about the design of Tabernacle?

A couple of reasons...

Vague instructions would have left room for corruption of the artisans designing and building the Tabernacle (and later the Temple).

Human artisans design their creations to be human-centered.

The Tabernacle and the Temple are the ultimate in God-centered worship!

So it only makes sense that Yahweh, our God, would design it for himself.

This is also about restoration of our relationship with God. He knows more about what is truly needed for our restoration, so he wants to make sure the humans don’t miss anything and find incomplete restoration!

And the most important reason may be the easiest reason for us to underestimate: “Because he said so.” He’s God and he gets to say so.

As we dive in, I think we can learn a lot about God as we look at his choices. We may not quite get there in the early stages, but as we look at these instructions, this series will be based on these questions:

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What can I learn about God from this Scripture?

What can I learn about humanity from this Scripture?

Can I learn anything about myself?

These questions are familiar for those who attend fuel for all on Wednesdays, because we use these to drive our discussions each week. These questions are designed to help everyone process the Scripture into something useful for our growth in discipleship.

In this period in history, God is instructing his people to build a tabernacle. So it may be helpful to know what a tabernacle is!

Tabernacle [Exodus 25:1-9] (tent of meeting, tent of dwelling) In order to get to “tabernacle”, we have to begin at “sanctuary” “sanctuary” (miq·dāš) [mēk-däsh]- a consecrated place where the deity dwells and where sacred objects are kept and worship takes place – Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible “tabernacle” (miš·kān) [mēsh-kän] - a portable sanctuary which the Israelites carried in the wilderness after the Exodus. – Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible The sanctuary itself is often referred to as “The Holy Place”.

Became “God’s Home” to house the Ark of the Covenant and 10 Commandment tablets.

Place of worship [“tent of meeting”]

God lived in the tabernacle [“tent of dwelling”]

Ark of the Covenant and the 10 Commandments tablets were housed behind another curtain inside the Holy Place - the inner sanctum (“Holy of Holies”)

►►►CLICK [The Tabernacle Complex diagram]

This diagram uses the term “The Temple” - that section is the Sanctuary or the Holy Place.

The Tabernacle

Was a portable structure to be taken down and setup as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

Design of the structure was strictly defined by Yahweh to Aaron and his sons. You don’t really need to know or remember these details. I want to give you an idea of just how specific God’s instructions were in the design of the Tabernacle. I’ve converted the measurements in the Imperial Measurements so we can understand the scope of this. Where it says gold, it’s not talking about the color … that item is to be made of gold or covered in gold: same thing with silver and bronze.:

10 curtains of finely woven linen, embroidered with blue, purple and red cherubim (angelic guards)

42’ x 6’

Join 5 together to make two long curtains

Loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set

50 loops to match on both sets

50 gold clasps to hold the two long curtains together to form one continuous curtain

11 curtains of goat hair for a tent covering for the Tabernacle

45’ x 6’

Join 5 into one long curtain and 6 into another

3’ of the second set is to hang over the front of the Tabernacle

Attach the two with 50 loops & 50 bronze clasps

The remaining 3’ will hang over the back of the Tabernacle

Allow 18” to hang over each corner so the Tabernacle is completely covered

Use tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather to form a protective layer over the top.

Frames of acacia wood

15’ h x 27” wide

2 pegs under each frame

20 frames to support the South side

40 silver bases, each peg is to fit securely into a base

20 frames to support the North side

Identical to the South

6 frames for the West (rear) side

2 additional frames to reinforce the rear corners

Matched at bottom

Connected at top with a single loop

Total of 8 frames, 16 silver bases

Crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames

5 crossbars on the North and 5 on the South

5 additional crossbars for the rear

Middle crossbar will be attached at the middle of the frames and run the entire length of the Tabernacle

Overlay frames and crossbars with gold

Make gold rings to hold the crossbars – overlay them with gold, too

Verse 30: “Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain. Exodus 26:30 NLT

Non-rhetorical: Why would God insist the West Side be the rear of the Tabernacle?

[East - left hand • West - right hand]

Because entering the Tabernacle is a parallel to re-entering the Garden!

The man and woman were evicted from the Garden of Eden to the East!

SO RESTORATION IS A FORM OF RETURN TO THE GARDEN, WHERE WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH YAHWEH! WE ARE RETURNING TO GENESIS EVERY TIME WE ENTER WORSHIP!

►►►CLICK [The Tabernacle - Inside The Tent diagram]

What goes inside?

Special curtain of finely woven linen with blue, purple and red cherubim

Hung on gold hooks on four posts made of acacia overlaid in gold, set in silver bases

Hang inner curtain from clasps in front of the Ark of the Covenant

Separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (“Holy of Holies”)

Why would God instruct to put cherubim on this curtain? [because cherubim were placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden - we enter the Garden every time we enter worship]

[blank to keep numbering consistent]

Ark of the Covenant – situated inside the Holy of Holies

Acacia wood – 36” l x 18” w x 27” h (smaller than you thought, perhaps) 3’ x 1.5’ x 2’ 3”

Pure gold overlay inside and out

Four gold rings attached – so priests could place gold overlaid acacia poles for carrying the Ark without touching it

Ark held the stone tablets with the 10 Commandments (“the terms of the Covenant” – Ex 25:16 NLT) and one piece of Manna from their time wandering in the wilderness

The Ark’s Cover - “Place of Atonement”

Often called the “Mercy Seat”

So, church, what is the Mercy Seat? [It’s the top of the Ark of the Covenant!]

The Table – situated in the Holy Place just outside the Holy of Holies to the right of the entrance

Acacia wood – overlaid with gold

Four pole holes for carrying

Dishes for the table: all made with pure gold:

Pan

Jars

Bowls to pour liquids

The “Bread of Presence” on the table (sometimes called the “Showbread” or “Shewbread”)

12 loaves of bread arranged in 2 stacks of 6 (Why 12? [12 Tribes of Israel?])

Replaced weekly on the Sabbath

Neighboring religions would leave food for their gods. This bread was not food for God. It was food for the priests.

The Lampstand – oil lamp situated just outside the Holy of Holies to the left of the entrance

Pure hammered gold

All one piece

7 lamps - Six symmetrical branches + center stem

Snuffers and trays also pure gold

75 pounds of gold for lampstand and accessories

Another curtain of finely woven linen for the entrance – decorated with “exquisite designs” using blue, purple, and red thread.

5 posts of acacia wood overlaid in gold

Hang the curtain from gold hooks

5 bronze bases for the posts to sit in

Other instructions (equally detailed … abbreviated here for space) – Exodus 27

►►►CLICK [The Tabernacle Complex diagram]

Back outside the sanctuary...

Altar for burnt offerings 7 ½’ square x 4 ½’ tall

Often called “Brazen Altar”

Courtyard

150’ x 75’ enclosed by curtains 7 ½’ high … held by posts … set in bases

All the articles used in the rituals of the Tabernacle, including all the tent pegs used to support the Tabernacle and the courtyard curtains, must be made of bronze. — Exodus 27:19 NLT

God left nothing out (Exodus 28)

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He even prescribed the clothing for priests and how each piece should be made:

chestpiece - 12 gemstones bearing the names of the 12 tribes

ephod - over shoulders

robe - white underneath

patterned tunic - blue over robe

turban - head cover

sash - belt

►►►CLICK [The Tabernacle Complex diagram]

For FORTY YEARS, when the Israelites moved, this Tabernacle was taken down, moved and reconstructed piece-by-piece … all according to God’s VERY strict standards.

The Tabernacle was made “more permanent” when the Hebrews took the Promised Land and established Israel as a nation, but was not replaced with a permanent structure until Solomon’s time as King.

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What can we learn about God?

A lot. Let me point out just two key elements of God’s character that we can discover in this:

God is a God of order!

Genesis 1:1–2 [NASB 2020]

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Earth was formless – chaos – and God creates in such an orderly fashion. He is so intentional with every wave of his hand, and when he looks over his created order, he remarks how good it is.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul is instructing the young church about speaking in tongues in public. He says that speaking in tongues shouldn’t happen in public unless an interpreter is present. Why?

1 Corinthians 14:33[NLT] 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.

1 Corinthians 14:40[NLT] 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

We have orderly worship because we want to represent God well – and He is a God of order, not chaos.

God desires full restoration which means he will dwell with his people!

The easiest place to see this is at the END of the book, because John writes it explicitly in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 21:1–3[NLT] 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.

He wanted the same thing in the beginning:

Genesis 3:8–9 [NASB 2020] 8 Now they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

And Jesus demonstrated that by becoming “Immanuel: God with us”:

John 1:14 [NLT] 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

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What we learn about God:

God is a God of ORDER!

God wants to live with his people!

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What can we learn about humanity?

Worship is not about us!

If we designed the Tabernacle today, we would fight over every detail with each other:

the color of the curtains

seating capacity

whether to use pews or chairs

how many screens we should include

how many responsive readings we should use

musical instrumentation

which songs are okay for worship

whether to install a sound system or not

who is and isn’t worthy to lead worship or serve Communion

whether it’s okay to wear shorts, jeans, tank tops, ties, suits, dresses, or robes, or dance naked before the Lord like David did

We would find things to fight about — or invent them — because we secretly want worship to be about us. Don’t you deny that … Yes, we do!

But It. is. not!

Worship is all about Yahweh! EXCLUSIVELY about Yahweh!

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What we learn about humanity:

God gave explicit instructions for the Tabernacle and for worship so that the people would know with great clarity: Worship is not about you!

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What can you learn about yourself?

I can’t answer this for you, but let me ask a few rhetorical questions to help you think through this question.

What elements of worship do you believe are essential and proper?

Where did your list come from?

If it wasn’t dictated by God at the level of detail he gave the Old Testament Jews, I would suggest there are parts of you that have snuck onto your list.

Maybe today is a good day to weed them out … or at least acknowledge they’re your preference, not God’s expectation.

If worship is exclusively about God, it doesn’t matter what you or I like or what we want. It only matters what brings honor to God … and who determines that? He is the one who determines that, not you or me.

And the question I leave everyone with on Wednesday nights is this one:

What needs to change as a result of what you’ve learned today?

Today, I leave you with that same question.

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Restoration: Phase 1 - The Tabernacle

Let’s pray