The Tabernacle
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.
2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place.
3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place,
Introduction:
When I first arrived here at First Baptist the Lord lead me to go through a series of messages called “What We Believe”.
The focus was on the doctrinal statements in our constitution.
Those are the belief statements we agree with and it is good to refresh our minds on why we can believe them.
There was one part in that series that spoke about the church.
I think that we all here understand that the church isn’t the building; it’s the people, the Congregation as a whole.
Understanding that truth reveals that anyone anywhere in the world who claims Jesus is Lord and believe on Him for forgiveness of their sins is part of the church.
This begs a question: Why are church buildings held in such high esteem?
Look at the absolutely beauty in the buildings people have constructed to meet in.
The buildings have, and sometimes still are, a prominent symbol of God’s presence in a place.
Think about that picturesque view of a village in the mountain valley.
What do you always see? A church and it’s steeple.
It shows that there is a reverence, or at least there should be, for God in that valley.
Illustration:
Have you ever been camping in a tent?
It’s great isn’t it?
You have this thin little material between you and the outside.
The zipper is always left open and you become this mosquito buffet.
Someone forgot to take their shoes off; dirt and sand is everywhere.
That’s the little tent experience.
Have you ever been camping in a big canvas tent
It’s an entirely different experience.
We camped in 2 tents connected together in the Iron Mountain area for deer season.
There was a new appreciation to camp in a tent like that.
Even with 8” of snow on the tent we were warm, dry, and very comfortable.
It was an upgrade; but it wasn’t anything like the tent that God is about to have made for Him.
All so He could be accessible to His people.
(Think about that for a second, God left His palace to tent on Earth)
This structure would be a symbol just like the postcard that has a village in the valley where you can see the steeple of a church.
No one would’ve misunderstood the importance of that structure: Just look at what jumps out to you as Israel would’ve seen it:
The Tabernacle in the midst of the people.
Would anyone question where God dwelled or what was the most prominent thing was to them?
The Tabernacle would serve as a symbol to Israel and all other nations that God was there with them.
Last Sunday we went (Briefly) went over the furniture for the tabernacle, and today we are going to hear and learn about the Tabernacle.
It’s an understatement to say that the Tabernacle was important.
There are about 50 chapters dedicated to the tabernacle, as a comparison to how important this structure is there are only 2 dedicated to creation.
Other than God’s dwelling place, what makes it important?
5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
It is a small scale model of what the courtroom in Heaven will be like.
It is also somewhat confirmed in Revelation 4-5 where John is describing what he saw in heaven.
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.
There was a sea or the “laver” to wash clean in:
6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
Thankfully there is no need to wash any longer as we are clean in Jesus.
John continues describing the scene and it resembles the courtyard of the tabernacle toward the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.
These are things that wouldn’t make sense unless God first gave instructions like He does here in Exodus 26.
He first provides:
Barriers from Elements (1-14)
Barriers from Elements (1-14)
There were 4 layers of curtains to cover the structure.
The first layer:
1 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size.
3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.
4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.
5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another.
6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.
The first barrier was to be linen.
It would be white.
Logistically think of this:
Your in a 15’long, 15’ wide, and 15’ tall location called the Holy of Holies.
The only thing in this area was:
The ark of the covenant or ark of testimony
The mercy seat, which sat above the ark.
God’s presence.
The walls were covered in Gold.
All the surfaces were reflective of light.
Illustration:
When I was an project manager at a flat roofing company in New Mexico we used a TPO material (basically a rubber roof).
We only offered 2 colors: White and Beige, which is normal.
The last thing you want on your roof is black material absorbing all the light the sun has to offer.
The light colors offered a reflective surface.
When you look up at the ceiling in the Holy of Holies it would’ve been a white reflective surface, combined with the Gold on the walls:
The Lord’s glory would’ve been reflected at every angle.
It was 2 sets of 5 curtains together.
They are to be held together by blue yarn and Gold clasps.
The first layer provided purity in God’s presence and reflectivity of His glory.
The second Layer: (7-13)
7 “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make.
8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size.
9 You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent.
10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.
11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole.
12 And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.
13 And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.
This layer is black and made of Goats Hair.
It was to be a set of 5 and a separate set of 6 (11 in total)
Held together in similar fashion to the fine linen
Clasps of bronze this time not gold.
It was to be larger than the linen covering.
The function is to further protect the Holy of Holies and to keep out light.
The Third layer was to be tanned red.
14 And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and a covering of goatskins on top.
The fourth was to be goatskins left as they were.
These are to be similar in size as each other and also to the Goat hair one.
The outer most layer of goatskin would provide a more weather proof layer for the tabernacle.
Because of the construction and assembly of these curtains or coverings the whole of the tabernacle would be weather tight and no light would get in either.
These are barriers God asked for and instructed Israel on.
The barriers continue as He gives a:
Barrier from Weakness (15-25)
Barrier from Weakness (15-25)
The tent needs a frame.
15 “You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.
16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame.
17 There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle.
The boards would probably look like this.
The boards would’ve been 15’ tall, 2 1/4’ wide and
According to Josephus (Jewish historian) the walls were 3” thick.
When the panels were put together it would create a continuous wall.
A 3 sided structure that was 15’ wide, 15’ tall and 45’ long.
When all assembled it would resemble this.
18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side;
19 and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons;
20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames,
21 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame.
22 And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames.
23 And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear;
24 they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners.
25 And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.
It would need to have strength and structure to provide a rigidity to it.
We hear how God instructs to strengthen it.
The Strength (26-29)
The Strength (26-29)
26 “You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward.
28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end.
29 You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold.
The strength came from the way they were instructed to assemble them and also set them in place on silver foundations.
19 and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons;
The silver bases would resemble this:
The boards would rest in these sockets until they needed to pick up and move.
The mobility of the tabernacle was key.
This would be in use for the next 40 years as they wandered the desert following God’s leading.
What about all the structure in general.
Illustration:
On a jobsite that was for building duplexes or apartments, or big houses we had to work smarter not harder.
If there was a wall that was really long we wouldn’t build it as one continuous wall.
We would make a seam at a manageable distance.
They would be stood up in those sections then joined together.
This was a similar point for the tabernacle.
The panels that formed the walls would be lifted and set into their silver foundation one at a time.
At 15’ tall, 2’ 4” wide, and 3” thick that could be an all day project, especially considering they were all covered in gold.
Then for the strength to slide the poles into the wall.
Imagine carrying all this through the desert.
I believe there was a constant reminder even enroute to the next spot a reverence for God.
In the final verses we find God’s instructions for:
The Separations (31-30)
The Separations (31-30)
There had to be a way to distinguish between God’s presence and where most of the furniture was.
The whole structure was 15’x45’
But the place where God dwelt was a perfect cube at 15’x15’x15’.
He instructed a veil to be made that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy place.
31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver.
33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.
The veil needed to be yarns and fine twined linen of blue, purple, and scarlet with Cherubims on it.
I can’t say for sure but what my mind does when I hear that the cherubims were to be represented separating God from the people is think of a car.
Here’s why.
I think of a Plymouth Fury. Why?
It’s in the bible.
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
God drove Adam and Eve out of the garden in a fury!!
Look at what God placed to the entrance of the garden and why.
24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
And why...
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
He separated them from His presence to protect them.
Sin could not be in His presence.
That’s no different than the tabernacle, No one could enter the Holy of Holies without washing, bringing a blood sacrifice, and being the correct person who is called. (Make a correlation to our need for these things also)
The Cherubims would remind them of this same thing; the paradise lost.
God would dwell with them but the access is limited.
If you notice there is also a sequence for when the ark and mercy seat are placed into the Holy of Holies.
33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.
After the veil is hung then God’s chair can be brought in ready for Him to come in.
What about the veil’s structure?
The veil would be hung on 4 pillars with hooks of gold on 4 bases of silver hung with clasps.
The veil in the wilderness would be replicated in the temple of the New Testament and it is supposed that the veil was:
60’ tall, 30’ wide, and about 4.5” thick. (Double of the wilderness veil) Because we humas can always do better than what God instructs (sarcasm)
The new testament veil if you remember was torn from top to bottom.
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,
53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Jesus’ death was the symbol and actual removal of the separation between God and man.
We can call out to God and that veil between us and Him can be removed.
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
8 Although He was a son, He learned obedience through what He suffered.
9 And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
10 being designated by God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, tore the veil between us and God.
There is no longer limited access, there is permanent indwelling access to Him.
In the tabernacle these 2 places are distinct for good reasons and it was specific.
34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place.
35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.
36 “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.
37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.
Conclusion:
So what of the tabernacle other than the functions of it being where God dwelled with His people makes it important to us?
Just as was stated earlier it is a small scale of what Heaven will be like.
5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
The tabernacle from the outside you could say that it was ugly; but inside it was amazing and glorious.
Not much different than what Jesus was described as in Isaiah 53:2-3
In Jesus we find that permanent dwelling of God with full access any time we want.
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
It was said about the veil that was torn in the temple when Jesus died that people mended the veil and put it back up.
That perfectly illustrates us doesn’t it.
We would rather “earn” salvation through all the works so we feel worthy of Him, instead of accepting the gift He gave us.
Our daily lives often reflect this belief.
Instead of living a life that has full access to God.
In all His wisdom, In His truth to guide us, and what the Holy Spirit is telling us.
We want a mysterious genie behind the curtain to seek when we need.
We change God into the vessel for us instead of what God intended: For us to be a willing vessel for Him.
How is God working in your heart right now, how about what He was doing in your life this last week?
In what way are you being the light to the world and are you neglecting the access you have to God through Jesus?
God dwells in you and is changing you into a vessel of glory, allow Him to do that and rejoice in the access you have to Him.
-Pray!
