The Tabernacle

The Temple: Now and Forever

Garden of Eden

Tabernacle after Mt. Sinai

The Temple of Solomon

The Temple in Ezekiel (God leaves, vision of future)

The Temple of Zerubbabel/Ezra

The Temple of Herod

The Temple of Jesus

The Temple of the Holy Spirit

The Temple of God opened (Rev. 11 & 15)

The Temple of God in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21-22)

What was the tabernacle? What was its structure and symbolism?

How does the tabernacle reflect Eden?

How does the tabernacle point to Jesus?

.

Exodus 26:7 – “You shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent (ohel) over the tabernacle (mishkan “dwelling”)...”

Exodus 25:8–9 CSB

“They are to make a sanctuary for me so that I may dwell among them. You must make it according to all that I show you—the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings.

Exodus 25:21–22 CSB

Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark. I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

Exodus 25:28–30 CSB

Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and the table can be carried by them. You are also to make its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold. Put the Bread of the Presence on the table before me at all times.

Exodus 25:37 CSB

“Make its seven lamps, and set them up so that they illuminate the area in front of it.

Revelation 1:10–13 CSB

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest.

Exodus 26:31–35 CSB

“You are to make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it. Hang it on four gold-plated pillars of acacia wood that have gold hooks and that stand on four silver bases. Hang the curtain under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony there behind the curtain, so the curtain will make a separation for you between the holy place and the most holy place. Put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. Place the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table; put the table on the north side.

•Lampstand – God’s light and Spirit

•Showbread – God’s provision and presence

•Incense – Prayers rising to God

•Sacrifice – Atonement for sin

•Ark – God's throne and covenant

Parallels with Creation

Role of the Spirit

Seven divine speeches

Pronounced good

Exodus 31:1–5 CSB

The Lord also spoke to Moses: “Look, I have appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every craft.

Exodus 39:42–43 CSB

The Israelites had done all the work according to everything the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected all the work they had accomplished. They had done just as the Lord commanded. Then Moses blessed them.

Exodus 40:34–38 CSB

The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey. If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

John 1:14 CSB

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 8:5–6 CSB

These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain. But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises.

How does the tabernacle relate to the Gospel?

God comes down to live with his people. Jesus does the same.

It showed that we need a mediator (high priest) that entered the holy place for us.

Sacrifice is necessary for forgiveness.

God’s earthly dwelling is a symbol of the heavenly dwelling.