Exodus 26:31-27:21
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Exodus 26:31-27:21
Exodus 26:31-27:21
Good morning church! A few weeks ago we were in Exodus 25, and I was excited to teach that to you, do any of you remember why? It’s because EVERY part of the Tabernacle points directly to Jesus, and it’s amazing to know the detail the Lord put into those stories so long before Jesus would come. Just like today, we’ll be talking about more of that today.
Now, as we listen to most of these descriptions of what the Tabernacle and it’s furnishings, some of it can be hard for us to see in our heads. Moses is doing the best he can to describe it to us, but we find that Moses was shown these things, wasn’t he?
9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.
God showed Moses what each of these things were to look like, so it would be made just so, to glorify God. That’s why God’s Word is so important these days. There are times when we can’t see completely clearly what God was trying to convey to us. Like Genesis, and the 6 days of creation. It’s hard for us, who were taught millions of years in school, to pause and say “Yep, 6 days seems plausible.”
If we keep our Bibles in perspective, we can hear God calling to us saying “Look at my tract record. My Words have never been proven wrong. Where you struggle to understand, trust in Me. Some day, it will be made known to you.” Our world trains us to think a certain way. I heard about a conversation between a student and his science teacher about the fact that he could not believe in God because of Science. The teacher said: “If I can’t taste, touch, see, or smell it, then I can’t believe it to be true. I won’t take some fallible man’s word with an agenda to tell me what I believe is true or not.”
The young man looked at his teacher and pondered, defeated for a minute, but with some thought, he responded: “Sir, Please don’t take this the wrong way, but is there a brain in your head?” The teacher, miffed, retorted “Of course there is a brain in my head.” The student asked “How do I know, if I can’t touch, taste, smell, or see your brain, that there is one in there?”
The teacher had the student now: “Isn’t there evidence that there’s a brain in my head because I can think, speak, and reason?” The student responded “So, I’m just supposed to take your word for it?” The teacher said: “Yes, I guess you’ll have to. The evidence is clear.”
The student responded: “That’s why I believe the Bible is true, because even though I can’t touch, taste, see, hear or smell God, the evidence of Him is all around us every day. It’s in the information that indwells every living thing. It’s in the mathematical harmony of the world around us.”
The teacher, threw back the challenge “So you’re saying I need to take your word for it?” The student, walking out of the class said “If you want me to believe there’s a brain in your head, yes!”
God spends this entire book, His love story to us, building trust with us. Credibility. His love is in the details, remember when we talked about the Ark of the Covenant or Ark of the Testimony. Why is the Ark the first thing that the Lord had Moses look at. It’s the foundation of the whole Tabernacle system, isn’t it? Before you build anything, you have to start with a solid foundation.
Last week, Mark taught us about the coverings of the Tabernacle and what they mean. Do you remember what they were? The fine woven linen, blue, purple, scarlet thread with the cherubim. Who were the cherubim? The guardians of the holy places, right? What are the colors? White, blue, purple, scarlet.
Kids: key on sheet:
What does white symbolize? Purity or holiness - we find that symbolism in Revelation as well, clothed in white fine linen. Blue? Symbolic of the Heavens. Purple is Royalty, and Scarlet is for sacrifice. So, in the first covering alone, we have a picture of Jesus, don’t we?
How about the 2nd covering? Goat’s hair. It was usually brown or black, rarely white, symbolic of the sin that would cover us all. It would even cover Jesus on the cross, so much so that the Father would have to depart from Jesus when He was on the cross as this sin was covering him.
Then the rams skins died scarlet, symbolic of the blood sacrifice of the lamb who would be slain for us. Finally the porpus or badger skin covering, so it would look ordinary to the outside, but what do you know about sea cow or badger skin? It is a seal, isn’t it. Just like the blood of Jesus is the ultimate seal on our souls. The devil can’t snatch us out of His hand, if we accept Jesus and His sacrifice for us.
Before we move on from here too...did you know that this Tabernacle is talked about in the New Testament?
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The word Dwelt there is the greek word skeenao, which means tabernacle. The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. Just like here in Exodus. Thousands of years ahead of time, God is telling Israel “Remember Me.”
Speaking of the New Testament, did you know we see those in the Gospel as well? Luke talks of God’s Humanity - the white. John portrays Jesus as God from the Heavens - blue. Matthew speaks of Jesus as King - purple. Mark as the suffering servant - scarlet. I don’t know that I could write a better story thruout history.
How about some of the other things. Gold, Silver and Bronze, right? Kids Key:
Gold represents God’s Deity. Silver represents redemption, Bronze is judgement. The loops and clasps, loops are rings, which are a symbol of love, that’s why we wear rings on our fingers for weddings.
Then the structure was all acacia wood outlaid in gold. Acacia wood is symbolic of man, it’s a resilient wood, knotty, strong, just like we are. The structure of the church is just like that. Made up of people that are more precious to our Father in Heaven than gold. It’s amazing...I could go on and on, Mark could go on, and on, and on...
He stopped talking about the veil. It was thick, I’ve read anywhere from 4-12 inches thick. Beautifully designed like the inner covering of the Tabernacle. Let’s get a description about it as we start our verses today:
31 “You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. 32 You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy.
The colors of Christ, again, in the veil, hooks of gold hung upon sockets of silver. God hung for redemption. The meeting place with God would be placed behind the veil, or the door, right? Is there anywhere in Scripture where Jesus says something about being a door?
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.
Nobody could go behind the veil, but the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. They would purify themselves and only spend as much time in the Most Holy place long enough to burn incense and sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat.
This was not God’s design from the beginning. Kids, for those of you who remember the creation story, what was God like to Adam and Eve before they sinned in the garden? Was He a friend to them? Yes, he walked with them and talked with them, didn’t He? Do you think God was prepared to spend even more time with the people He created here on earth? Absolutely He does. Because of our sin, though, He had to separate from us, didn’t he. It stinks that He had to do that...but He had to. Sometimes the only way to teach us the lessons we need to learn is to separate from us. It’s hard, but it’s for our own good!
34 You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand across from the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
The Table would be on the right of the Holy Place outside the Most Holy Place as you walk in. The lampstand on the left. Table on the North, Lampstand on the South, Tabernacle to the West, and the opening to the East.
In Jerusalem, what is east of the Temple Mount? The Mount of Olives. There’s a lot of talk right now, with what’s going on in the middle east about the 2nd Temple. Could it be put on Temple Mount?
This is the view from the Mount of Olives. Is there room for the Temple there? Which way would it be facing? West, right? In line with these gates right here? What are those gates? They are the Golden Gates. When Jesus comes back in Revelation, where do his feet touch down? The Mount of Olives. Where does he enter Jerusalem? Thru those gates, right? Why are they sealed? In 1541, Sulemain was afraid Jesus would return back then, so to stop Him, he ordered the gates sealed shut. Do you think that matters to the God of the Universe? Not at all.
Just like then, when Moses set the Tabernacle in it’s place, Christ will return and set Himself in His rightful place again as well.
36 “You shall make a screen for the door of the tabernacle, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. 37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be gold, and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.
This time, gold hooks hung on bronze. Another door, this time God hung for Judgement. The more you look at it, the more you see it, don’t you? More clear: 5 pillars, what does 5 mean in Hebrew Numerology? Grace. God’s Grace is what hung on that Cross in the place of our Judgement. Again, amazingly accurate markers pointing to Jesus.
<3 SLIDES>
1 “You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its height shall be three cubits. 2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.
3 Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall make a grate for it, a network of bronze; and on the network you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 You shall put it under the rim of the altar beneath, that the network may be midway up the altar.
6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7 The poles shall be put in the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar to bear it. 8 You shall make it hollow with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.
This is what the altar would look like. Acacia wood and bronze. 7.5’x7.5’ and 4.5’ high. This thing would be massive. 4 horns on the corners. Anyone know why this would be important? An animal would want to get out of this thing. They were to hold fast the sacrifice to the altar. The sacrifice would want to get out of that altar. Contrast that to what Jesus did. It wasn’t the nails that held Him to the Cross. It was His love for us. He entered sin and judgement for us, took it upon Himself, willingly. For us. A sinless, loving gift for all mankind.
This is also the first thing that people would see before they entered the tabernacle court, dead in front of them, right in front of the entrance to the Tabernacle itself. Amazing.
Oh yeah, one more thing...when it wasn’t in use, what did they do with it?
13 Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 They shall put on it all its implements with which they minister there—the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of badger skins, and insert its poles.
Royal cloth, and seal it with the skins. The King covering the judgement for us. If Jesus isn’t on the cross, this is where we are going. What happens on this altar? That sacrifice is burned. If Jesus sacrifice isn’t enough for you, then this brazen altar of judgement is for you. It’s your choice.
<2 SLIDES>
9 “You shall also make the court of the tabernacle. For the south side there shall be hangings for the court made of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long for one side. 10 And its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets shall be bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be silver. 11 Likewise along the length of the north side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, with its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze, and the hooks of the pillars and their bands of silver.
12 “And along the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits, with their ten pillars and their ten sockets. 13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings on one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. 15 And on the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.
20 pillars by 10 pillars - 150’x75’ would be the dimensions. About a quarter the size of a football field total. The laver in the middle there we’ll talk about in a couple of chapters. But you can see here what it looks like. Back then, you would have to bring your sacrifice willingly into the court of the temple.
16 “For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets. 17 All the pillars around the court shall have bands of silver; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze. 18 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen and its sockets of bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for all its service, all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
Yet another door, looking the same as the first 2, right? Same material. What do you think of when you think of the number 3 as a Christian? The Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, right? How about this one...the Way, the Truth, and the Life?
Redemption hung on Judgement, the wood covered in Judgement. The outer courts are symbolic of us as we approach the foot of the Cross. The outer screen is white in purity. It was made to keep everyone out EXCEPT those who wanted to come in. You had to choose to come in, and be prepared to come in.
Entering the court would be the beginning of the cleansing process. When they come, though, they would need to bring something with them.
20 “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. 21 In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.
Olive oil would need to be brought for the lamps. Pure olive oil, without any particulate in it. Olive oil was used to anoint kings, to sanctify priests, it was used as a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit. When people entered the temple, they would bring Oil because it would be the fuel for the light in the Tabernacle.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
This is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. He’s talking about those who accept Him as Lord. He’s not giving everyone a participation trophy. The oil was brought by those who were God’s in to the temple, so they could participate in the light of the Tabernacle.
Jesus wants our participation here on earth. He wants us to be involved in our community, our churches, in the lives of the people we work with. He is giving the Israelites all of this imagery for one reason. The same reason over and over again, thruout history...remember Me. Look for Me. Know Me when I come for you.
Just like us to get caught up in all of the distractions of this world that we miss the most important things.
It’s interesting also...one last thing here. Look at this last slide.
This is the “God’s Eye” view of the Tabernacle complex. We’ll talk about the Laver and the Altar of Incense in a few chapters, but I want you to see something here. How are the articles of the Tabernacle laid out? You see 2 straight lines, don’t you? From the Brazen Altar, thru the Laver, the Altar of Incense, to the Ark. Where could you draw the other line? Between the Show Bread and the Lamp Stand. What shape does that make? It’s the shape of a cross. The symbol of the very implement of judgement and redemption that Jesus would be hung upon.
3 matching doors to each part of the Tabernacle. 3 main parts of the Temple complex. The Lord is laying the foundation for His people to recognize Him. He wants us to remember Him at all times. He wants us to KNOW HIM!
How do we know Him? It starts with repentance. A big word, that means to turn and start going in the other direction. God is telling the people of Israel: This is how you worship Me. It starts with you seeing that you can’t get to where I am anymore.
The Veil serves a purpose, it’s to remind us all that a Holy God can only be approached by someone made Holy. Any sin, no matter how small, will keep us away.
If you’ve told a lie, if you’ve looked lustfully at another person, if there is any of the 10 commandments you’ve broken just ONCE in your life, you’re guilty before a Holy God. That disqualifies us from Heaven. But, the Lord saw fit to make a way for those who love and choose Him. He so loved the World, that He gave His only son to save us from the fate of the Bronze Altar. To the unbeliever, that’s what awaits in hell. Eternal torment, darkness, and God will accept your choice to go there if you want to.
The foot of the Cross is where all of our walks with the Lord start. The Veil used to be the separation between God and His people. Well, the day Jesus died, that 4-12 inch thick beautiful cloth was torn.
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
It was torn from God to us. Where there used to be no way, God now made a way. As Grace poured out of the wounds of our Savior onto that wooden implement of death, the world didn’t understand fully that prophecy from Exodus, over 1400 years prior would be fulfilled. One man, One sacrifice, Once for all.
This book isn’t full of fables. It’s full of careful planning. Stories to help us live, to teach us about the pitfalls of people millenia ago so we could learn from them and not make the same mistakes. Thruout, the love of the Lord shines thru. He doesn’t want a single one of us to perish. He may be calling some of you right now to examine your life and confront your sin. Whether you’re not a believer, a new one, or a seasoned old dog like myself. We all stumble.
Jesus said:
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
You can feel Him knocking at the door of your heart. He won’t barge in if you don’t invite Him. I know what you’re saying too, If He only knew what was in my heart, what I’ve got hiding in those dark rooms, those closets...He doesn’t care about the darkness. He’s come to shine the light. That’s why He told the Israelites to bring the olive oil. He says “Give it to me, and I’ll make the light shine!”
He provided the sacrifice so we could be free in Him. Your sin is a jail cell and a death sentence. Only thru Christ can you be led out of bondage into everlasting life.
The Cross is the key. Jesus is the foundation. The grave is not your home anymore, if you don’t want it be. Let this be the first step of the rest of your life. A new life awaits you. If you’re a believer here today and if you’re noticing today that those little steps you’ve been taking have taken you further than you want to admit, recommit your life to Jesus today. This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from it. It’s to remind us to remember Him and all He’s done for us.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
