THE LIFE OF MOSES WEEK 13 INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING THE TABERNACLE EXODUS 25-31 The ceremonial law of Israel tells about the tabernacle, its furnishings, and the clothing and functions of the Hebrew priests. This law covers fifteen chapters of Exodus, falling into two parts, each one ending with narrative material. The first part tells how the tabernacle was to be constructed; this part, is God’s law. The actual construction occurs later in chapters 25-31. 1. THE ARK OF THE COVENANT- EXODUS 25:1-22 The ark was a golden chest that was to be set within the Most Holy Place. Exodus begins with the ark because it was the most important object. Everything else was built around it, because the ark was the symbolic dwelling place of God. a. The Ark: A Description The ark was made of acacia wood, a hard, dense wood suited to stand up against the rigors of the wilderness experience. It was a box that mentioned 1.1 meters long by 0.7 meters wide and deep. This chest was covered with pure and precious gold. Its lid was made of pure beaten gold. On each end of the covering there was a figure of a cherub, a type of angel. The cherubim were made to face one another, looking inward toward the cover. Their wings stretched backward and upward so as nearly to meet at the top, overshadowing the ark’s cover. The ark was fitted with rings through which poles were inserted by which the ark was carried when the people broke camp. The ark contained the stone tablets of the law that God gave Moses. Later it also became the repository of a gold jar of manna and Aaron’s rod that budded (Hebrews 9:4). Because it contained the law, it was alternately called “the ark of the Testimony,” “the ark of the covenant,” and “the ark of God (or the LORD).” b. The Ark: Its Function God was understood to dwell symbolically between the wings of the cherubim above the covering of the ark. The Israelites knew both that God was immaterial and that He was everywhere, therefore not confined to a single place like the ark. But when the ark and tabernacle were set up, the glory cloud of God filled the tabernacle and settled upon the Ark. Thus, although it was a symbolic presence only, the symbolized presence of God was both visible and spectacular. The covering of the ark was called the “atonement cover” or “mercy seat”. Once a year on the Day of Atonement the high priest brought the blood of an animal that was killed for the sin of the people and sprinkled it on the atonement cover, showing that an atonement for sin had been made and that the people could now call on God for mercy. It was a powerful symbolism since, apart from the shed blood, when God looked down from between the wings of the cherubim, His gaze settled upon the law that had been broken that was in the ark. It was a picture of judgment. But when the blood intervened, God saw that atonement for sin had been made and that forgiveness could be given. This pictures the forgiveness of sin that we have in the death of Jesus Christ. 2. THE TABLE AND THE LAMPSTAND- EXODUS 25:23-40;27:20-21 The only furnishing in the Most Holy Place was the ark. In the Holy Place, were three more objects: the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense. a. The Table of Showbread The table of showbread was slightly smaller than the ark, about 3 feet long, one and a half feet wide and one fourth feet high. It was mad of acacia wood covered with gold and had gold rings through which poles were inserted to carry it. It was surrounded by a gold molding, which may have been to keep objects from falling off when it was carried. The table held 12 loaves of bread as well as golden plates for the bread and golden ladles, bowls, and pitchers for handling the incense and drink offerings. The loaves represented each of the twelve tribes and were thank offerings for God’s faithful provision for the people. They also pointed to Jesus who is our “bread of life” (John 6:35). It also compares in a striking way to the communion bread which Jesus took and broke and said, “’This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (1 Corinthians 11:24). b. The Golden Lampstand- Exodus 25:31-40; 27:20-21 Called a menorah, the lampstand was a seven-branched candlestick. The lampstand was made of pure gold and was placed on the south side of the Holy Place, across from the table of showbread on the north side. These lamps were supplied with olive oil and were trimmed by the priest every morning and every evening (Ex. 30:7-8;Lev. 24:1-4). They were never to be extinguished. The obvious purpose of the lampstand was to provide light for the priests as they worked in the Holy Place, which would have been quite dark otherwise. But it also was symbolic, pointing to Jesus who is “the light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5). John may have had this object in mind when he wrote that “the true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (John 1:9), since a few verses later he says, “The Word became flesh and lived [literally, “tabernacled”] for a while among us” (verse 14). He may have been thinking of the tabernacle and its furnishings. But Jesus also told His disciples, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). John later received a vision of this lampstand (or of seven lampstands), but in this case the lamps stood for the seven churches (Rev. 1:12,20). If we have seen the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6), we are to reflect that light to others. 3. THE TABERNACLE ITSELF- EXODUS 26:1-37; 27:9-19 a. The Courtyard The courtyard was a rectangle measuring about one hundred and fifty feet by seventy-five feet, about one quarter of an American football field. The curtains that surrounded it were of finely twisted linen, supported by posts seven and a half feet high. There was one entrance on the east side. b. The Two Rooms The tabernacle was also a rectangle. It had two rooms. The innermost Most Holy Place, was a 15-foot cube. The outer room, the Holy Place, joined to it, measured fifteen by fifteen by thirty feet. So the outer room was twice as long as the inner room, the whole tabernacle being forty-five feet long. The inner room contained the ark of the testimony, while the outer room contained the table of showbread, the lampstand, and the altar of incense. c. The Curtain Exodus 26:31-33 describes a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen with figures of cherubim worked into it, that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Behind this stood the ark. The curtain shielded the visible presence of God from human eyes and could be passed by only the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement after he had first made a sacrifice for his sin and the sin of the people. This curtain showed that God could not be approached by sinful people without their being consumed by His holiness, as some who attempted it were. However, when Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, indicating that by His death Jesus had opened the way into God’s presence forever for those who have faith in Him (Mat. 27:51; Heb. 10:19-22). Until Jesus died, the way was barred. The sacrifices pointed to the true atonement that was yet to come. When He died, that way was opened, the symbolism of the sacrifices was fulfilled, and the sacrifices themselves were soon ended. d. Names for the Tabernacle Four different names in Scripture throw light on its function. It was called a “sanctuary” (Ex. 25:8), a place made holy or set apart by God’s presence. Second, it is called the “tabernacle” (Ex. 25:9, 26:1). This word means a dwelling or a place of settling down. God had come to dwell or settle down among His people. Third, it is called the “Tent of Meeting” (Ex. 29:42), because it was the place where the people presented themselves before God and met with Him. Finally, it was also called the “Tent of the Testimony” (Num. 17:7-8). The “testimony” was the common name for the stone tables bearing the Ten Commandments that were kept in the ark. 4. THE ALTAR FOR BURNT OFFERINGS- EXODUS 27:1-8 In the outer courtyard was the great altar for burnt offerings. It was large- about seven and a half feet long and wide and four and a half feet high. It was made of acacia wood covered in bronze and was hollow, which made it easier to carry. Here the many offerings for sin were made. The altar stood immediately inside the entrance to the outer court, indicating that every approach to God requires a blood atonement. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).