The Tabernacle
TABERNACLE
History of the Tabernacle
The word Tabernacle means to dwell…
The word Tabernacle means to dwell. It was a part of God’s plan to reveal Himself to the descendants of Israel after they had been living in Egypt for over 400 years as slaves to Pharaoh. They knew about the God of Israel but none of them knew Him. He was like a fairy tale God that their parents and grandparents talked about who made some promises about wonderful things that were so far removed from their reality. He was not real to them. They were slaves to a powerful Pharoah and reality was hard, harsh physical labor all day, beatings, mockings, and no hope at all for anything to change.
Can you relate to them? Does God seem real to you, or just some figment of people’s imagination to believe in? How do you explain the evil in this world if there is God, lots of people ask.
There was a plan in place…
There was a plan in place and a time for that plan to be implemented.
When the time came, a means of deliverance, Moses was born. Pharaoh tried to cut down the population of Israel by killing the babies. This sets up a rescue plan that places Moses in the palace right under his nose, to be raised as a prince. The first attempt Moses made was to defend one Israelite. It was unsuccessful. It led to a forty year exile for Moses. Then God intervened with a visit to Moses and a command to return to Egypt.
After many challenges, the Pharaoh gives up, and acknowledges that there is God, and lets the Israelites go. The Israelites are in total disbelief that this is happening and the pursuit of Pharaoh’s army is to them certain death. They experience an unimaginable unheard of miracle of God. They saw a Sea part, just on time,and passed through it. They saw the Egyptian
army drown in it.
God visited Moses to give him instructions…
Unbelievable even in our day, for all of these incidents to line up by accident to achieve this result. Egypt was done. God visited Moses to give him instructions on how the people are to engage with Him in worship at Mount Sinai. He introduces Himself to them. When they accepted His COVENANT, which means agreement, He gave them the tablets of the Covenant and a pattern of the portable worship place that would hold His presence. He wanted to be with them all. They were estimated to be 2 million people. God wanted to provide them with a safe way for them to dwell with Him, so He could lead them to the promised land and they could get to know His ways.
All of this can be found in the book of Exodus…
All of this can be found in the book of Exodus. All of the elements within the Tabernacle had a deep meaning. It allowed
the Israelites to dwell with God’s holy presence. They learned what sin was and the covering that was provided for it, on a temporary basis until the permanent solution of God was born at the designated time, just like Moses was born at the designated time.
The Furniture in the Tabernacle
Below are the 7 significant items located in and around the tabernacle, along with the scriptures tht describe them.
01.
The Brazen Altar
The Outer Court
Exodus 27:1 – 4
1“Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits[a]high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.[b] 2 Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 3 Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network.
02.
The Brazen Laver
The Outer Court
Exodus 30: 18 – 21
18 “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”
03.
The Golden Lampstand
The Inner Court/ Holy Place
Exodus 25: 31-32 ; 36 -40
31“Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.
36The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold. 37“Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. 39 A talent[f]of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
04.
Altar of Incense
The Inner Court/ Holy Place
Exodus 30: 1-7
1“Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. 2 It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high[a]—its horns of one piece with it. 3 Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. 4 Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you. 7 “Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps.
05.
Table of Showbread
The Inner Court/ Holy Place
Exodus 25: 23 – 24, 26, 28-30
23“Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[d] 24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it.
26 Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are.
28 Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them. 29 And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. 30 Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.
06.
Ark of the Covenant
The Holy of Holies
Exodus 25: 10-11; 16
10“Have them make an ark[b]of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.
16 Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.
07.
Mercy Seat
The Holy of Holies
Exodus 25: 17 -19; 22
17 “Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.
22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.