Exodus 26

Plans for the Tabernacle

There are 3 areas, the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies that speak to us of the three Persons of the Godhead, and that speak to us of the unity of the three Persons.

The first mention of the house of God is when Jacob has his dream at Beth-El ('house of God'), while fleeing from Esau (Genesis 28:10-22). This is confirmed when Jacob returns to Beth-El (Genesis 35:1-15): God appears to him there, speaks to him there, and the house of God is there, all somewhat in 'embryo', God's dwelling place.

Later on in Israel's history, around 1000 BC, the Temple was built in Jerusalem: King David did much of the preparation and his son, King Solomon, oversaw the building. God then dwelt in the Temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem (Psalm 132:13-14). However, due to the repeated sinfulness of Israel and her kings, God's glory departed from the Temple and it was no longer His dwelling place.

Psalm 132:13-14: For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem
he has desired it for his home. “This is my resting place forever,” he said.
“I will live here, for this is the home I desired.

In the New Testament, we read that Jesus Christ is the "Word (who) became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us" (John 1:14). God dwelt in Christ; as the apostle Paul wrote "in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell bodily" (Colossians 2:9). Furthermore, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ become a dwelling place of God: Paul prays that "Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:17); "do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?" (I Corinthians 6:19).

Throughout the Bible, God desires a dwelling place and reveals the details of that dwelling place to people who are attuned to Him. The tabernacle served as a meeting place between God and men, and was thus known as the “tent of meeting”. The tabernacle solved the problem of having a holy God dwell in the midst of a sinful people. The solution includes two provisions:

The tabernacle solved one problem with its portability. God had revealed Himself to His people from atop Mt. Sinai. When the people left Sinai for the promised land of Canaan, they would need some portable place for God’s presence to be manifested. Since the tabernacle was a tent, the problem of portability was solved.

The tabernacle also solved the problem of a holy God dwelling in the midst of a sinful people. The tent curtains, and especially the thick veil, served as a separator, a dividing barrier, between God and the people. Beyond this, the tabernacle was sanctified and set apart as a holy place. This spared the people from an outbreak from God which would have destroyed them (Exodus 33:5). Also, the tabernacle was a place of sacrifice, so that the sins of the Israelites could be atoned for. While the solution was not permanent, it did facilitate communion between God and His people.

In the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus Christ is introduced as the Son of God who tabernacled among men (John 1:14). The Lord Jesus was thus the dwelling place of God among men during His earthly sojourn. He could thus tell the woman at the well that there was a time coming when the place of worship is not the principle concern (John 4:20-21). From the time of Christ’s coming to earth to the present, the dwelling place of God among men is not conceived of in terms of buildings.

John 1:14: So the Word became human (Greek - became flesh) and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

The temple had become a kind of idol to many of the legalistic, unbelieving Jews of Jesus’ day. The presence of the temple was proof to them that God was with them and that they were pleasing in His sight. Even the disciples were impressed by the beauty of the temple building, yet Jesus cautioned such enthusiasm, knowing that the temple would soon be destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2). You can well imagine how upset the scribes and Pharisees would have been when our Lord spoke of destroying God’s temple (not knowing, of course, that it was He who was that temple). The destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. was a fulfillment of the warnings of the Old Testament Scriptures, proof of Israel’s disobedience and of God’s chastening hand on the nation, once again.

Matthew 24:1-2: As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

⁽¹⁾“Make the Tabernacle* from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue**, purple, and scarlet*** thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.

Tabernacle*: Hebrew Mishkan, which is related to shekinah, the glorious presence of God.

John 1:14: So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Hebrews 9:11: So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.

Revelation 21:3: I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.

**blue (Heaven): "The first color mentioned in the veil was blue. The purpose of the veil and the curtains was that of separation. Blue reflects the meaning of separation or division." - "Color in Scripture" - D.L. Higginbotham - Truth for Today Publishing

***scarlet thread (Sacrifice):
Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

The designs on this covering were visible only from the inside of the tabernacle. Therefore, on the inside of the tabernacle, one saw cherubim all around - as one would see in heaven (Psalm 80:1, Isaiah 37:16, and Ezekiel 10:3). -- www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0226.html

The curtains of fine linen described above could be seen only by the priests from inside. Above that was the curtain of goats’ hair. Then over that were the coverings, an inner covering of rams’ skins dyed red and an outer covering of hides of fine leather. The movement is from the inside to the outside because it is God’s dwelling place; the approach of the worshiper would be the opposite. The pure linen represented the righteousness of God, guarded by the embroidered cherubim; the curtain of goats’ hair was a reminder of sin through the daily sin offering of a goat; the covering of rams’ skins dyed red was a reminder of the sacrifice and the priestly ministry set apart by blood, and the outer covering marked the separation between God and the world.

⁽²⁾ These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.

⁽³⁾ Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain.

⁽⁴⁾ Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set.

⁽⁵⁾ The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain.

⁽⁶⁾ Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece.

⁽⁷⁾ “Make eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle.

⁽⁸⁾ These eleven curtains must all be exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide.

⁽⁹⁾ Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and join the other six into a second long curtain. Allow 3 feet of material from the second set of curtains to hang over the front* of the sacred tent.

*hang over the front: Hebrew Double over the sixth sheet at the front. The text seems to describe this part as being in front of the tabernacle, hanging down to form a valence at the entrance.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Make fifty loops for one edge of each large curtain.

⁽¹¹⁾ Then make fifty bronze clasps, and fasten the loops of the long curtains with the clasps. In this way, the tent covering will be made of one continuous piece.

⁽¹²⁾ The remaining 3 feet* of this tent covering will be left to hang over the back of the Tabernacle.

*remaining 3 feet: Hebrew The half sheet that is left over.

⁽¹³⁾ Allow 18 inches of remaining material to hang down over each side, so the Tabernacle is completely covered.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Complete the tent covering with a protective layer of tanned* ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather**.

*tanned: King James: dyed red. The tent of the tabernacle was symbolically covered with flesh (rams' skins) and blood (dyed red). This was a picture of their sins being "covered" by the daily animal sacrifices. Additionally, rams were symbolic of power (Daniel 8:7) , and are also predominantly white in color, which denotes purity. The sacrificial ram was thus a type of Christ. These rams' skins denoted the power of the living God, but they were also a picture of death for sins because the rams had to die in order for their skins to be used. It was additionally a shadow of what was to come with the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. These parallels are appropriate because the tabernacle was a shadow of things to come and a pattern of heavenly things (Hebrews 9:8-9). -- "Color in Scripture" - D.L. Higginbotham - Truth for Today Publishing

**goatskin leather: "The Septuagint translates these to be animal skins that were dyed blue. There were four layers of coverings for the tabernacle. The first was fine twined linen embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet (Exodus 36:18-13). Fine lined signifies purity and righteousness. It was embroidered with cherubim for guarding and keeping, and was quite a colorful interior, much like wallpaper. The second curtain or the tent proper (26:7, 36:14) was goats' hair woven with the like subtlety of those of wool (Josephus). And, as can be seen in Leviticus 4:23-24, goats represent the sin offering. The third covering was that of rams' skins dyed red, which indicates sin and the shedding of blood for sin. The fourth and final covering was that of skins dyed blue. The Septuagint renders this layer hyacinth or "skins of blue." Since blue implies separation, this would apparently signify the separation from the world of those inside who worshipped Him as well as the tabernacle itself." -- "Color in Scripture" - D.L. Higginbotham - Truth for Today Publishing

Therefore, the fine linen layer - the "heavenly" set of coverings - was completely obscured and overlapped by the dark covering of goats' hair. It was not open to observation, even in part. Heaven remained hidden to all except those who enter in through the door of the tabernacle. - www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0226.htm

⁽¹⁵⁾ “For the framework of the Tabernacle, construct frames of acacia wood.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Each frame must be 15 feet high and 27 inches wide,

⁽¹⁷⁾ with two pegs under each frame. Make all the frames identical.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Make twenty of these frames to support the curtains on the south side of the Tabernacle.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Also make forty silver bases—two bases under each frame, with the pegs fitting securely into the bases.

⁽²⁰⁾ For the north side of the Tabernacle, make another twenty frames,

⁽²¹⁾ with their forty silver bases, two bases under each frame.

⁽²²⁾ Make six frames for the rear—the west side of the Tabernacle—

⁽²³⁾ along with two additional frames to reinforce the rear corners of the Tabernacle.

⁽²⁴⁾ These corner frames will be matched at the bottom and firmly attached at the top with a single ring, forming a single corner unit. Make both of these corner units the same way.

⁽²⁵⁾ So there will be eight frames at the rear of the Tabernacle, set in sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.

⁽²⁶⁾ “Make crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle

⁽²⁷⁾ and five for the south side. Also make five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which will face west.

⁽²⁸⁾ The middle crossbar, attached halfway up the frames, will run all the way from one end of the Tabernacle to the other.

⁽²⁹⁾ Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well.

⁽³⁰⁾ “Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown* on the mountain.

*the pattern you were shown: Moses received a vision of exactly how the tabernacle should look.

⁽³¹⁾ “For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.

⁽³²⁾ Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases.

⁽³³⁾ Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant* in the room behind it. This curtain** will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place***.

*Ark of the Covenant: Or Ark of the Testimony.

**This curtain (veil): It is reported that this veil or curtain was so tightly woven that it admitted no single ray of light entered into the most Holy Place. Tradition has it that this curtain was stretched and tested against the light of the sun to be sure that the darkness of the most Holy Place was preserved.

Matthew 27:50-51: Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom...

Luke 23:45: The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.

Hebrews 10:20: By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

God dwells in the Holy of Holies. A curtain separates it from the Holy Place. This curtain seems to enclose God's glory and presence within the Holy of Holies, barring His glory from the Holy Place. Men of that time therefore can only know the things outside the curtain in the Holy Place. Apart from faith, they in their outward life cannot sense the presence of God. This curtain however, only exists temporarily. At the appointed hour, when the flesh of our Lord Jesus (which is the reality of the curtain, Hebrews 10:20) was crucified on the cross, the curtain was rent from top to bottom. What separated the Holiest and the Holy Place was removed. God's aim was not to dwell permanently just in the Holy of Holies. Quite the contrary. He desired to extend His presence to the Holy Place too. He was merely waiting for the cross to complete its work, for it is the cross, alone, which can rend the curtain and permit God's glory to shine out from the Holiest Place.

In the East, men express their sorrow by rending their garments; and the temple, when it beheld its Master die, seemed struck with horror, and rent its veil (as men tore their clothes when in mourning or upset). Shocked at the sin of man, indignant at the murder of its Lord, in its sympathy with Him who is the true temple of God, the outward symbol tore its holy vestment from the top to the bottom. Did not the miracle also mean that from that hour the whole system of types, and shadows, and ceremonies had come to an end? The ordinances of an earthly priesthood were rent with that veil. In token of the death of the ceremonial law, the soul of it quitted its sacred shrine, and left its bodily tabernacle as a dead thing. The legal dispensation is over. The rent of the veil seemed to say—"Henceforth God dwells no longer in the thick darkness of the Holy of Holies, and shines forth no longer from between the cherubim. The special enclosure is broken up, and there is no inner sanctuary for the earthly high priest to enter: the atonements and sacrifices are at an end."

Hebrews 9:8: By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

***Most Holy Place: The Holy of Holies. The priest could enter that room only once per year - on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. It falls on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, the seventh of the Religious Calendar.

So as you would enter into the Holy of Holies, of course there was no light in there, except for what was called the Shekinah, which was just an incandescent type of light, a glow that just filled the room. It was the light of the glory of the presence of God there in the Holy of Holies. - www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/chuck_smith_c2000/Exd/Exd026.html

Centuries later, the ancient general Pompey pushed aside the priests and walked right into the Most Holy place of the temple - and was astounded to see there was no idol or statue. In fact, he stated he couldn't understand why the Jews were so obsessed with an empty room!

⁽³⁴⁾ “Then put the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Most Holy Place.

Leviticus 16:2: The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.

⁽³⁵⁾ Place the table outside the inner curtain on the north side of the Tabernacle, and place the lampstand across the room on the south side.

⁽³⁶⁾ “Make another curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent. Make it of finely woven linen and embroider it with exquisite designs, using blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

⁽³⁷⁾ Craft five posts from acacia wood. Overlay them with gold, and hang the curtain from them with gold hooks. Cast five bronze bases for the posts.

---

On-Line Sources:

• An Argument of the Book of Exodus by David Malick: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=132


• Back to the Bible 101: "Jesus Christ our Redeemer, our Passover Lamb": www.geocities.com/genebrooks/exodus.html


• BibleGateway - Exodus 26: www.bible.org/netbible/exo26.htm


• Blue Letter Bible - Chuck Smith Commentary on Exodus 26-29: www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/chuck_smith_c2000/Exd/Exd026.html


• Building of the Tabernacle - Atlantic Baptist College: www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/topics/event8.htm


• Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 26: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo26.htm


• Chuck Missler - Exodus: www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/missler_chuck/Exd/Exodus-Expositional_template.html


• David Guzik's Commentary on Exodus: www.enduringword.com/commentaries/02.html


• Exodus - From Egypt to the Sanctuary: www.bibleexplained.com/moses/Exod/Exo.htm


• Gleanings in Exodus: www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus.htm


• Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Exodus: www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.Ex.xxvii.html


• Messages On Exodus - Peninsula Bible Church: www.pbc.org/library/series/10398


• Net Bible: http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm


• Preparing for the Tabernacle: www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4Preparing_for_the_Tabernacle.htm


• Selected Bibliography of Exodus: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=133


• Progress of Construction - Exodus 36: http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/43aExo.htm


• Tabernacle Model Located in Timna Park in Israel: www.bibleplaces.com/tabernaclemore.htm?gclid=CLemxevz64wCFR6AWAodsjaq7A


• The Gospel in Exodus: www.gracegems.org/LAW/Exodus.htm


• The Tabernacle - Experiencing the Pattern - Mishkan Ministries Traveling Biblical Museum: www.mishkanministries.org/shewbread.php


• The Tabernacle In The Wilderness by Wayne Blank: www.keyway.ca/htm2002/tabwild.htm


• The Tabernacle, the Dwelling Place of God by Bob Deffinbaugh , Th.M.: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=202


• The Temple Institute: www.templeinstitute.org/tabernacle.htm


• Wikipedia - Exodus: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus

Off-Line Sources:

• "Archaeological Study Bible", NIV Version - Zondervan Publishing House


• "Breath of the Holies: Secrets of Moses' Tabernacle" - DVD by Perry Stone


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• "Cruden's Complete Concordance" - Zondervan Publishing House


• "Eerdmans Handbook to the Bible", eds. David Alexander and Pat Alexander, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1973


• "Exodus Chapters 19-40: The Law" - J. Vernon McGee - Thomas Nelson Publishers


• "In Search of the Mountain of God" by Robert Cornuke and David Halbrook - Broadman & Holman Publishers


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• "Symbols of Judaism" by Marc-Alain Ouaknin


• "The Companion Bible" by E. W. Bullinger - Zondervan Publishing House


• "The Exodus Revealed: Searching for the Red Sea Crossing" - (2001), DVD, Studio: Questar, ASIN: B00005AUE2, available from Amazon.com


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• "Unger's Bible Dictionary" - Merrill F. Unger - Thomas Nelson Publishers


• "Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary" - W. E. Vine - Thomas Nelson Publishers