THE TABERNACLE
The Brazen Altar
(Exodus 27:1-8, 40:6, 10, 29)
5 cubits long x 5 cubits wide x 3 cubits high (7 1/2 ft x 7 1/2 ft x 4 1/2 ft or 23 m x 23 x 1.38 m)
The brazen altar was made of shittim (acaccia) wood. It was square and covered with bronze (brass). The four corners had horns overlaid with bronze. Also there were pans to receive ashes, shovels, basins, fleshhooks (forks), and fire pans, all of bronze. A bronze grate with a bronze ring in each corner was put under the brazen altar. Staves (carrying poles) were made of shittim wood covered with bronze to carry the altar.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 27:1-8)
God wanted to dwell among his people. How does a holy God dwell among sinful? First God required the people to sacrifice a perfect animal for their sins (Leviticus 17:11). The blood of the animal was important to justify the people before God. Only the finest animal - a perfect one - was good enough. Sacrifices needed to be offered on a regular basis (Hebrews 9:25).
The person bringing the offering would put his hand on the head of the lamb while it was killed (photo below - is a goat. "Viewer discretion is advised"). This symbolically put the person's sins onto the animal, and the animal dies in his place.
To think about:
- Jesus is our perfect sacrifice and shed his blood for our sins (See John 1:29; Revelation 13:8; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 4:25.) Jesus was not only the perfect sacrifice, but his sacrifice covered all sins - past and future. No more sacrifices are required.
Laver of Bronze
(Exodus 30: 17-21; 40:7, 30-32; Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:22)
A large basin of brass, in which Aaron and his sons washed their hands and feet, was placed between the brazen altar and the Tabernacle. The LORD said if they did not wash when they came near the brazen altar to minister, they would die.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 30:18 & Exodus 38:8)
The next step was for the priest only. In fact, the rest of the work was performed by the priests on behalf of the people.
After making the sacrifice, the priest washed himself at the brass laver. This washing purified the priest and prepared him to enter the Tabernacle. In Exodus 30:20, God says they must wash so that they do not die when they enter the Tabernacle.
The brazen laver was made from brass mirrors donated by the women. The Bible does not describe the laver completely, but perhaps it had a shiny mirrored surfaced which would help the priest wash thoroughly and to remind him that the Lord sees past the outward appearance, straight into the heart.
(Exodus 26:1-37) The new holy temple - Ephesians 2:19-22)
30 cubits long x cubits wide x 10 cubits high (45 ft x 15 ft x 15 ft or 13.8 m x 4.6 m x 4.6 m)
The general appearance of the Tabernacle was that of a rectangular box. It was divided into two sections - the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies).
a. Goats' hair covering with linen beneath (Exodus 25:4; 26:7)
b. Ram skin covering dyed red (Exodus 25:5; 26:14)
c. Badger, porpoise, or sea cow skin covering (Exodus 25:5)
d. Boards (48 boards, Exodus 26:15-25)
e. Sockets (100 total, 96 silver sockets for the boards, four under the pillars of the veil)
f. Bars (Exodus 26:26-29)
g. Pillars, hooks (Exodus 26:32, 37; 36:36, 38)
The Holy Place
(Exodus 26:33, Hebrews 9:2, 6)
10 cubits wide x 20 cubits long (15 ft x 30 ft or 4.6 m x 9.2 m)
The priest entered into the Holy Place daily to minister to the LORD. The table of the showbread stood on the right, the seven-branched golden candlestick (lampstand) stood on the left, and the altar of incense stood in the Holy Place right in front of the veiled Holy of Holies.
The Golden Lampstand (Candlestick)
(Exodus 25:31-40)
The lampstand or candlestickd was made of pure, hammered gold, one solid piece. It had a central shaft with six branches, three on each side, making it a seven-branched lampstand. Each branch had knobs, flowers, and an almond-shaped bowl to hold pure olive oil. It was part of the priests' ministry to keep the lamp burning perpetually.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 25:31-40 & Exodus 26:35)
From the laver, the priest passed through a veil into the Holy Place. the room he entered had three objects: a golden lampstand on the south, a table on the north and an altar of incense to the west just before the veil to the most holy place, the Holy of Holies.
The unique lampstand was beaten from a single piece of gold. It was not pieced together. Scripture tells us it was fueled by oil, not wax. It had lamps at the top of each branch, not candles.
Its purpose was to provide light in this otherwise dark room Trimming the lamp wicks to keep them burning brightly was an important job for the priest..
To think about:
- Jesus called himself the light of the world in many places in the Bible. See John 12:46.
- Christians are called to be lights. See Acts 13:47.
The Table of Showbread (Shewbread)
(Exodus 25:23-30; Hebrew 9:2)
2 cubits long x 1 cubit wide x 1 1/2 cubits high (36 in x 18 in x 27 in or 92 cm x 46 cm x 69 cm)
The table of showbread was made of shittim (acacia wood. It was overlaid with gold and had a crown or frame of gold around it that was as wide as a man's hand. A ring of gold was put on each of the four legs, to put the carrying poles through. The carrying poles were made of shittim wood overlaid with gold. Also made of pure gold were the dishes, pans, pitchers and bowls. Twelve loaves of bread were placed on the table, six in a row. Fresh bread was placed there every Sabbath.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 25:23-30)
On the Table of Showbread, Aaron and his sons placed twelves loaves of bread made from fine flour. These twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The table with the loaves was a continual remainder of the everlasting promises, the covenant between God and the Children of Israel, and a memorial of God's provision of food. The bread was eaten by Aaron and his sons and was replaced every week on the Sabbath.
To think about:
- Jesus called himself the "Bread of Life." See John 6:35 and 6:51. He said that those who came to him would never hunger again. Physical bread - even the special bread of the Tabernacle - is consumed. But the spiritual Bread of Life, Jesus, gives eternal life.
- Hebrews 8:6, 7 and Hebrews 10:16 tell of a better covenant through Jesus, one superior to the Old Testament covenant to Israel. The law would be written on people's hearts, not on tablets of stone.
(Exodus 30:1-10; Hebrews 9:2)
1 cubit long x 1 cubit wide x 2 cubits high (1 1/2 ft x 1 1/2 ft x 3 ft or 46 cm x 46 cm x 92 cm)
The altar of incense was made from shittim (acacia) wood. Its four corners each had a horn made from one piece. Its top, sides, and horns were overlaid with gold, with a crown or molding all around the top. Aaron, the High Priest, burned incense upon it every morning and evening. Once a year,, on the Day of Atonement, the horns of the altar were sprinkled with the blood of the sin offering.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 30:1-10)
The Lord required that special incense be burned constantly on the altar of incense. It was a special sweet incense, a mixture of spices to be used only for the Tabernacle. See Exodus 30:35-37. God specifically required this recipe. None other was to burned on the altar. It was a matter of life and death, as Leviticus 10:1, 2 clearly shows us, when two of Aaron's sons offered a "strange fire" before the Lord and were struck dead. In the New Testament (Luke 1:5-13), the priest Zacharias was in the Holy Place when a angel appeared near the Table of Incense. Zacharias fell down with fear. The angel announced that God had heard Zacharias's prayers and he and his wife would have a son (John the Baptist).
To think about:
- Incense represents the prayers of the faithful. There are several references to this in the book of Revelation (5:8; 8:3, 4).
(Exodus 26:31-33; Hebrews 10:19, 20)
A woven veil of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, with designs of cherubim embroidered on it, was hung on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Four gold hooks were put in four sockets of silver. the veil was hung from these, and was a divider between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 26:33 & Exodus 30:10)
The Veil separated the holy placed from the most holy place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. It was a barrier between God and man. Once a year Aaron would enter the most holy place (Holy of Holies) through this veil. The veil was a heavy woven cloth stretching for ten cubits (15 feet or 4.6 meters). There was no separation in the middle. The high priest had to go around the side to enter the most holy place.
Later when the Temple was constructed, it followed a similar design. The veil of the Temple was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died. This symbolizes the ability of every believer, not just a high priest, to approach God through the death of Jesus.
To think about:
- For hundreds of years, the Israelites needed a human high priest to represent them before God. Read Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 9:1, and Hebrews 10:11, 12.
The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)
10 cubits long x 10 cubits wide (15 ft x 15 ft or 4.6 m x 4.6 m)
Also called the Holy of Holies, here resided the Ark of the Covenant. It was exactly one-half the length of the Holy Place. The shekinah glory of God rested upon the lid of the Ark (Mercy Seat). The high proest entered the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for his sins and the people's sins.
.JPG)
(Exodus 25:10-16; Hebrews 9:4)
2 1/2 cubits long x 1 1/2 cubits wide x 1 1/2 cubits high (45 in x 27 in or 115 cm x 69 x 69 cm)
The Ark was made of acacia wood. It was overlaid with gold, inside and out. A gold crown or molding was set around the edge of the top. Four gold rings, one in each leg were placed for the carrying poles. The poles were acacia wood overlaid with gold. The Mercy Seat was set on top of the Ark.
The Mercy Seat
(Exodus 25:17-22; Hebrews 9:5)
2 1/2 cubits long x 1 1/2 cubits wide (45 in x 27 in or 115 cm x 69 cm)
The Mercy seat was made of pure gold. It had a winged cherub on each side, facing each other with wings outstretched above them, towards each other. The Mercy Seat was beaten or hammered from one solid piece of gold. It was placed above the Ark.
Pattern of Worship
(Exodus 25:10, 14-16; Exodus 25:22; Hebrews 9)
The central focus of the entire Tabernacle was the most holy place where God spoke to the high priest above the Mercy Seat - the area where the winged cherubim face each other.
Annually the high priest would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of all the people.
God's purpose and desire is to dwell among his people and to commune with them. The layout of the Tabernacle, along with the steps of sacrifice, cleansing, and remembering God's promises are all designed to bring sinful mankind to a loving and Holy God.
To think about:
- Christianity is not a religion in which man reaches to know God. It is God who approaches his creatures and makes it possible for them to know Him. (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8, 9)
- Our efforts to be "good people" are not enough to approach God. Jesus alone is the Way to God (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-23)
The Twelve Tribes
East of the Tabernacle
Moses Aaron & Sons
(Numbers 2)
The Tribe of Judah - 74,600
The Tribe of Issachar - 54,400
The Tribe of Zebulun - 57,400
The families of Kohath
(Numbers 2)
The Tribe of Reuben - 46,500
The Tribe of Simeon - 53,300
The Tribe of Gad - 45,650
The families of Gershonites
(Numbers 2)
The Tribe of Ephraim - 40,500
The Tribe of Manasseh - 32,200
The Tribe of Benjamin - 35,400
North of the Tabernacle
The families of Merari
(Numbers 2)
The Tribe of Dan - 62,700
The Tribe of Asher - 41,500
The Tribe of Naphtali - 53,400
The Tabernacle was in the center of the Israelite camp. The 12 Tribes of Israel were encamped around it. The flags refer to the number of the males age 20 or over in each tribe. The total would be 603,550.
Closing
Israelites Communued with God through the Tabernacle / Christians Commune with God Through Jesus
- Brazen Altar for sacrifices / Christ Sacrifice
- Laver of Brass for washing / Cleansing through confession
- Candlestick or Lampstand / Enlighted by the Holy Spirit
- Table of Showbread / Fed by the Living Word
- Altar of Incense / Prayer, communication, intercession
- Through the Veil into the Most Holy Place / Entering God's presence boldly through Christ.
- Priests and the garments / Service to God and others.
Why is The Tabernacle Important Today?
- Today, we are God's dwelling place. 1 Corinthians 6:19
- God's Holy presence is among us. Exodus 40:34-38
- As believers, we are part of a priesthood. 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6, and Hebrews 4:16.
- The Tabernacle shows a pattern of worship prescribed by God. Hebrews 10:19-25
Sources:
Rose Book of Bible Chart, Maps, and Time Lines, Rose Publishing
Photos by: I. Pogue
