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Exodus

Exodus 24 - 26

The Covenant Confirmed
Offerings for the Tabernacle
The Ark
The Table
The Lampstand
The Tabernacle

Exodus 26:1-3a

Chapters 20-23 are the covenant Code, presented as case law, as a reference for the practical application of the law.  This chapter resumes the narrative at the mountain of God and bridges us to the tabernacle instruction.

Nadab and Abihu are Aaron's two eldest sons (Exodus 6:23).  They would be in training to be the next generation of leaders to step in behind Moses and Aaron.  They would have been priests to the Lord.  However, from the very beginning they were irreverent and disrespected the Lord by offering strange fire.  They were consumed by the holy fire of the Lord. (Leviticus 10:1)

We see Moses was called near, then Aaron, his sons and the elders were called up but could not approach with Moses.  The people could not come up.  We'll see something very similar in the temple; the outer courts, inner courts, the holy place and the holy of holies.  There are varying degrees of preparation associated with the proximity to the presence of God. 

As Moses told the people what God had told him, they all responded appropriately.  With one voice they said they would do what God said.  This is referred to the Sinai covenant.  One approached the Lord by invite, never flippantly or irreverent.  There was to be a preparation and understanding.

 

Exodus 24:4b-8

Cutting a covenant is often pictured as an animal cut in two pieces, those making a covenant pass between them in agreement that if they break covenant, that they would end up as that animal.  This was likely the understanding, even if it wasn't always played out.  The shedding of blood with a covenant was not just what the Israelites did but was common in the middle east in those days.

Moses built an altar as previously prescribed by God.  The twelve pillars mark a divine encounter with God.  The burnt offerings were made for atonement and thanksgiving.  The fellowship offerings thank offerings, fellowship offerings or just worship.  Half of the blood wen toward sprinkling on the people and have to sprinkle on the altar to purify it.   

As Moses announced the covenant made by blood, it brings to mind the covenant the Lord would make before going to the cross:

28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

 

Exodus 24:9-12

Can you imagine being among the elders as you made your way up the mountain to see God.  Wow, talk about nervous.  No one could see God and live, or at least that was their understanding.  They saw a pavement of lapis lazuli under the feet of the Lord.  This is what's called anthropomorphic language; a big word that means they assigned human features to the God, who is spirit and has no feet like a man.   Lapis lazuli is translated from the word 'sap pir' or sapphire.  This same word is used in Ezekiel's vision of the throne. 

The text makes a point of telling us that the Lord didn't raise a hand against them as though they expected He would.  This is because of the previous warnings about keeping their distance.  They approached Him by invitation, prepared and obedient.  They saw God in some fashion and ate and drank in His presence.  This is the covenant meal, the peace offering eaten together to show they were at peace with God.  We do something very similar at the Lord's table to remember the New Covenant.

 

Exodus 24:13-18

We get a brief and rare glimpse of the hierarchy of leadership among the Israelites.  Joshua was Moses' assistant.  The next in line was Aaron and Hur.  The elders, two of which must have been Aaron and Hur, were to wait till they returned.  Moses went up the mountain as the visible splendor of God descended on it.  For seven days, Moses waited on the Lord, on the seventh day he was called up, within God's glory. 

Moses entered and remained there for 40 days and 40 nights.  The Glory looked like a consuming fire.  The elders likely assumed Moses walked to his death when entering the Glory of God. 

 

Exodus 25:1-9

We had just returned to the narrative from the case law given to the Israelites, then Moses was called to the mountain and called into the cloud of Glory to meet with the Lord.  For the next chapters (25-31, we'll see the direction Moses was give by God regarding the building of a tabernacle for worship.

Moses was given the pattern of the tabernacle and the furnishings within it (see Hebrews 8:5) on the mountain of God.  God commanded them to make a sanctuary for Him that he may dwell among them.  The tabernacle has 5 different names in the Pentateuch.

  • Sanctuary – sacred place, set apart as holy
  • Tent – temporary or collapsible dwelling
  • Tabernacle – to dwell
  • Tabernacle of congregation or meeting
  • Tabernacle of testimony

An offering was to be taken up.  When God has a project, He moves in the hearts of His people to provide the resources, means and the labor to get it done.  The required building materials are listed.  These are high value items.  They were to provide the finest for God.  The blue, purple and scarlet were expensive yarns, dyed from the mucus of a snail.  The scarlet dye was made from the larvae of an insect. 

The other type of durable leather is sometimes misconstrued to be dolphin skin.  This is not likely and not really supported by the text.  This is more likely to be another type of gem that was used to dye some things.

It is worth noting that we become these sanctuaries through Jesus.  He creates in us a sacred place for his Holy Spirit to dwell, yet it is temporary in our earthly bodies.  He tabernacled among us.  These are a picture of a place where God meets mankind.  We shouldn't think that any space could completely contain God.  He is omniscient, present in all, all the time.

 

Exodus 25:10-16

The beginning of constructing the place of worship started with the focal point and the center of all the tabernacle.  The ark and cover became this place where God met man and vice versa.  The history of the ark is fascinating and still not complete.  The location of the ark is a matter of speculation.  There are many strong suggestions it is below the temple mount, but cannot be searched for due to foreign ownership of the temple mount.  There is a church in Ethiopia that claims they have the ark and are the guardians of it until the Lord returns.  Many believe this will show up again in the end of days. 

The word used for Ark is a word meaning storage chest.  This storage chest resembled those found associated with pagan gods, particularly in Egypt.  This chest was different; it was the Ark of God, the most holy object.  This would support the atonement cover or mercy seat, the place where God would speak.  The ark was 27" x 27" x 45".  The Cover was the exact dimension to set on top of it.  This box was to be overlaid, inside and out, with gold.  Within the design were rings on the side into which poles were inserted for carrying it.  The poles were not to be removed.  Presumably to avoid the temptation to touch this holy object with sin-stained human hands.

The tablets of the covenant law were to be placed inside the ark.  Later, a jar of manna would be placed in it.  This jar was already mentioned in Ex 16:34.  Aarons staff would also be placed in the ark.  You can find this in Numbers 17:10.

 

Exodus 26:17-21

The atonement cover was a type of lid for the ark.  It was solid gold, crafted with two Cherubim with wings over the cover, facing each other, looking toward the cover.  Cherubim are seen around the throne of God in Ezekiel 1:5-9.  Some scholars speculate the posture of the Cherubim is the picture of future redeemed mankind gazing upon the throne of God.  Cherubim are often called angels but the bible doesn't say this.  They are heavenly beings, serving at the throne of God.  Images of Cherubim are woven into the fabric of the tabernacle curtains by the pattern Moses was given to model the heavenly throne.    

This mercy seat, or atonement cover was sprinkled with blood once every year on the Day of Atonement when the high priest entered the holy of holies. 

It was between these two Cherubim that God would meet with Moses and give him direction pertaining to the leading the Israelites.

 

Exodus 25:22-30

Its almost as though God liked the smell of fresh baked bread in the holy place.  He had a special table made, 36" x 18" x27" high, to hold the bread.  This table was to be overlaid with gold.  It also had rings to carry it with gold covered poles.  There was to be 12 loaves of bread on the table.  It is called the bread of Presence.  The bread was displayed for 6 days and eaten by the priests on the Sabbath as fresh bread was made and placed on the table.  Some say the bread was symbolic of the 12 tribes before the Lord.  However, we also begin to see Jesus in much of the tabernacle design.  Jesus is the bread of life, our daily provision.  I think the bread was the provision for the 12 tribes, a picture of their messiah. 

 

Exodus 25:31-

They were to make a golden lampstand as per the pattern given on the mountain.  The Hebrew word is menorah.  Not all the details are given here.  The height of the stand and its branches is not given.  Do they all rise to the same height?  This was made of 75lbs of gold, hammered out of one piece.  This would be a true craftsman who made this. 

The lampstand would hold the light, providing illumination in the holy place.  The light provided came by the oil (of the Spirit).  It lit the way to see the bread, the altar of incense and the veil before the holy of holies.  Jesus said he was the light of the world.  He shows us that He is the bread of life.  He leads us to offer our prayers rising to heaven like incense.  He provides the way to the Holy of holies, in the presence of God His blood is sprinkled to cleanse us from our sins. 

 

Exodus 26:1-14

Again, we see the pattern is important.  The tabernacle is the word 'mishkan'.  It means residence or tabernacle.  Interestingly enough, it can also mean shepherd's hut.  Our God is one of detail.  From the outside, the tabernacle was nothing special to look at.  From the inside, you would see cherubim woven into the fine linen of the curtains.  The fine linen is then covered with a goat's hair curtain.  The third layer is a ram's skin died red and over that is another durable leather or some believe possible badger or porpoise skins.  Even the unseen things deserve His attention.  Looking at the tabernacle you would see these goat hair and porpoise coverings instead of the inner beauty (Isa 53:2). 

 

Exodus 26:15-30

The structure to hold the curtain was a series of frames.  These frames would all be overlaid in gold.  Each frame had two tenons at the end.  The silver bases would go over these tenons and stabilize the frame.  The weight of these curtains would begin to add up so we can imagine how much weight in silver there might be at these bases. 

Imagine this sight from the inside; cherubin, golden structure setting on silver bases.  The crossbars served as a kind of truss or rafter across the frames.  These were also overlaid with gold. 

 

Exodus 26:31-37

Another curtain was made; finely twisted blue, purple and scarlet.  There would be cherubim woven in this one.  It would separate the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place.  Within this inner chamber, the ark would be placed with the atonement cover on it.  The tabernacle would be open toward the east.  On the side of the Holy Place would be the table of showbread.  On the south side would be the golden lampstand. 

Another curtain was to be made as access to the Holy Place from the courtyard.  The frames to support these curtains will be held in place by bronze. 

©2021 Doug Ford