When the Tabernacle was built and put in the center of their lives, it cost each person. Every man and woman freely gave so that the Tabernacle could be constructed as a place to find God. The Tabernacle was going to be filled with the glory and the presence of God. God was bringing them from their past into a new life where they would be a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. Everything they gave was something God had provided when they made their exodus from Egypt. Now, God wanted them to recognize His place in their lives.
The cost to build the Tabernacle was great, Exodus 25-26,
Each socket around the base of the Tabernacle required 75 pounds of silver. There were 100 silver sockets. (7,500 pounds of silver) Numbers 1:46said: they gave 603,350 silver coins that weighed ½ shekel each to supply the silver. Each man over 20 was required to give a beka or ½ shekel of silver or .02 ounces. (Exodus 30:13) This was ransom money.
Exodus 30:12-13 NKJVWhen you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them. This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord.
The silver sockets were made of the redemption money, (Exodus 30:11-14; Exodus 38:25-28).
Later this became known as the Temple tax, (2 Chronicles 24:6; Matthew 17:24). Every man in Israel that was 20 years and older was required to pay the Temple tax to maintain the Temple.
Why would God require them to continue giving this?
This redemption money kept the plague from among them, (Exodus 30:11-14; Exodus 38:25-28). The silver sockets that were made from the redemption money was a constant reminder that their fellowship with God rested on the cost of redemption.
The believer’s foundation is Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.
1 Peter 1:18–19 NKJV Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Our redemption was purchased with the precious blood of Christ.
The Tabernacle measured 45 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet high.
The Holy Place was 30 ft. X 15 ft. The Holy of Holies was 15 ft. X 15 ft. There were twenty upright boards on each side and six on the west end, and 5 pillars at the entrance, (Exodus 26:26-37). The five entrance pillars of acacia wood were covered with gold and stood on bronze sockets. Each board was 15 feet long, 27 inches wide, and 3 inches thick (Exodus 26:15-30). The boards were joined together with five horizontal bars, two on the top and bottom and one bar going through middle, (Exodus 26:26-29). The bars were held in place with rings of gold. Two tenons were in the bottom of each board to bind them together in the sockets of silver. (Exodus 26:17) The two back corner boards had rings of gold at the top corner to firmly fit the Tabernacle together.
All of the gold for the Tabernacle was a free-will offering.
Exodus 38:24 NKJV All the gold that was used in all the work of the holy place, that is, the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
The 29 talents and 703 shekels of gold weighed 2,741 pounds to do the work of the holy place. The necessary silver to complete the construction including the silver sockets needed equaled 150,887 ½ ounces or 9,430.5 pounds of silver.
Bronze (brass) speaks of judgment.
They needed 106,200 ounces of brass or 6,637.5 pounds. The women gave their bronze mirrors to make the laver, (Exodus 38:8). All of the furniture on the outside of the Tabernacle was made with bronze. The Brazen Altar was a place of sacrifice and judgment. The Laver was a place of washing to cleanse from defilement. Once past the entrance of the Tabernacle, the Priest only saw gold and silver. Once inside of the Tabernacle, the judgment was behind.
The Tabernacle was constructed of the precious gems, fine linen, and precious items that they gave.
- Ten curtains of linen dyed blue (heaven), purple (royalty), and scarlet (blood) with artistic designs of cherubim, (Exodus 26:1; Exodus 36:8) were 42 feet long and 6 feet wide. They are a testimony of holiness to the Lord. These curtains were joined with fifty clasps of gold.
- Eleven curtains of goat’s hair were 36″ longer than the linen curtain or 45 feet long and 6 feet wide. These black curtains were used to protect the linen curtains. (Exodus 26:7-8; Exodus 36:14-15) The black goat’s hair represented the sacrifice or judgment of sin. The sacrifice provides holiness to the Lord. These curtains were joined with fifty bronze clasps that were put into loops at the edge of the curtains.
- One unified ram’s skin curtain dyed red (shed blood), (Exodus 25:5; Exodus 26:14; Exodus 35:7, 23). (Red – blood covering)
- The outer covering was one unified badgers skin plain and unadorned, (Exodus 26:14; Exodus 35:7,23; Exodus 36:19,34). (Humility)
There was no outward beauty of the Tabernacle. Isaiah 53 prophesied about Christ and said: “There is no beauty that we should desire Him,” (Isaiah 53:2).
The veil of the Holy Place was made of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen thread.
It was woven with an artistic design of gold figures of cherubim. (Exodus 26:31; Exodus 36:35; 2 Chronicles 3:14). The veil represented the person and body of Jesus Christ.
It rested on 4 gold covered pillars in two silver sockets each. Traditional teaching indicates the veil was 4″ thick or one handbreadth thick.
The Tabernacle became the focal point of their lives.
All of the activity of their lives was around the Tabernacle. Everywhere they went in the camp, they were made aware of this place where they met with God. Exodus 25:8 God said: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Everything they were asked to do worked out for their benefit. They were preparing for the presence of God.
The work of the Lord must be in the center of our lives. He cannot be put off into the corner of your life. God must dwell in the center of your life.
In Exodus 39:32-43, when the work was finished, they brought the Tabernacle to Moses.
He examined all they had done and it was just as the Lord had commanded. Then Moses blessed them. On the first day of the first month, they erected and arranged the Tabernacle.
They could not build anything they wanted to.
They had heard from God and followed His pattern in every exact measurement. Every article had to fit the pattern. If it was to represent Christ, it must meet God’s design.
If we are going to be like Jesus Christ, we must live the way God designs.
We must hear from Him and follow His pattern. We are building something with our lives that follows God’s design. It is not about our sacrifice. It is not about what we want or like. We are working toward the image and likeness of Christ.
When the Tabernacle was erected, all 12 tribes had access to the glory of God. It was in the midst of them all.
Exodus 25:22 NKJV When they finish, God said: “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.”
There I will meet with you. This was a tent of meeting.
Leviticus 8:14-15 NKJV And he (Moses) brought the bull for the sin offering. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering, and Moses killed it. Then he took the blood, and put some on the horns of the altar all around with his finger, and purified the altar. And he poured the blood at the base of the altar, and consecrated it, to make atonement for it.
The sacrifice was necessary to make atonement and consecrate everything associated with the Tabernacle, the priests, and the altar. Once the blood covering was applied they found atonement, reconciliation, and peace at the altar. This was the place where the sacrifice was to be made and access to God was attained by the blood of the sacrifice.
God gave Moses the design of the Tabernacle.
Several pieces of furniture were constructed.
- The BRAZEN ALTAR was the place of sacrifice.
- The LAVER was a place to wash.
- The TABLE OF SHOWBREAD indicated God’s provision of food.
- The LAMPSTAND served as a symbol of God’s light.
- The ALTAR OF INCENSE symbolized prayer, worship, and Christ our Intercessor.
- The ARK OF THE COVENANT was the place where mercy was realized and where God would come down.
The Brazen Altar was the first piece of furniture,
God positioned the place of the sacrifice before fellowship and mercy. Before fellowship with God, there is sacrifice. The blood for the covering for sin must be spilled to provide a way into God’s presence. There is no fellowship with God without the shedding of blood.
The OUTER COURT was a place of sacrifice and death.
This was where the life of the animal was given for the sinner. This was where a covering and atonement was made. This slain sacrifice was placed on the altar and burned. The outer court smelled of smoke and burning flesh. The outer court was a place where the blood was spilled. Peace and atonement from within the Holy of Holies cannot be gained if the sacrifice is not offered and the blood is not spilled. Everything that happens within the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies depends on what happens at the altar.
In the new covenant, the blood of the Lamb of God secures peace on the inside while there is judgment on the outside.
The blood of the Lamb of God secures life, a future and hope. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God gives a covering. Jesus Christ went to the cross, suffered, and died to secure our peace and access to God. His blood is the only covering for our sins and transgressions. His blood gives us an entrance into the Father’s presence.
Ephesians 2:13 NKJVBut now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Jesus entered into heaven into the presence of the Father to make atonement for our sins. His blood is the blood of covering. His blood gives us peace, new life and safety.
What takes place in the Tabernacle is fulfilled on the cross of Christ.
He was nailed to the cross and gave up His life to provide salvation and make peace with God for us. The cross of Christ gives us eternal hope. The blood of the cross of Christ completely provides for our redemption. The cross and the blood reflect light on each other. The cross is powerful through the blood of Christ that is spilled.
When we look at the cross, we must think about what was done there.
Christ conquered the power of sin on the cross. The cross of Christ is the place where fellowship with God is purchased and peace is gained. He carried the load of the shame of our sin in the cross. He took our sickness and pain in the cross. The only method for delivering humanity was on the cross of Christ. Jesus Christ won the victory over the power of sin through the cross. His sacrifice and spilled blood provides our eternal redemption, to the glory of the Father. The Lord’s blood has blotted out the guilt of our sin through His victory. Through the cross of Christ, we have the victory.
