Building the Tabernacle
Book of Exodus Chapters 36 through Chapter 40
We love our freedoms here in the USA but we are slowly giving up our freedoms to corruptness.
There is one freedom we had better be willing to fight for!
Of all the freedoms we must maintain, it is the freedom to Worship that we had better cling to the most!
When we have this freedom, then we need to build places to gather and worship!
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
We see that this is a command of the Lord who is to be the object of our worship!
It is those who are going to worship who should make donations to the construction of this worship center and these donations are to be given willingly with no strings attached.
The key to our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ is the setting aside of our own desires of the flesh.
If we go into a worship service thinking only of what Jehovah can provide for us, then we have gone for the wrong reason!
Only as we give heed to the Word of God and "rest" in our Savior, can it be said we came to worship our Holy God!
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
It is only when we can ignore our flesh, that we can be free to enjoy the worship of our Awesome God.
We begin with something that is never heard in the modern Church Era.
*****Exo 36:4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;
Exo 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
Today in every place of worship we only hear that we could do more if we had more.
People need a place to worship much more than they need to figure out how to spend or in many cases to save that donation!
These people finally began to realize they were becoming a part of something incredibly special, at least most of them did.
Today we raise money to see what we can do with it, when we should make better plans for the ministry and raise what it would take to accomplish that ministry.
I have found that most Christians are generous, but these same Christians do not like to see waste!
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Sometimes too much can cause corruption in the spending of these offerings!
Remember we are not talking about tithes. The tithes are commanded, and they too are to be spent wisely and for the upkeep of the Church buildings and Church ministries, those key ministries of the Church, such as making disciples.
After salvation must come discipleship!
Most of the modern-day Church has forgotten about sacrificial giving and refuse to give even the tithe.
Most modern Churches have strayed from these two key issues!
Maybe then we could hear our pastors say as Moses said.
*****Exo 36:6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
We should understand this principle!
From last weeks lesson we must remember that too much that the Lord has provided is spent on false worship!
If the Lord has given us a work to do, He will lay the financing of that work on the hearts of the people to contribute what is necessary.
Where many a Church fail today is acting upon their own thoughts and undertaking projects before the provision of that project has been made.
I am not speaking of a work of "faith" here.
We should clearly understand the gifts that come by human means can seldom be used to gain a Heavenly Blessing!
We seem to forget that Jehovah knows what He is doing, and He uses the Holy Spirit to accomplish His wishes.
If God is not in it, it will surely not succeed!
The giving to the work of the Lord is a privilege and is not intended to ever become a burden!
This is not to say we are not to give sacrificially!
Whenever all these things are met according to the ways of the Lord, the Holy Spirit will also raise up qualified people in which this work will be assigned.
*****Exo 37:1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
Exo 37:2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
We should understand that the Ark symbolized the throne of God and His presence among the believers.
We must keep in the forefront of our minds, that all those who are ignorant of the truth of our Savior are bound for Hell!
All those who cannot relate to the truth of Jehovah, just do not know about Holiness.
They do not know how merciful and loving He is.
They cannot explain the loneliness and emptiness they feel in their heart.
They have no direction and fall into the traps of Satan, and they cannot understand why.
They have no power outside themselves.
They have no hope as they see the end of the world before them, no matter what the world does or says in trying to stop it.
They have no assurance in this life.
God has provided a sure, but straightforward way to approach Him, but it is a narrow path!
The Ark was made of shittim wood and over laid with gold.
Shittim wood is sometimes referred to as iron wood and is considered almost indestructible.
This wood symbolizes the human side of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also His sinlessness.
Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Act 13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
The Ark was completely over laid with gold within and without.
This reminds us that our Lord Jesus retained His full deity in union with His fullness of humanity!
Our Lord voluntarily emptied Himself of some unique things to come to our world and be that salvation plan of our Holy God.
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
We should keep in mind that there was never a time that our Lord Jesus was not God, the Creator of this world!
*****Exo 37:17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:
The candlestick was actually a lampstand.
It symbolized the Lord Jesus Christ as the Light in this dark world!
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
He was not only the Light in this dark world, but He is the Light of Life.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Without the Light that Our Lord has provided, all the world would be lost in darkness.
No one could see a way out of this darkness! Most are still blind to it today!
No one could see a purpose, or have meaning, or know the significance of what life is all about.
Life is not about these few years we live in these aging worthless bodies!
Life is about living eternally with the God of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ!
This first Lampstand was hammered out from one piece of gold. I cannot even fathom how this was accomplished.
This Lampstand illuminated the persons who came into the Holy of Holies. Remember God can see at all times.
This Light is for each believer! As each believer enters into the presence of God, the Light of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, will shine upon them.
Each believer then becomes Jehovah's light to this world!
Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
We must become children of the Light of Christ!
Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
As darkness approaches, we must let our little light shine even brighter!
Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
*****Exo 37:25 And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
The Altar of Incense was about 18 inches square and was covered with pure gold.
The Altar of Incense symbolized our prayers reaching into Heaven!
Our Prayers are the most powerful tool we have in our relationship with our Heavenly Father!
We really do not pray enough, and we always seem to forget about prayer when we are in need of something that only Jehovah can provide.
The Apostle Paul said we should stay in prayer mode all the time!
Many Christians have forgotten how to approach our Savior and our Heavenly Father, and it is through prayer!
God loves to hear our prayers! Our prayers are like a sweet aroma ascending up to our Heavenly Father.
Our prayers are so special to our Heavenly Father that He bottles them up so He can hear them again whenever He has not heard from us!
Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
We must seek the Lord continuously, if we ever want to make things better in our nation!
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
*****Exo 38:24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
Exo 38:25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
Moses kept inventory of all the materials used to construct the Tabernacle.
We must remember God caused the Egyptians, through Holy Ghost conviction to provide all these things to the Children of Israel.
Of the gold and silver given freely and willingly for the work on the Tabernacle all was accounted for.
Jehovah makes us aware that all the gifts given to the Church, must be accounted for and nothing is to be wasted!
We do not think much about an old tent as a worship center, but there was in fact many precious metals and jewels used with the best of wood in God's design for this House of God!
We must understand that everything, "everything" in the design of the Tabernacle was intended to lead these people to the Messiah.
Gold reminds us of the Deity and the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is all we need!
Silver reminds us of the Atonement!
Exo 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Exo 30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
Exo 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
Our "Atonement" is being reconciled to Jehovah, but not by silver and gold, but something much more precious!
It is by the precious blood of Jesus Christ!
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
It all goes back to obedience to the Word of God and those He calls to do the work!
*****Exo 39:32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
It seems that in about five months all the work for the Tabernacle was completed.
We can say this was an amazing feat, but when the plan of God is followed by people that He has personally called, things happen accordingly.
It all begins with a great plan.
God's plan is perfect.
God's plan is precise.
God's plan cannot fail.
All the work was done. We have no need to present to God work that is not complete!
God entrusted this work to specific people!
Exo 31:2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
Exo 31:6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: "and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee";
God did not trust this work to unbelievers!
These workmen were taught of Jehovah, God the Holy Spirit. There was no room for error!
God did not trust this plan to be man-made. It was God's plan! There was no human input in this plan and no human was allowed to make changes to this plan!
All the work was done! There was none of the work on the Tabernacle left undone!
There is very little if any work that is done by the world that can be said to be completely done!
Something will always be lacking in man-made worship!
Once this work was done then there was a need of an inspection.
Exo 39:42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
Exo 39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
We must understand that no matter what task the Lord calls us to do. No matter our profession. We are to work hard to accomplish what God has called us to do.
God does not call us just to see us fail!
We are to be faithful to the work God has called us to do!
We must understand that if we do our best, the results are in the hands of the Holy Spirit who called us!
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
When the Lord is pleased with our work, He will show up when we worship Him!
*****Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
The Tabernacle implies that Jehovah requires a specific worship!
The Tabernacle also implies Jehovah's sovereign rule over the Jews and having said this, it also implies complete Authority over the Church as everything about the Tabernacle will lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ!
1) Having only one gate to enter into the Tabernacle offers Jehovah's invitation to humanity.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
2) The burnt offering at the Altar shows our need for atonement.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
3) The Brazen Laver shows our need for sanctification.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
4) The Lampstand shows our need to walk with the Lord.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
5) The table of shewbread shows our need for the Lord's nourishment.
Joh 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
6) The Altar of incense shows our need for a continuous prayer life.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
7) The Inner Veil, the Ark, the Mercy Seat shows our need for personal fellowship with Jehovah.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
If we love the Lord Jesus Christ, it will show, and the Tabernacle of God will lead us to Him!
Amen
