The Tabernacle - The Architect, materials, and Craftsmen
The Tabernacle was given for many reasons. It showed that God’s desire was to dwell with men.
Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
It was given to teach of God’s holiness. His holiness separates Him from the people.
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which [are] upon the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
You could not meet with God any old way you wanted to. He was only going to commune with them from above the mercy seat. They could not say we like it out here God so you come down and meet with us where we are.
That sounds kind of disrespectful, and arrogant doesn’t it. But is that not what most churches are doing today. Instead of lifting men up to God they try to bring God down to men. Instead of moving to a Holy God they want a Holy God to move to them. Instead of forsaking their sin to fellowship with a Holy God they want God to fellowship with them in their sin.
It was given to teach men their sinfulness. The walls shut man out.
Num. 3:10 tells us “and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
It showed how a sinful man could come before a Holy God for atonement, for worship, and service. People could only approach God through blood atonement and a mediating priesthood.
The Tabernacle was given to teach that the only way of approach was through blood. Heb 9:22
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The Tabernacle was given to point to Jesus. It was a type and figure of Jesus Christ, His Work, His life, His attributes, and His Character.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
The Tabernacle was an Object Lesson to the Israelites.
It was the only Bible that most of them had. Yes they had some of the 1st 5 books at this time. But most people did not have their own copy. But they could see the Tabernacle and the lessons it teaches every day.
The Tabernacle stood as a testimony to Israel and to the world of God’s glory, God’s truth, and God’s ways. The Tabernacle was used for almost 500 years.
Israel had a propensity toward idolatry. The Tabernacle was a visual reminder to serve the true and living God.
The Tabernacle made God accessible but He was only accessible His way.
The Tabernacle was a picture of Jesus who tabernacle among His people John 1:14
Jesus is the High Priest, Jesus is the perfect blood sacrifice, and Jesus is the only way.
The Architect
God Himself was the architect, and the mechanical engineer, and the pattern maker of the whole structure and all of its furniture.
Nothing is left to chance. There is no place left for human scheming. God showed Moses the pattern in the mount and warned him to follow it closely.
Exo 25:40 And look that thou make [them] after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Moses was in the mount with God for 40 days and 40 nights Ex 24:9-18
Then interrupted
Then 40 more days and nights
During this time Moses received the instructions from God for the construction of the tabernacle among other things. Moses receive a lot of detailed instructions over the course of those 80 days.
God is the one who sets the rules. God tells us what to do and how to do it. All God’s work must be done God’s way. He has a right to tell us how to do it and He has a right to expect us to do it.
According to the Pattern. Many times you will read God stressing this point.
Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Imagine for a moment the joy of Moses at this news. The God of the universe would dwell among the Israelites. The God of the universe dwells in the hearts of men when they get saved.
Exo 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, [after] the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make [it].
Nothing was left to Moses’ speculation. He was shown every minute detail. Even all of the instruments.
More than 20 times in the instructions we read “as the Lord commanded Moses.”
It was God’s Plan and not mans.
This point cannot be stressed enough today. A day were most men try to serve God their own way and come up with their own plans. Today they want a God that give wealth and health. They do not want a God that gives orders. Our God does to have a plan and He does care how His work is done and He does care how we worship Him. And we are to do it His way.
It’s Position in the camp
When the camp was at rest the tabernacle was always in the middle.
The Tabernacle was in the center of the camp. It was the focal point of their community and their life.
Between the Tabernacle and the people camped the Levites.
Judah, Issachar, and Zebulum camped on the east side
Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south side
Ephriam, Manasseh, Benjamin on the West side
Dan, Asher, and Naphtali on the north side.
God is a God of order. He not only told them what laws to obey, and exactly how to make the Tabernacle. But He also told them exactly were to camp.
And when they moved, God told them exactly how to do it. And it was to be done decently and in order. It was well planed out and the plan was God’s plan. And it worked well. That is another timeless truth. When God makes a plan it is for the best. Our churches would do well to get back to God's plan.
The east side went first in the move
The south side went second
The Levites with the tabernacle were in the middle in the move
The West side went third
The North side went forth with the tribe of Dan going last.
They always had to start out toward the east. If they started going North, they would run into the tribes waiting to move out. So not only was the tabernacle always facing the east but when they took their first steps it was always east. When Jesus comes back the Bible tells us He is going to come from the east.
The priests camped on the east side and they had overall supervision of the tabernacle. Numbers 3:38
And each family of the Levites had specific duties assigned them by God.
The Kohathites who camped on the south were in charge of the furniture and the Vail. Num 3:29-30 and they had no equipment to transport these items Num 7:9
The Gershonites who camped on the west were responsible for the covering, the fence, and the hangings. Reference Num. 3:23-26
They had two wagons and 4 oxen to transport their items. Reference Num 7:7
The Merarites who camped on the north were in charge of the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, and bases. Numbers 3:35-37
They had 4 wagons and 8 oxen to transport their items. Numbers 7:8
God assigned different tasks, different areas of responsibility to specific people.
I believe in a God called ministry. I believe that it is God who calls men and matches them up with the people he is to minister to. With the job that they are to do.
God even assigned who was going to carry the boards. I believe that God also assigns ladies to work in the nursery and people to work in children’s church. He does it by speaking to your heart about it.
So why do so many jobs go undone? It is not because God does not want them done, and it is not because He is not speaking to hearts about it.
The reason is that God’s people are refusing. Man does have a free will.
God’s people have forgotten that He assigns who is going to carry the boards and he assigns who is going to carry the curtains. We as a people have forgotten that He has a right to assign jobs.
And in the move everyone had a job. No one was left out.
If you are saved and not doing something in God’s work, then you are not listening.
God is not just the God of the church house. He is also to be the God of the home. He wants to be God in every area of our lives.
And when the camp moved the Tabernacle was the first thing to be set back up. It was tended to before they set up their own tents.
Jesus is to be the focal point of our lives.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
And if we Love Him we will obey Him.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Over the Tabernacle was the Cloud. This represented the presence of God. It was a pillar cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Ps 78:4
Their movements were controlled by the cloud. If it moved they moved. If it didn’t move, then they did not move.
Exo 40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
Exo 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
This is a timeless truth for us. We need to have our movements led by God. Many people make changes without the leading of God. Until God moves you stick it out. Don't move without the leading of God.
As long as the cloud was with them, they knew the Lord was in their midst. It remained with them until they entered the land. Ex 40:38
In this aspect the cloud is a picture of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will not leave us unit the redemption of the purchased possession Eph 1:14
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
The Materials
Exo 25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3 And this [is] the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
Exo 25:4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' [hair],
Exo 25:5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
Exo 25:6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
Exo 25:7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
The people provided the materials and they were to give with willing hearts.
God loves a cheerful giver.
2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
What they gave God had provided. Everything belongs to God anyway. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and all the gold in the mine.
God’s plan is and has always been to accomplish His purpose thru the giving of His redeemed people. And not thru the selling of chicken dinners. And not thru putting cell phone towers on the church steeple.
God told Moses that the financing of this building project was to come from the children of Israel. Not thru strangers.
They were to give specific materials because they all have meaning.
Gold = Deity John
Silver – Redemption
Brass = Divine Judgment
Blue – heavenly color - Jesus came from heaven.
Purple – royal color – Jesus is the King
Scarlet – color of sacrifice – Jesus went to the cross, shed His blood to pay for our sins
White – Righteousness - Jesus was without sin
These colors were used for the curtains, veil, robes, and gate.
Goats’ hair – Sin offering
Rams’ skins dyed red – blood
Badgers’ skins – plain, rejected, despised
Shittim wood – cut off
Fine linen - purity of Christ
Oil for light – speaks of the Holy Spirit
Anointing oil – sealing of the Spirit
Sweet incense – worship and prayer
Onyx stones Ex 28:12 The stones were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. Heb 9:24
Who furnished all this material.
Spoiled the Egyptians 12:36
They got their wages for the years of unpaid labor.
God provided the materials but they had to give it of a free will. If you are putting that tithe check in with a bad spirit, then you just need to keep your stinking money. You giving with the wrong attitude is not going to buy God off.
No material came from strangers. Only His people.
And it was more than enough. 2 Cor 8:12
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.
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.
Exo 36:7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
If everyone would give, then there would always be enough for God's work. Always. It is God's plan and it is a good one. We just need to put it in place.
God did not need them. God could have spoken and all the material could have just appeared. But God would have His people to have a personal part in His work.
If God wants a church to go thru a building project, then God will provide His people with enough to give.
The question really becomes a matter of the heart. We need to be like the church in 2 Cor chapter 8.
2Co 8:1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2Co 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
2Co 8:3 For to [their] power, I bear record, yea, and beyond [their] power [they were] willing of themselves;
2Co 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and [take upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
2Co 8:5 And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
What a wonderful response of the people who gave for the Tabernacle. The gave so much that they had to be told to quit giving. Look at the results when everyone is involved in giving what they could with a willing heart.
The Craftsmen
Who did the work.
Exo 35:10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;
Exo 35:25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, [both] of blue, and of purple, [and] of scarlet, and of fine linen.
Exo 35:26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' [hair].
God stirred up the hearts of men and women and they listened. They got busy and the work got done. That is God’s plan. God’s plan is that His people do the work.
My first pastor used to tell of how he took over a church one time and noticed that the lady that ran the nursery never came to any of the services. Not ever. Not once. When he checked into it he found out that not only was she not a member of the church, but that she was not even saved.
None of the ladies in the church would submit to the leading of God. None of them would work in the nursery. So the old pastor let them just hire someone to do the job.
That is not right. The new pastor fired that lady and preached to those women.
God’s plan is to have God’s people do the work of God.
But not haphazardly. Not everyone doing his own thing his own way.
Exo 35:30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
Exo 35:31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
Here we see again a God called God enabled man.
Exo 35:32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exo 35:33 And in the cutting of stones, to set [them], and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.
Exo 35:34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, [both] he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
The God called God enabled man had put in his heart that he may teach. And look at who he is to teach.
Exo 35:35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, [even] of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.
All of the workers were to be taught by the God called God enabled man.
These workers were endowed by divine wisdom We also need divine wisdom to do God’s work.
Jam 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
They worked for the right reason. They worked for love and not money
They worked according to God’s pattern
They worked under the leadership of God’s man. And these principals have not changed. They are all timeless truths.
And we need to do the same as they did.
We have seen many timeless truths today.
God has a plan for His work.
God's work is to be done God's way.
God's work is to be financed thru the giving of God's people.
God's people are to give willingly
God' people are to do the work
God calls and enables men
The God called God enabled man is to teach and direct the people in the work.
These are all timeless truths that we can learn from the tabernacle that apply to us today.