The Tabernacle

Lecture One

 

Introduction

The Tabernacle is one of the most exciting studies in the Bible, a great Scriptural theme that, when covered in depth, encompasses the entire message of God to man, from creation to consummation, touching on such critical truths as redemption, the church and God’s plan and purpose through the ages. The central theme of this or any other study is of course the Lord Jesus Christ – He who has loved us, washed us from our sins in His own blood and made us a kingdom of priests unto God. In this series of studies we shall see not only Christ revealed however, but also His Body, the church. We shall take the first two or three lectures to set the scene and give foundational background for the fuller understanding of the Tabernacle. Much of the scripture dealing with the Tabernacle is found in Exodus chapters 25-27. The Book of Exodus falls easily into two distinct sections. The first 19 chapters are historical, dealing with a nation in bondage, the birth and maturity of a leader, and Israel’s consequent emancipation and journeyings. The final 21 chapters are legislative and deal with the giving and putting into practice of a three-fold law. That law was moral, civil and ceremonial – the moral relating to individual life and responsibilities, the civil relating to national and community life and the ceremonial relating to religious life. In Exodus 25:1-9 we read the God-given commission to build the Tabernacle, which was to be the center piece of the nation.

What was the Tabernacle?

The Tabernacle was a temporary dwelling place, a mobile sanctuary. Ex 25:8. The two Hebrew words used most often to describe this particular tabernacle are OHEL and MISHKAN, which mean a tent of habitation or residence. In other words it was a portable church! But in Old Testament understanding the Tabernacle was far more than just a gathering place, it was the place where the glory and presence of God was manifested. It was also called the Tent of Meeting and the Tent of Testimony – it was the place where God and man met and the pledge or testimony of His faithfulness – visible evidence of His commitment to the covenant He had made to be with His people. God was meticulous in His plans for the Tabernacle (Ex 25:40), Moses was meticulous in implementing those plans (Ex 40:16), and we need to be meticulous in studying the Tabernacle for there is a wonderful message in every detail. The structure itself was an oblong, made of wooden boards, with various materials making up a tent-like roof with material hangings for doorways. It sat in a courtyard marked out by linen walls. Altar and brass basin sat in the courtyard and various items were kept inside the building, including a table of bread, a 7-branched candlestick, an altar of incense and the ark of God. Every single item is rich in prophetic significance, including the very positioning of items.

Why the Tabernacle?

Why did God ask for this Tabernacle to be built? God has always had a deep yearning to fellowship with, be with His special creation, Man. The Tabernacle was just one example of how through the ages God has gone to great lengths to draw us into fellowship with Himself. It’s incredible – how casual or indifferent we can be about coming into His presence, when you consider the lengths He has gone to be with us! God has always desired a close intimacy with us, He created us not just to worship Him, but to fellowship with Him. Even when sin broke that special relationship, His desire didn’t change. It was man who turned away not God, and to this day it is man who stays away, not God.

Through the ages God has used different means to dwell with us. It’s not so much a matter of trying out methods to see which is best, but more a series of progressive illustrations, pointing, leading towards the most intimate of friendships. Consider the following:

• God in the Garden. Genesis 3:8. God didn’t just create us and leave us, He came on a regular basis to enjoy the friendship of His creation.
• God in the Tabernacle. Ex 25:8 God becomes a pilgrim to lead the pilgrims, occupied a tent to be with His tent dwellers. Ex 25:22.
• God in Solomon’s Temple. 1 Kings 8:11. From pilgrimage to residency. We now find the Lord settled in a permanent house amidst a settled and permanent people.
• God in Zerubbabel’s Temple. Ezra 6:15,16. This temple was poor and insignificant but God was pleased to dwell there. God only accepts the best, but this was their best, their hearts and attitudes were right, and that was enough for God.
• God NOT in Herod’s temple! Herod was wicked and built a temple for the wrong reasons. There was no ark, no glory. Jesus only ever ministered in its outer courts, it was not His Father’s house, it was a den of thieves. It was man’s attempt to try and manipulate God and meet God on man’s terms. We can only ever fellowship with God on His terms, never on ours.
• God in Christ. 2 Cor 5:19. The tabernacle and temples, glorious though some of them were, were only crude illustrations of God’s ultimate purpose. They were burdened with formalities, regulations and restrictions because of man’s sinfulness that had not yet been cleansed. But God was, in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. Rituals and regulations are cold and inflexible, aloof and distant, selective and restrictive. But we see Jesus, full of compassion, mercy, grace, truth. John said “We beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”. The tabernacle wore out, the temples were so often short lived. Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, Zerubbabel’s by Antiochus, Herod’s by Titus, and even Christ’s body was crucified by the Romans, but we are now approaching the unfathomable glory of God’s eternal purpose. In the garden He walked among us, in Christ He walked among us, but now we come to a new and thrilling dwelling…

• God in you! Christ in you, the hope of glory. 1 Cor 3:16-17, 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16, Col 1:27, John 14:20, 15:2-7 and 17:21-23. How much closer can you get. In His quest to fellowship with us, God has come to indwell us, to actually live within us by His Spirit. We are the temple of God! It is interesting to note that the Greek word naos, translated temple in those Corinthian verses was used specifically of the holy of holies in the temple at Jerusalem, the very place where God’s glory was manifested. How important is holiness when we realise that God indwells us. And yet, even this physical temple, wonderful though it is, is only an earthen vessel that will ultimately have to be changed or exchanged (2 Cor 3:18, 4:7; 1 Cor 15:51-52).
• God in us. Besides dwelling in us individually, God also indwells us collectively. Eph 3:10, 4:11-16, Ez 37:26-28.
• God and Man together forever. The final dwelling. 2 Cor 5:1-8. Death shall be swallowed up in victory, our earthly tent will be laid aside and a heavenly one taken up, an eternal tabernacle of fellowship with God. It all began with God coming down to fellowship with us, and it will end with us going up to fellowship with Him!

Four principles to bear in mind

God’s Plan.

The Tabernacle was God’s idea. It is always God who takes the initiative, always the Father who draws us. It is up to us to respond, but God takes the lead. Look at Noah, Abraham, Moses etc. When we do God’s bidding God’s way, we will witness the glory. This plan includes giving – the tabernacle was built by the contributions of everyone. It was a magnificent structure, and no matter how small the contribution, everyone had some part to play in it. The same applies today in the building of His church, as we give of our materials, our time, support, effort, prayers, gifts, talents, offerings etc. – these are received by God and used to build something breathtaking.

God’s Purpose.

Ex 25:8. God wanted to dwell amongst His people, be seen in their midst. The Tabernacle afforded them a glimpse of God. Psalm 27:4. Through the Tabernacle they could see God’s beauty and hear His voice. It’s the same today. The Tabernacle, the Church, affords the world a glimpse of God so they can see His beauty and hear His voice.

God’s Pattern.

Ex 25:40. Obedience brings blessing. Look at Ex 40. When we do what God asks in the way that He asks, we shall see the glory. Rev 11:1 and Ex 31:1-7. We too have the instruction of the Word and Anointing of the Spirit.

God’s Previews.

The Tabernacle is just a shadow, a physical foreshadowing of a spiritual reality. Though it existed physically and was totally functional, it actually represented a far greater reality, God’s reality. As we go on, we shall see that the Tabernacle was actually an amazing preview of what God is doing now, and what He did then and is doing now are both representations of His heavenly reality.