Lesson 70 - Senior

Memory Verse

"We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Hebrews 8:1, 2).

Cross References

I God's Instructions and Plans for the Building of the Tabernacle

1. Since the purpose in building the Tabernacle was that God might dwell among Israel, it was important that divine instructions be adhered to, [EXO:25:8-9]; [ACT:7:44-45]; [HEB:8:1-2], [HEB:8:5]; [HEB:9:20-26].

2. The first and inside layer of the four Tabernacle coverings was to be of linen, with woven cherubims for ornamentation, [EXO:26:1-6].

3. The second layer was to be made of goats' hair, with seams so arranged that they would overlap those of the first layer, [EXO:26:7-13].

4. The third and fourth layers were to be rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, [EXO:26:14].

5. All four layers were to be supported by a framework of boards that were overlaid with gold, supported by foundation blocks of silver, and held together by wooden bars overlaid with gold, passing through rings of gold, [EXO:26:15-30]; [EXO:30:12-16]; [EXOEXO:26:15-30]; [EXO:30:12-16]; [EXO:38:25-28].

6. The veil which would divide the Tabernacle into its two parts was to be made of the finest linen, woven with a design of cherubims, [EXO:26:31-35]; [MAT:27:51]; [HEB:10:19-20].

7. A hanging for the front of the Tabernacle was also to be of linen and to have an embroidered design upon it, [EXO:26:36-37].

8. The court around the Tabernacle was to be enclosed with a linen curtain, supported by pillars of brass trimmed with silver, with a gate curtain of embroidered coloured linen, [EXO:27:9-19].

II The Erection of the Tabernacle and Placing of the Furnishings

1. The Ark was to be placed in the Holy of Holies behind the veil, [EXO:40:1-3], [EXO:40:17-21]; [HEB:9:3-10].

2. The table, candlestick, and golden altar were to be placed in the Holy Place, [EXO:40:4-5], [EXO:40:21-28]; [EXO:27:20-21]; [LEV:24:1-9]; [HEB:9:1-2].

3. The brazen altar and laver were to be in the court in front of the Tabernacle entrance, [EXO:40:6-8], [EXO:40:29-33].

4. The Tabernacle and furnishings were to be anointed and sanctified for holy usage, [EXO:40:9-12]; [HEB:9:19-23].

5. The priests were to be cleansed, anointed, and sanctified for their office, [EXO:40:12-16].

6. The glory of God filled the Tabernacle, as God had promised that it would, [EXO:40:34-35]; [EXO:25:21-22].

7. The pillar of a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night was Israel's guide, through their years in the wilderness, [EXO:40:36-38];[NUM:9:15-23]; [ISA:4:5-6].

Notes

The Purpose of the Tabernacle

Even before the Children of Israel had reached their land of promise, while they were wandering in the wilderness, God wanted to have a dwelling place, or habitation, among them. He wanted to have a place where His table was always spread, where His lamps were always lighted, and where the priests " His attendants " were always in waiting. By these means He wanted to draw near to His people, that He might teach them, guide them, and protect them. It was His purpose and intent that they might serve Him better, and through this service fulfil the commission for which He had ordained them as a nation; that they, to whom "were committed the oracles of God," would be the means by which the sovereign will, law, and love of God could be made known to the whole world.

To bring this to pass God gave His servant, Moses, a set of laws and ordinances for their instruction. Included was a ceremonial worship, which would point to the coming to earth of Heaven's most priceless Jewel who would pay the price of man's redemption and satisfy the demands of divine justice. So great was the plan that the people had to be led step by step until the heights and depths of God's will could be revealed to mankind. One step of this great plan was the erection of this place of worship, or habitation of God, which could fill the spiritual needs of the people of Israel at that time.

God's Dwelling Place

The Tabernacle, then, as a dwelling place for God among His people, was a token of His presence among men, and here atonement could be made for their sins. It was a means of access to God's presence. But it was substantially more than that. It was a type, or picture, of the three Christian experiences " salvation, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire " that God has promised and provided for those who seek for His best. And as such it naturally foreshadowed Christ who tabernacled among men, and the great sacrifice He was to make, and well as the mediatiorial office which He would assume after He had paid the price of our redemption. It, in itself, was as much a type of the "good things to come," as the priests who officiated in it were types of the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, or as the services themselves were types of the various ways in which God meets with His people in this period of Grace.

It set before Israel " and also us " two sides of Truth: God's approach to men, and the correct manner of man's approach to God. Man's approach to God, through the visible means of worship furnished in the Tabernacle, was made through a limited few during the period of the Dispensation of the Law. These men were the High Priests, the direct descendants of Aaron. But in the Dispensation of Grace everyone can make his approach to God, by a new and living way " the Blood of Jesus " and receive additional blessings and benefits, which no one in the Old Dispensation could possess.

There was no possible entrance to the Holy Place of the Tabernacle without passing through the court, where the altar of burnt offering was situated at which transgressions were pardoned and guilt of sins washed away. And there was also no possible entrance into the Holy of Holies without first passing the golden altar in the Holy Place, where inbred sin and inward depravity were cleansed. We can then see that no one can be sanctified who is not first justified; and no one can receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost without first being sanctified.

The Details of Construction

From a careful consideration of the incidents recorded as happening after the exodus from Egypt ([EXO:12:2]; [EXO:13:4]; [EXO:19:1]; [EXO:20:18]; [EXO:34:28]), it has been computed that the work on the Tabernacle was begun about six months after Israel left Egypt. That being true, six months were occupied in its building. The materials were contributed voluntarily by the people ([EXO:25:1-8]; [EXO:35:4], [EXO:35:21-29]; [EXO:30:12-16]) and we read that they manifested extraordinary enthusiasm in the matter and actually brought more than was required. The cost of the structure has been estimated in the neighbourhood of Millions of Naira.

It will be seen, from the lesson text, that the structure was composed of several distinct parts. The first was an oblong enclosure of boards, set in sockets of silver, and bound together by bars of wood passing through rings of gold.-All the wooden boards and bars were overlaid with pure gold.

Covering this framework was a number of curtains. The first one was the Tabernacle cloth, made of ten blue, purple, and scarlet linen curtains fastened to each other by special fasteners. This was of a size to cover the top, back, and two sides to within one cubit from the ground. Designs of cherubims were woven into the cloth.

Over the Tabernacle cloth was next laid a tent-cloth of goats' hair. This was larger than the Tabernacle cloth, consisting of eleven pieces instead of ten. It hung to the ground and completely covered the exquisitely designed interior-hanging, which was then visible only from the inside. The seams of the goats' hair covering were staggered with the seams of the Tabernacle cloth by folding the curtain at the front of the Tabernacle, which made the first half curtain one of double thickness. This closed all the seams and helped to keep out light, dust, and moisture. The two final coverings were of rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, which closed the interior to all outside elements.

The front of the structure was closed by a veil of linen, in colours the same as the Tabernacle cloth, embroidered with a design shown to Moses on Mount Sinai. A veil hung in the Tabernacle dividing it into two parts, one part being called the Holy Place and the other the Holy of Holies. The priests went into the Holy Place for their daily ministrations. The Holy Place was lit by a great golden candlestick. Only the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, and that but once a year, on the Day of Atonement. This room was illuminated by the Shekinah glory of God; and the outside, natural light was never allowed to come into it.

Around the outside of the Tabernacle was a court, the curtain for which was made of linen, five cubits high. This court was 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide. The Tabernacle was 10 cubits in height so it could be seen over the top of the curtain as the Israelites approached to offer their sacrifices or pray at the times of daily worship. The gate in front of the court was also closed with an embroidered linen curtain, the same colour as the curtain, which hung on the front of the Tabernacle. This court was a type of conviction for sin.

The Furnishings and Their Significance

In the court was placed the altar of burnt offering, called the brazen altar. Between this altar and the Tabernacle proper, stood the laver. Since an approach to the altar of burnt offering was an acknowledgment of sin and of a need for forgiveness, as it was there that the sacrifices for sin were slain and offered, the brazen altar is easily seen to be a type of justification, or salvation from sin. The laver is a type of water baptism.

The silver for the foundations of the Tabernacle and the trimmings on the pillars supporting the linen curtain around the court, was obtained in a way that shows us that it is a type of the price of our redemption. Those who came to God as true worshipers must be redeemed. This is seen in [EXO:30:11-16]. Here is a confession of the fact that all are lost, all on equal footing, and all need redemption. The rich could give no more than the stipulated sum, which was a half-shekel (approximately 50 kobo in our money), and the poor could give no less. This was called the atonement money. In the Gospel we all have to pay the same price for salvation " a complete surrender of ourselves and our ways to God. None are favoured by a lower price and none can pay more.

The Holy Place speaks of the second definite experience of God's grace: entire Sanctification ([HEB:13:11-13]). Blood from certain sacrifices was applied to the horns of the golden altar, from which a continual smoke of incense ascended to God. This continual burning of incense was typical of the prayer and sacred communion that is set up in the heart of the truly sanctified, impossible in the heart that still has in it the root of carnality and sin ([PS:141:2]). No strange fire or incense was ever placed on the golden altar. If it needed replenishing at any time the coals were taken from off the brazen altar, where the fire never was allowed to go out, being first kindled by the hand of God.

Upon the golden table, was placed the shewbread, which was typical of the spiritual food that comes as a result of the communion established when we enter the Holy Place " the experience of entire Sanctification. This bread never became old or stale, because it was replenished each Sabbath. This shows us that we must continually come to the Lord's table for food. This week's blessings will not do for next week, but we must continually obtain a new supply. How significant this is also; for every Lord's Day, especially, we come to the place set aside and honoured by God as the place where His Spirit dwells, to receive fresh food from Him.

The golden candlestick was typical of the light of the Word and the measure of the Holy Spirit given to each member of the true Church, that he might be a light to the world ([REV:1:12], [REV:1:20]; [MAT:5:14]). Its light never went out but was kept burning by diligent and faithful care twice daily. Only the purest olive oil furnished as a freewill offering by the Children of Israel was used in the lamps of this candelabra.

Next came the great veil whose gorgeous folds were never moved or lifted during the year, until the Day of Atonement. It served to separate the Holy of Holies, where God's glory rested, from the Holy Place where the blood was brought that served to atone for mankind's depravity and inbred sin. How the ministering priests must have been filled with holy reverential fear as daily they came up to the curtain, realising that on the opposite side dwelled the majestic, holy, and awesome presence of the Almighty God!

Behind the veil was the Ark of the Covenant, a chest of wood covered with gold, in which were placed the tables of the Law. Later the golden pot containing manna and Aaron's rod that budded were placed in the Ark ([HEB:9:4]). The cover of the Ark was pure gold and was called the Mercy Seat. Over it two golden cherubims spread their wings, their faces turned downward toward the Ark and its contents.

The Holy of Holies is a type of the third great Christian experience, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, made accessible when the Temple veil was rent at the death of Christ, and first given in the Upper Room at Pentecost. The Lord, in promising this Comforter to us, said that when He came into our hearts He would guide us into all truth. The Ark of the Covenant, with the tables of stone, becomes, then, a type of the Word of God of God in our hearts. The cherubims are a type of the execution of God's law; and the Mercy Seat is a type of Christ as He stands between God's justice and law and the execution of it, that mankind may not forever perish.

Where the Tabernacle Was Placed

The Tabernacle was set up in the centre of the camp of the Israelites. The opening always faced toward the east. The Lord told Moses to pitch his tent and the tents of Aaron and the other priests in front of the court opening. The Levites were to encamp around the court on the other three sides, to prevent unsanctified people from coming too near the sacred edifice at an improper time or treating it in too casual a manner. The other tribes were to encamp on the four sides, three tribes on each side.

When the Lord wanted Israel to march onward, the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle and moved ahead. The priests went into the Tabernacle and packed the sacred vessels and instruments, wrapping them in the various hangings and cloths of the Tabernacle. Then the Levites came forward and each one took the item that God had ordered him to carry, according to his family. At the next encampment the Levites immediately set up the Tabernacle, their place in the marching column being such that when the Tabernacle was set up, the Israelites could encamp in the places designated for them without confusion or disorder.

When the Tabernacle was erected for the first time how the fainting Israelitish heart must have revived and the interest of the moment intensely increased, and the tide of joy swelled in every bosom as that cloud was seen majestically to descend to the Tabernacle on the plain below!-God had then a dwelling place among His people; and as long as they continued in the fear of the Lord the glory of His presence "filled the tabernacle" ([EXO:40:34]), and they knew they had an unfailing Guide and safe Refuge.

Questions

1. Why did God order the Tabernacle built?

2. Name the four coverings of the Tabernacle.

3. What divided the Tabernacle proper? What great event in later times caused a change in this division?

4. What did the silver sockets, or foundations, signify? Where did the metal come from?

5. What constituted the court? How was it separated from the camp of Israel?

6. What furnishings were in the court? in the Holy Place? in the Holy of Holies?

7. How did Israel know when to start their journey each time?

8. Who encamped in front of the Tabernacle? On each side of it?

9. How did Israel know that God was pleased with them and was among them?

10. Describe the various offices of the Levites and priests.