Exodus 25-27

Superbowl watchers: I have attached 3 optional videos (pick one) that you can watch if you get behind today.  (same length as an SB commercial).

• Click here for reading
• Click here for listening
• 2 Trivia Questions today 😁

It is going to be difficult to visualize what the Lord is describing without a visual.  On Mt. Sinai, the Lord gives Moses 3 things.   The 10 commandments (God will write those on a table for Him), The Book of the Law, and the blueprints of the Tabernacle.

• CLICK here for a short video (3:49)
• Click here for a 3-D Model Video (1:52)
• Click here for a video with an explanation (5:51)

Following the events of Sinai, God will dwell in their presence.  The Tabernacle blueprint is given to build a sanctuary, a Holy place, set apart, for the Lord to dwell among them.  Tabernacle means “dwelling place”.  It is exquisitely constructed, remarkably extravagant, and representative of the beauty and perfection of the Lord as He comes to dwell in the people’s midst.

The entrance to the dwelling begins with an altar of sacrifice.  I know that every detail of this blueprint is a foreshadow of Christ to come, but 2 details stood out to me (well more than 2 but this post can’t be longer than the actual Bible) is the scarlet thread that holds it all together and the acacia wood.

We began talking about the scarlet thread in Genesis 38 when Tamar gave birth to twins.

The acacia wood:

• • This wood is strong and beautiful.
  • It is lightweight to assist in the mobility of this tabernacle to be with his people wherever they go.
  • It is waterproof so this was the SAME wood that was used to make the God’s Ark that Noah was placed (the Gopher wood family) that was used to save lives.
  • It is also indigenous to the area that Abraham was given a substitute when he was with Isaac on the mountain (near Calvary)

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During the Exodus, the Egyptians voluntarily loaded them up with metals, fabric, gold, silver, oils, spices etc.  Chapter 12:

³³ The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” ³⁴ So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. ³⁵ The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. ³⁶ The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

Didn’t these seem odd to anyone that they were fleeing yet carrying such items….I would have grabbed my purse and some food and said “Aint Nobody Got Time For That!!”   God always has a plan even when things don’t make sense.

If you watched a video, you are good to go!  Have a wonderful Sunday.

If not here are some pictures:

The Ark-

Fun Fact-I watched Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark and had NO IDEA this was what they were looking for almost my whole life.

The Ark, made of acacia wood,  will be the sole object in the Most Holy Place.  The Most Holy Place is behind a large thick curtain. Inside the Ark, the tablets from Sinai will be placed (with manna and Aaron’s rod, we will talk about that later)  The Ark symbolizes the footstool of God’s throne and His Sovereignty.    The cover symbolizes “atonement” (we talked about this all the way back in Genesis 3…seems like ages ago!)    The Ark was only approached once a year, on the Day of Atonement.  Well at least until that curtain was torn vertically so that everyone can approach the Lord daily, freely, personally.  The veil will be torn the moment Jesus dies.

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The Table and the Lampstand

The table for the Bread of the Presence and the Lampstand are in the Holy Place.  Twelve loaves of bread are set out before the Lord on behalf of the 12 tribes also representing the manna we discussed earlier.  The lampstand (7) will be kept burning continually.  The pure radiant light of God’s presence driving away the darkness.  We can connect this to the New Testament scriptures if we sit here all day!

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The Tabernacle is built portable to go with them everywhere they go.  It is protected from outside elements by an extra layer of goatskin.  Each detail represents a characteristic of our Holy God.  Inside the Tabernacle, priests would enter the Holy Place and care for the space but only the High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place once a year.

(Trivia:  Whose family will be given the honor of the High Priests?) Comment.

The Altar of sacrifice,  made of acacia wood, is placed in the courtyard.

 

When a person entered the gate (facing East), the first thing they would see was the Brazen Altar.  On the Altar, a  substitute was offered as a sacrifice for their sins.  But why did I mention East??

(Trivia:  What tribe will be placed at the East Gate? Explain.   If you did the 2020 readthrough with me and can’t answer this, then I am a terrible teacher!)

As much as I could sit here and talk about every detail, we are going to read about the Taberbacle a lot over the next few months.  If ALL of that confused you…don’t get discouraged, we will talk about it again….and again….