Story
Building the Tabernacle
Exodus 25-31:11
The Bridge: After the people had worshipped the golden calf, God gave them a place to which they could come to worship. When Moses was on the mountain, God gave him detailed instructions on how to make a tent for meeting called the tabernacle. God said to Moses, “According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it” (Exodus 25:9).
The Story:
- When Moses told the people about God’s instructions for making the tabernacle, “Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD’S contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments” (Exodus 35:21).
- The walls for the tent were constructed of wood covered with gold, and the covering for the tent was made from animal skins. The tent was divided into two rooms; one called the Holy Place, the other the Holy of Holies. In one room, the Holy Place, there was a table, a lampstand and an altar. There were candles in this room to symbolize God’s presence with them. The altar of incense reminded them to pray daily.
- The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a big curtain. Inside was a box made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. This box held the Ten Commandments and later would hold Aaron’s staff (Numbers 17:1-11) as well as a container of Manna, which God gave His people to feed them when they were in the wilderness. It’s covering, called the mercy seat, was the place where God met with the High Priest and reminded them of God’s holiness. Once a year, the priest would come into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice [a male goat] as a substitute for all the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:3-28).
- God also told Moses to “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘… you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf’” (Leviticus 1:2-4).
How do the stories of the Golden Calf and the Tabernacle relate to the coming of Jesus?
Note: You may read of the many details associated with the tabernacle in Exodus, Chapters 35-40.
