TODAY’S MESSAGE

Exodus 25:23-40 The Holy Place

Father YeHoVaH had summoned Moses to come up the mountain to receive the Tables of Stone, a Law, and Commandments which He had written. While Moses communed with YeHoVaH, he was instructed to tell the Israelites to bring YeHoVaH offerings consisting of all the materials that would be needed to prepare a place where YeHoVaH would dwell in the midst of His people…

…even though His people had clearly communicated that they did not want Him speaking to them directly, lest they died. Moses was instructed to have them make a sanctuary for YeHoVaH, to make a Tabernacle, and to make all of its furnishings exactly like the pattern he would be shown.

The Tabernacle was the central focus of offering worship to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. In this portion of Exodus, YeHoVaH continues to instruct Moses concerning the Holy Place furnishings and utensils that would be required for the service of The Holy Place.

As we go through the instructions YeHoVaH gives Moses about the Tabernacle, keep in mind the significance of these holy things; it will shed new light on Paul’s writings about our body being the Temple of the Living God YeHoVaH.

In the beginning of this Chapter, God is preparing Moses to build the Tabernacle which would become the center for Hebrew worship. Moses was given the instruction to collect the materials that would be needed, then God would show him the pattern that he would follow and how he must build according to the pattern.

Ex 25:9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Moses was instructed to collect the ingredients for the incense in Verse 6.

Ex 25:6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, 

However, Moses would not be given the pattern to build the altar of incense until Exodus Chapter 30.

Moses was given the instructions to make the table before he was told what the purpose of the table would be.

• Ex 25:23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
• Ex 25:24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. 
• Ex 25:25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an handbreadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. 
• Ex 25:26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. 
• Ex 25:27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. 
• Ex 25:28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. 
• Ex 25:29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.

The purpose of the table is given:

Ex 25:30 And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me always. 

 The shewbread in some versions is called the bread of His Presence. 

Ex 25:30 Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times. (NIV)

Ex 25:30 And you shall set the showbread (the bread of the Presence) on the table before Me always. [John 6:58] (AMP)

EX 25:30 “You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all time. (NASB)

Ex 25:30 You must always keep the special Bread of the Presence on the table before me. (NLT)

30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always. (NRSB)

This bread is to be before YeHoVaH continually, daily, always, in perpetuity.

The table that the shewbread set upon had a specific name.

Table – 07979 שֻׁלְחָן shulchan {shool-khawn'} 

Meaning:  1) table 1a) table 1a1) of king's table, private use, sacred uses 

Usage:  AV - table 70; 70

This table was a different Hebrew word than the word given in the previous Chapter pertaining to the stone tables spoken of in Exodus 24:12.

Ex 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

Tables – 03871 לוּחַ luwach {loo'-akh} or לֻחַ luach {loo'-akh} 

Meaning:  1) board, slab, tablet, plank 1a) tablets (of stone) 1b) boards (of wood) 1c) plate (of metal) 

Usage:  AV - tables 38, boards 4, plates 1; 43

Moses was given the instructions to make the candlestick before he was told the purpose of the candlestick.

Ex 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knobs, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 

Ex 25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 

Ex 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knob and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knob and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 

Ex 25:34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knobs and their flowers. 

Ex 25:35 And there shall be a knob under two branches of the same, and a knob under two branches of the same, and a knob under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 

Ex 25:36 Their knobs and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 

The purpose of the candlestick is given:

Ex 25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 

Ex 25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. 

Ex 25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. 

Moses is instructed again to make them after the pattern which he was shown.

Ex 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shown thee in the mount.  

The Tabernacle would become the model for worship that the Temple would be patterned after.

The Tabernacle, and later the Temple, would contain all the furnishings Moses was instructed to make.

Paul, an expert in the Hebrew Scriptures and a frequent worshiper at the Temple, understood the importance of Temple worship, the pattern, the ratings pertaining to the furnishings, and the work of the priests and the High Priest in their service to God.

The Tabernacle/Temple was Holy unto YeHoVaH and contained holy things as He, the Holy One, dwelt in the midst of His people.

As a Tabernacle/Temple called to be holy, we are a royal priesthood and a holy nation/people.

We are holy.

Our body is holy.

Therefore, let us live holy!

I Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?