TODAY’S MESSAGE

Exodus 26:1-37 The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle was the central focus of offering worship to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Moses was instructed to have a sanctuary made for YeHoVaH, to make a Tabernacle with all its furnishings exactly like the pattern he would be shown. In Chapter 25, Moses had been instructed to speak to the Children of Israel, that they bring YeHoVaH an offering, “of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart”.

Moses was to gather all the materials together for the building of the Tabernacle. Then he would be given the blueprint, or the pattern, for each item that would go in the Tabernacle once it had been built.

In this portion of Exodus, YeHoVaH gives Moses detailed instructions concerning the Tabernacle from its base to the roof covering, what items to be used in the construction of it, and how to set up for service.

The Tabernacle consisted of two distinct structures in one.

Ex 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 

Tabernacle – 04908 מִשְׁכָּן mishkan {mish-kawn'} 

Meaning:  1) dwelling place, tabernacle 1a) dwelling-place 1b) dwellings 

Usage:  AV - tabernacle 119, dwelling 9, habitation 5, dwellingplaces 3, place 1, dwelleth 1, tents 1; 139

The Tabernacle, as a whole, was the structure where the priests and the High Priest would carry out their service unto YeHoVaH.

Blue – 08504 תְּכֵלֶת tekeleth {tek-ay'-leth} 

Meaning:  1) violet, violet stuff 1a) violet thread 1b) violet stuff or fabric 2) (TWOT) blue (covering spectrum from brilliant red through deep purple) 

Usage:  AV - blue 50; 50

Scarlet – 08144 שָׁנִי shaniy {shaw-nee'} 

Meaning:  1) scarlet, crimson 1a) properly, the insect 'coccus ilicis', the dried body of the female yielding colouring matter from which is made the dye used for cloth to colour it scarlet or crimson 

Usage:  AV - scarlet 34, scarlet + 08438 5, scarlet thread 2, crimson 1; 42

08438 תּוֹלָע towla` {to-law'} and )femתּוֹלֵעָה ( towle`ah {to-lay-aw'} or towla`ath {to-lah'-ath}; or tola`ath {to-lah'-ath} 

Meaning:  1) worm, scarlet stuff, crimson 1a) worm - the female 'coccus ilicis' 1b) scarlet stuff, crimson, scarlet 1b1) the dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm "coccus ilicis" 2) worm, maggot 2a) worm, grub 2b) the worm "coccus ilicis"

First mentioned in: 

Ex 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

Worms – 08438 תּוֹלָע towla` {to-law'} and )femתּוֹלֵעָה ( towle`ah {to-lay-aw'} or towla`ath {to-lah'-ath}; or tola`ath {to-lah'-ath} Meaning:  1) worm, scarlet stuff, crimson 1a) worm - the female 'coccus ilicis' 1b) scarlet stuff, crimson, scarlet 1b1) the dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm "coccus ilicis" 2) worm, maggot 2a) worm, grub 2b) the worm "coccus ilicis"

Cherubims – 03742 כְּרוּב keruwb {ker-oob'} 

Meaning:  1) cherub, cherubim (pl) 1a) an angelic being 1a1) as guardians of Eden 1a2) as flanking God's throne 1a3) as an image form hovering over the Ark of the Covenant 1a4) as the chariot of Jehovah Usage:  AV - cherubims 64, cherub 27; 91

Ex 26:2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 

Ex 26:3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 

Coupled – 02266 חָבַר chabar {khaw-bar'} 

Meaning:  1) to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with, be compact, be a charmer 

Usage:  AV - couple 8, join 8, couple together 4, join together 3, compact 1, charmer + 02267 1, charming + 02267 1, have fellowship 1, league 1, heap up 1; 29

0802 אִשָּׁה 'ishshah {ish-shaw'} 

Meaning:  1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun) 

Usage:  AV - wife 425, woman 324, one 10, married 5, female 2, misc 14; 780

0269 אָחוֹת 'achowth {aw-khoth'} 

Meaning:  1) sister 1a) sister (same parents) 1b) half-sister (same father) 1c) relative 1c1) (metaph) of Israel's and Judah"s relationship 1d) beloved 1d1) bride 1e) (fig.) of intimate connection 1f) another 

Usage:  AV - sister(s) 106, another 6, together with + 0802 1, other 1; 114

Ex 26:4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 

Ex 26:5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 

Ex 26:6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle. 

With – 0802 אִשָּׁה 'ishshah {ish-shaw'} 

Meaning:  1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun) 

Usage:  AV - wife 425, woman 324, one 10, married 5, female 2, misc 14; 780

0269 אָחוֹת 'achowth {aw-khoth'} 

Meaning:  1) sister 1a) sister (s(metaph) of Israel's and Judah"s relationship 1d) beloved 1d1) bride 1e) (fig.) of intimate connection ame parents) 1b) half-sister (same father) 1c) relative 1c1) 1f) another 

Usage:  AV - sister(s) 106, another 6, together with + 0802 1, other 1; 114

These parts were joined together like a woman and her sister.

The uniqueness of the Tabernacle is that it had many parts all with their specific individual functions and it was joined together as one unit. The “Tent within the Tabernacle” and the “Tabernacle”.

Separate parts were just that, parts.

It wasn’t until all the parts were joined together did the parts become one.

One Tabernacle with many parts:

Without the presence of YeHoVaH, the Tabernacle was just a structure with many members.

 Reminds me of Paul’s writing in 1st Cor. 12:12-14

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Messiah. 1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.

Ex 26:7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 

Covering – 0168 אֹהֶל 'ohel {o'-hel} 

Meaning:  1) tent 1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience 1b) dwelling, home, habitation 1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle) 

Usage:  AV - tabernacle(s) 198, tent(s) 141, dwelling 2, place(s) 2, covering 1, home 1; 345

The word tent and tabernacle are often used interchangeably, but in this passage, there are distinctions between the two words.

The Tent is the Tabernacle within the curtains of the Tabernacle whereas the Tabernacle is the whole structure, two structures in one.

Ex 26:8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 

Ex 26:9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 

Ex 26:10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 

Ex 26:11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 

Ex 26:12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 

Ex 26:13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 

Ex 26:14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins. 

Ex 26:15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 

Ex 26:16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. 

Ex 26:17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 

Ex 26:18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 

Ex 26:19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 

Ex 26:20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 

Ex 26:21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 

Ex 26:22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 

Ex 26:23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 

Ex 26:24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 

Ex 26:25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.  

Ex 26:26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 

Ex 26:27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 

Ex 26:28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 

Ex 26:29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. 

Ex 26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shown thee in the mount. 

The Veil separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place.

Ex 26:31 And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 

Veil – 06532 פָּרֹכֶת poreketh 

{po-reh'-keth} 

Meaning:  1) curtain, veil 

06531; TWOT - 1818a; n f

Usage:  AV - vail 25; 25

Ex 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 

Ex 26:33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 

The placement of the items for the Most Holy Place and the Holy Place:

Ex 26:34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 

Ex 26:35 And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 

The curtain separated the Holy Place from the Outer Court.

Ex 26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 

Ex 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

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!