Please turn in your Bibles this evening to Exodus chapter 36, as we continue our study through the Word of God. Tonight we will conclude the book of Exodus and I do realize that is five chapters, but much of this is a review of the tabernacle and its furnishings, which we have already dealt with in great detail. Thus, with that said, let’s begin reading in Exodus chapter 36, starting in verse 1 and see what the Lord has for us as we study His Word!
VERSES 1-7
As we saw last time, God has called gifted workers to assist Bezaleel and Aholiab in the construction of the Tabernacle. And God not only touched those who were building this tabernacle, but the rest of the people as they give to this project. And did you notice that Moses did not manipulate the people to give. He did not tell them, “If you don’t reach deep down into your pockets brothers and sisters and give to this work of God, it won’t be completed, we will have to stop this project!” No, he told them the need and the people gave with a willing heart and so much so that Moses had to stop them from giving, they had too much! You see, Moses received just what he needed for the work to be done and not more! What a beautiful example of God working in the hearts of the people and the people responding to what God was doing!
VERSES 8-19
(Overview of Exodus 26:1-14)
In this section we see the curtains for the tabernacle and this tent or building measured 45 feet long running east to west and 15 feet wide running north to south and 15 feet high. It was separated into two compartments, the holy place measuring 30 feet long and 15 feet wide and the holy of holies measuring 15 feet long and 15 feet wide and a screen separated these two rooms.
There were four coverings on this tent or the tabernacle proper. The inner curtain was white embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet thread with cherubim overshadowing the holy place and holy of holies. Over this was a covering of goat’s hair and is a picture of Christ being the sin-bearer as He took our sins and cast them as far as the east is from the west to be remembered no more. Over this was a covering of ram’s skin that was dyed red and it is a picture of Christ’s death as a sin offering. And lastly, what could be seen from the outside was a covering of badger skins or more likely porpoise or dolphin or even sea cow skins. These skins were kind of a dull bluish gray color. Nothing to draw your attention until you enter in and see the holiness of God, His royalty, His deity, His sacrifice!
VERSES 20-34
(Overview of Exodus 26:15-30)
In this section is a description of the golden walls that made up the tabernacle proper and how these boards were placed into sliver sockets, the foundation you might say and that ropes and pins were used to secure the curtains and give stability to the tabernacle. As we have seen, these boards were made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold and it speaks of the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ. The sliver sockets speak of His redemptive work of salvation, which is foundational to our faith. The pins or stakes speak of the death and resurrection of Jesus just as these stakes were only partially driven into the ground. And the ropes speak of how secure we are in Christ by His infinite love for us.
VERSES 35-38
In these verses we see the veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies and a door to enter into the holy place. (Found also in Exodus 26:31-33, 36-37).
VERSES 1-5
(Overview of Exodus 25:10-16)
In these verses we see how the Ark of the Covenant was to be made. As we have seen, this box which contained the Law of God, was made of acacia wood and covered with gold. Its dimensions were 3 feet 9 inches long by 2 feet 3 inches wide and 2 feet 3 inches high.
VERSES 6-9
(Overview of Exodus 25:17-22)
The mercy seat was also 3 feet 9 inches long and 2 feet 3 inches wide, it was made of pure gold and if it was just 1 inch think, it would weigh 750 pounds! On this mercy seat were two cherubim made of gold. And we are told that God met with the children of Israel above the mercy seat, not upon the Law, as the mercy seat covered the Law or the Ark of the Covenant, it was the lid! And that is where God also meets with us in Christ, but apart from Christ, He meets with sinful man upon the Law!
In I John 2:1-2 we are told, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” In other words, Jesus is our mercy seat for that word “propitiation” is the same Greek word that the Septuagint writers, as they translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, used for mercy seat! The idea is this. The Law is not seen but as God looks at us He sees us through the shed blood of Jesus and He extends to us His mercy, not His judgment!
VERSES 10-16
(Overview of Exodus 25:23-30)
Now we see the description of the furniture located in the holy place. First, on the right side before the veil, is the table of showbread. This table was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold and it was 3 feet long, 1 foot wide and 2 feet 3 inches high. There were 12 loaves of bread on this table representing the 12 tribes of Israel and they were to partake of this bread before the Lord. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the bread of life and we too must partake of Him, enjoy that fellowship with Him, get to know Him through His Word by His Spirit!
VERSES 17-24
(Overview of Exodus 25:31-40)
Also located in the holy place, on the left side before the veil, is the seven-branched oil-burning lamp that was made of pure gold and had a middle shaft in which 3 branches came off from each side. Jesus is the vine, the Bible tells us, and we are the branches. Thus, six represents the number of man, the six branches. Seven is the number of completeness; it is the number of Jesus. Thus, as we are attached to the vine, to Jesus we are complete in Him! Also, Jesus is the light of the world and we must look to Him for direction as we walk!
VERSES 25-28
(Overview of Exodus 30:1-10)
Also in the holy place was the altar of incense located right in the middle, before the veil. The altar of incense was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold and it measured 1½ feet square and 3 feet tall. This altar of incense is a picture of Jesus who intercedes for us before the Father and it is a picture of our prayers as the smoke of the incense ascended upward before God, so too does our prayers!
VERSE 29
(Overview of Exodus 30:22-38)
In this verse we see the anointing oil and the pure incense that was only for the Lord and to anoint the priests. As we have seen, the incense speaks of our prayers and Jesus our intercessor. The anointing oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit coming upon our lives to empower us for service. It was not to be used to enhance the flesh, for the Bible tells us that we are to crucify the flesh!
VERSES 1-7
(Overview of Exodus 27:1-8)
The altar of burnt offering or the brazen altar was located in the outer court just after you entered through the door. It was a box like structure made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze and it measured 7½ feet square and 4½ feet high. Here is where the sacrifices were made. It is a picture of the sacrifice that Jesus made to cleanse us from our sins. It is as Paul said in II Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
VERSE 8
The description of the bronze laver is given to us in Exodus 30:17-21 and it was located just past the brazen altar. It is the place where the priests would wash their hands and feet before they served the Lord and as they began their ministry, they were completely washed. Thus, this is a picture of what our Lord has done. When we were saved we were cleansed as white as snow but then we need that daily cleansing of the Word and the Spirit in our lives, not for salvation, but for sanctification. What is interesting to me is there are no dimensions given to us regarding the size of the brazen laver or the amount of water it held. Why is that? Because you can’t limit the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, it is immeasurable!
Now it is interesting that they received this bronze to make this laver from the mirrors of the women. J. H. Brown had this to say regarding what these women did. He wrote, “They handed over those things that were used for self-gratification, those things that in some measure ministered to the gratification of the flesh.” They were willing to sacrifice some of their comforts to receive God’s cleansing, to assist in the work of God. What about you?
VERSES 9-20
(Overview of Exodus 27:9-19)
In these verses we see the white linen fence that made up this tabernacle and it measured 150 feet long running east to west, 75 feet wide running north to south and 7½ feet high. The fence was made of white linen and it speaks of the holiness, the righteousness of Jesus. This white linen fence hung from 60 pillars, 20 on each side and 10 on each end. There was only one door to enter in, on the east side that measured 30 feet wide and 7½ feet high and once again it speaks of Jesus being the only way to the Father, He is the door!
VERSES 21-24
If a talent was about 70 pounds, that would mean they used 1 ton of gold in the tabernacle. (1 ton is 2,000 pounds and they used about 2,030 pounds of gold!).
VERSES 25-28
The amount of silver they used in the tabernacle was almost 4 tons!
VERSES 29-31
The amount of bronze they used in the tabernacle was about 2½ tons!
Where did these ex-slaves get all these precious metals to use in the construction of the tabernacle? Remember back when the children of Israel were preparing to leave Egypt. Actually, they were being kicked out, after those 10 plagues of God devastated the land, the death of the first born in each family, they wanted these slaves out and they wanted them out now! And in Exodus 12:35-36 we are told, “Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.” That is where they obtained all those precious metals to build the tabernacle; it was really back pay from the Egyptians for 400 years of slavery they endured!
VERSES 1-7
(Overview of Exodus 28:5-14)
Here is a description of the ephod or the vest the high priest would wear. And on the shoulder straps of this ephod were two onyx stones, one on each side, with six names of the tribes of Israel listed on each one and the idea was that the high priest was to carry the people before the Lord, he was to serve the people.
VERSES 8-21
(Overview of Exodus 28:15-29)
Here we see the description of the breastplate that was worn over the ephod and attached to the ephod with gold chains. Also on the breastplate were four rows of three gemstones for a total of 12 representing once again the 12 tribes of Israel. And the high priest would wear this over his heart and the idea was that he was to have a heart for the people; he was to love them as God loves them.
VERSES 22-26
(Overview of Exodus 28:31-35)
The blue robe described here was worn under the ephod and the hem of this robe had golden bells and pomegranates alternating every other one.
VERSES 27-29
(Overview of Exodus 28:39-43)
Here is a description of the garments for all the priests to wear.
VERSES 30-31
(Overview of Exodus 28:36-38)
Here we see a description of the headpiece or the turban that the high priest was to wear. And attached to this was a gold plate that had on it, “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” It was to remind them and us of the holiness of God and as His servants, we too are to be holy, not in a legalistic way, but out of love!
VERSES 32-41
Here we see an overview of the whole construction project, not a small task that they had before them, but they did complete the work as God had instructed them to do. What a great lesson for us, that nothing is too big for us to do as long as God is leading the way!
VERSES 42-43
So as they finished the project, Moses inspects the work and it is done just as the Lord had said and he gives them their certificate of occupancy you might say! Remember what the Lord told Moses in Exodus 25:9, “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” He knew what the plans were and thus, he not only supervised the work but when it was done he made sure that it was done correctly! That is leadership, not always easy, but necessary!
VERSES 1-5
The tabernacle not only had to be build according to the pattern that God said, but it was to be assembled according to the patter He has set forth. Folks, God is building in our lives and we need to follow the pattern you might say that He is setting forth and not get ahead of Him but to walk where He leads!
VERSES 6-11
Here we see God instruct them in how to set-up the outer court and to anoint the tabernacle to make it holy, set apart to be used in the service of God.
VERSES 12-16
Here we see the priests being ceremonially prepared for service and in Leviticus chapters 8 and 9 there is a more detailed description of what transpired in this ceremony. The key, they need to be completely washed or we might say before they served the Lord they needed to be saved. We would say that before anyone can serve the Lord they need to be washed in the blood of Jesus, and then empowered by His Spirit for service!
VERSES 17-19
Here we see the tabernacle going up and they are almost 1 year out of Egypt at this point and it took them about 6½ months to gather the materials and construct the tabernacle!
VERSES 20-21
Moses takes the Ark of the Covenant, with the two tablets of the Law, places the mercy seat on it, takes the poles and puts them through the rings and brings the ark into the holy of holies. Once that is done he puts up the veil to close off the holy of holies from man. You see, sin had separated man from God and thus, man could not approach God, the place where He dwelt in the holy of holies! It was only the high priest, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement that he could enter in and only after he was ceremonially cleansed!
Today that veil has been torn open by the Lord and we can enter in through the blood of Jesus Christ, into the holy of holies, the place where God dwells, we can have fellowship with Him. Paul put it like this in Hebrews 10:19-22, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
VERSES 22-23
He put the table of showbread in the holy place, on the right side before the veil and he placed the 12 loaves of bread on this table.
VERSES 24-25
He put the seven-branched oil-burning lamp on the left side before the veil and lit the wicks.
VERSES 26-27
He placed the altar of incense in the middle, before the veil and the coals were placed upon it so that the sweet smell would arise before God.
VERSE 28
The screen to enter into the holy place was put into place.
VERSE 29
He now places the brazen altar in the outer court, just inside the east gate.
VERSES 30-32
Then, between the brazen altar and the tent which contained the holy place and holy of holies, he placed the brazen laver where Aaron and his sons, the priests would wash their hands and feet before serving the Lord.
VERSE 33
Now the work is completed, done as God had instructed them to do. Interestingly enough, Paul tells us in Hebrews 9:24-28, “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another — He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” In other words, what the priest were doing was a picture of what Jesus has done for us, He completed the work, He is the perfect sacrifice. He has made atonement for our sin and this was once for all time!
VERSES 34-35
As they completed the work, God’s glory, the Shekinah glory filled the place, God had entered into the holy of holies. Not that any building can contain God, but His presence filled the place. And God dwelt above the mercy seat, between the cherubim. And what a sight that must have been, it must have encouraged the people, seeing that their sins were forgiven and God is with them, not just an angel! God had accepted the work that they had done. Folks, as we serve the Lord He too will show us that He is well pleased in what we are doing for Him, we just need to be looking!
VERSES 36-38
Remember back in Exodus chapter 33 when the Lord told Moses they will go into the promise land but because of their sin He would send an angel, He was not going to go with them. And the people repented and Moses interceded for them and Moses basically told the Lord, “If you are not going to go with us, don’t send an angel, we don’t want to go!” And in Exodus 33:14 we are told, “And He said, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” God did answer the prayer of Moses and He restored the people!
The book of Exodus opened with the children of Israel in slavery in Egypt, under heavy bondage and it closes in victory! I know, you may be thinking, “How can this be victory? They are in the middle of the desert!” Folks, God was with them, and He promised to fulfill all that He said. So even though they might not see the victory now, they had His promise and it gave them great confidence that what God had promised He was more than able to bring to pass – that is FAITH!
Folks, as we close this evening and finish the book of Exodus, you might feel you are in a desert right now and you are discouraged. God wants you to look to Him, trust in Him and walk by faith and not by sight! Listen to what the Bible tells us of God’s promises to encourage us, to give us confidence, so that our faith may grow!
· GOD’S PROMISES NEVER FAIL
In I Kings 8:56 we are told, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.”
· GOD’S PROMISES ARE BACKED BY HIS OATH
In Hebrews 6:10-20 we are told, “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, ‘Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.’ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
· GOD’S PROMISES ARE FULFILLED ON SCHEDULE
In Galatians 4:4-5 we are told, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
· GOD’S PROMISES ARE EXCEEDINGLY GREAT
In II Peter 1:2-4 we are told, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Folks, may you continue to grow in the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, trusting in Him, walking by faith, guided by him and that even when it is dry, you know He is leading the way and He will give you the victory – HE HAS PROMISED THAT TO US!