The Furniture in the

Tabernacle
25:1-40
Sermon by Rodney Tan
Melaka Gospel Chapel
Sunday 29/1/2017

Outline:
Introduction
1. The freewill offering and the materials (Exo 25:1-9)
2. The ark of the covenant
(Exo 25:10-22)
3. The table of showbread
(Exo 25:23-30)
4. The golden lampstand
(Exo 25:31-40)
Conclusion

Introduction
In Genesis God walked with His people
Gen 3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD
God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and
they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Gen 5:22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch
walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and
daughters.
Gen 6:9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a
righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he
walked faithfully with God.
Gen 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD
appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me
faithfully and be blameless.

 In Exodus God wanted to dwell with His people

Exo 25:8 "Then have them make a sanctuary for me,
and I will dwell among them.
Exo 29:46 They will know that I am the LORD their God,
who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell
among them. I am the LORD their God.

Dwellings of God
1) Tabernacle built by Moses (Exo 40:34-38)
But Israel sinned, the glory departed (1 Sam 4:21-22)

2) Temple of Solomon (1 Kings 10:10-11)

But Ezekiel saw that glory depart (Eze 8:4; 9:3; 10:4; 10:18;
11:23)

3) Gods Son Jesus Christ tabernacled (John 1:14)

Gods people today are the Temple of God

- universally (Eph 2:20-22)

- locally

(1 Cor 3:16)

- individually (1 Cor 6:19-20)

Future Dwelling of God

Kingdom Temple Gods glory will dwell (Eze 43:1-5)
Heavenly Home God is present eternally with His
people (Rev 21:22)

Studying the Tabernacle

Tabernacle object lesson for nearly 500 years (Moses
David)
Temple was built during the reign of Solomon
Dr. Stephen F. Olford a good way to study the
Tabernacle is to study the PURPOSE:
Immediate
Ultimate

Immediate : place of worship (relationship / revelation)

place of witness
(presence/purity/protection/provision)

The Freewill Offering

& the Materials
Exodus 25:1-9

Importance of the Tabernacle

Specifications
God took 6 days to create the world
But 40 days to explain to Moses how to build the Tabernacle
50 chapters in the OT & NT devoted to the Tabernacle:
- construction
- priesthood
- rituals
Exo = 13;
Lev=18; Num=13; Deut=2; Heb=4
Exodus : 7 chapters (chap 25-31) specifications of the Tabernacle
Chap 35-40 : specifications/instructions repeated word for word

Why build the Tabernacle?

Portable place in the wilderness
Egypt (idols)

(Solomons Temple)

desert/Shiloh

Canaan

Tabernacle was for pilgrims travelling in the desert

Application:

Christians pilgrim people

No permanent dwelling on earth
Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we
eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Q: Are we spending so much time & energy dealing with
earthly matters and things that they have become
gods/idols?
Q: Do we look for meaning in life in passing things?
A: Our wealth is in heaven.

Exodus 25:1-4
(1) The LORD said to Moses,(2)
"Tell the Israelites to bring me an
offering. You are to receive the
offering for me from everyone
whose heart prompts them to
give.(3) These are the offerings
you are to receive from them:
gold, silver and bronze;(4) blue,
purple and scarlet yarn and fine
linen; goat hair;

Exodus 25:5-9
(5) ram skins dyed red and another
type of durable leather; acacia wood;
(6) olive oil for the light; spices for
the anointing oil and for the fragrant
incense; (7) and onyx stones and
other gems to be mounted on the
ephod and breastpiece. (8) "Then
have them make a sanctuary for me,
and I will dwell among them.
(9) Make this tabernacle and all its
furnishings exactly like the pattern I
will show you.

God Gave Moses The Pattern for The

Tabernacle (v1-9)
God asked His people to contribute the materials (v1-9)
One time offering from willing hearts (v2)
Current Situation: Slaves just released from captivity in
Egypt
Now in a barren land wilderness of Sin / foot of Mount Sinai
Q: What type of offering can they bring?
God anticipated the problem God provided for them!
Listed 14 different materials :

precious metals, colours of yarn, leather

Q: How did God provide?

Gods Provision
Remember before leaving Egypt (before Passover) God
instructed the Israelites to ask the Egyptians for their
jewels of gold and silver.
Irony!
Some of the offerings the people brought for the
Tabernacle were received from their captors in Egypt!
But materials came from the people willingly
whose hearts prompt them to give (v2)

Symbolism in the Materials

General agreement among the scholars:
Gold = Deity of Lord Jesus Christ

(Rev 3:18)

= Divine righteousness (mercy seat)(Exo 25:17)

Silver = redemption (atonement money) (Exo 30:12-16; Num 18:16)
Brass = death of Christ as a meeting of mans responsibility toward
God (brazen altar)
(Exo 27:3; Rev 1:15)
Blue = heavenly colour Christ, the spiritual one
Purple = Christ, the Sovereign One, King of Kings & Lord of Lords
(Mark 15:17-18; Rev 19:16)

Symbolism in the Materials

Scarlet = sacrifice concept of redemption
All colours are associated with Christ
Tabernacle as a type of Christ
All sorts of fabrics: fine linen, goat skin, ram skin,
badgers skin
Wood = acacia / shittim

Tabernacle (v9)
Hebrew miskan = dwelling place (pitch a tent)
God is going to pitch his tent(tabernacle) among us
New Testament: Jesus used abide
Greek = dwelling place
We abide in Jesus as Jesus abides in the Father, and the
Father abides in the Son.
Circle is complete!

Sanctuary (v8)
Hebrew = a separated place (a holy place)
Place where God would dwell

Application
Materials are for the tabernacle (dwelling place of God)
God had chosen to pitch His tent among us
It was to be a sanctuary separated place (dwelling
place of God)
Materials are to come from the people
Exact dimensions given by God
God alone determines what is acceptable worship

The Ark of the

Covenant & the Mercy
Seat
Exodus 25:10-22

Exodus 25:10-15
(10) "Have them make an ark of acacia
wood--two and a half cubits long, a cubit
and a half wide, and a cubit and a half
high. (11) Overlay it with pure gold, both
inside and out, and make a gold molding
around it. (12) Cast four gold rings for it
and fasten them to its four feet, with
two rings on one side and two rings on
the other. (13) Then make poles of
acacia wood and overlay them with
gold. (14) Insert the poles into the rings
on the sides of the ark to carry it. (15)
The poles are to remain in the rings of
this ark; they are not to be removed.

Exodus 25:16-19
(16) Then put in the ark the
tablets of the covenant law, which
I will give you. (17) "Make an
atonement cover of pure gold--two
and a half cubits long and a cubit
and a half wide. (18) And make
two cherubim out of hammered
gold at the ends of the cover. (19)
Make one cherub on one end and
the second cherub on the other;
make the cherubim of one piece
with the cover, at the two ends.

Exodus 25:20-22
(20) The cherubim are to have their
wings spread upward, overshadowing
the cover with them. The cherubim
are to face each other, looking
toward the cover. (21) Place the
cover on top of the ark and put in the
ark the tablets of the covenant law
that I will give you. (22) There, above
the cover between the two cherubim
that are over the ark of the covenant
law, I will meet with you and give you
all my commands for the Israelites.

Three Essential Items in the Ark

God began with the ark the most important piece of
furniture in the tent
It was the throne of God where His glory rested
(Exo 25:22; Psa 80:1; 99:1)
In the Ark are 3 special items:
Tables of the Law (Exo 25:16)
Aarons rod that budded (Num 16-17)
A pot of manna
(Exo 16:32-34)

Three Essential Items in the Ark

These 3 items are connected with rebellion of Gods people:
Tables of Law : making of golden calf
Aarons rod : rebellion led by Korah
Pot of Manna: Israels complaining in the wilderness

These 3 items would have brought judgement to Israel were it

not for the mercy seat upon the ark blood sprinkled each
annual Day of Atonement (Lev 16:14)
Mercy seat = propitiation
Jesus Christ is the propitiation (mercy seat) for us today

(Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2)

We come to God through Jesus & offer our spiritual sacrifices
(1 Pet 2:5; 2:9)

The Ark
Material : built of acacia wood
overlaid with pure gold inside out
ornamental gold moulding around it
Purpose = to contain the tables of the law called the Testimony
Represent = the presence of the Lord :
- God would appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat & on the ark
Mercy seat slab of solid gold same measurement as top of ark
place on top of the ark as cover.
Two gold cherubim- wings spread out, facing each other with
faces toward the mercy seat
Cherubim = intercessor winged animals with human faces

Mercy Seat
Witness of redeeming pardon
Lambs were slain as a sacrifice for the sins of the people
Blood becomes encrusted over the years.
Means a covering
The Father sent Jesus to be a propitiation :
- through faith,
- by His blood and
- in passing over of sin.

Application
The Ark in the wilderness teaches us that the presence
of God is true when we obey and cultivate Gods
presence.

The Table of
Shewbread
Exodus 25:23-30

Exodus 25:23-26
(23) "Make a table of acacia
wood--two cubits long, a cubit
wide and a cubit and a half high.
(24) Overlay it with pure gold and
make a gold molding around it.
(25) Also make around it a rim a
handbreadth wide and put a gold
molding on the rim. (26) Make
four gold rings for the table and
fasten them to the four corners,
where the four legs are.

Exodus 25:27-30
(27) The rings are to be close to
the rim to hold the poles used in
carrying the table. (28) Make the
poles of acacia wood, overlay
them with gold and carry the
table with them. (29) And make
its plates and dishes of pure gold,
as well as its pitchers and bowls
for the pouring out of offerings.
(30) Put the bread of the Presence
on this table to be before me at all
times.

The 12 Tribes of Israel

The Twelve Tribes of Israel were represented in the
Tabernacle in 3 ways:
1) Their names on the two engraved stones on the
high priests
shoulders (Exo 28:6-14)
2) Their names on the 12 stones on the high priests
breastplate
(Exo 28:15-25)
3) The 12 loaves of bread on the table in the holy
place
(Lev 24:5-9)

The Bread
Reminds that the tribes were constantly in the presence of the Lord
God saw all that they did (Lev 24:5-9)
Reminder that God fed His people (our daily bread)
His people were to feed on Gods truth (Matt 4:4)
God called Israel to be a blessing to the Gentiles food for humanity
But the Israelites did not always fulfil their calling.
Loaves changed every week & only priests allowed to eat this holy
bread
Exception: David allowed to eat the bread he was Gods anointed
king bread no longer on table God more concerned with meeting
human needs than protecting sacred rituals (Matt 12:3-4)

Application
Bread symbolize an offering to God
God is the provider of our food

The Golden Lampstand

Exodus 25:31-40

Exodus 25:31-34
(31) "Make a lampstand of pure gold.
Hammer out its base and shaft, and make
its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of
one piece with them. (32) Six branches
are to extend from the sides of the
lampstand--three on one side and three
on the other. (33) Three cups shaped like
almond flowers with buds and blossoms
are to be on one branch, three on the
next branch, and the same for all six
branches extending from the lampstand.
(34) And on the lampstand there are to be
four cups shaped like almond flowers with
buds and blossoms.

Exodus 25:35-40
(35) One bud shall be under the first pair of
branches extending from the lampstand, a
second bud under the second pair, and a
third bud under the third pair--six branches
in all. (36) The buds and branches shall all
be of one piece with the lampstand,
hammered out of pure gold. (37) "Then
make its seven lamps and set them up on it
so that they light the space in front of it.
(38) Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of
pure gold. (39) A talent of pure gold is to be
used for the lampstand and all these
accessories. (40) See that you make them
according to the pattern shown you on the
mountain.

The Gold Lampstand

Word candlestick is misleading
A lampstand whose light was fed with oil (Lev 24:2-4;
Zech 4:1-14)
Lampstand made of pure gold with 6 branches with a
central shaft
Seven lamps in total
Each branch has 3 cups shaped like almond flower
Central shaft has 4 cups shaped like almond flower
Individual golden lampstand represent local churches
(Rev 1:12-20)

The Tabernacle
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Purpose of Lampstand
To illuminate the Tabernacle
First piece of furniture to grab the attention of the
worshiper as he enters the door of the Tabernacle to the
Holy place

Symbolic Meaning
1) Gods presence in the midst of His people
2) Israel shining with the light of truth (Isa 42:6)
3) Christ as light of the world

Conclusion
Exodus 25:1-40

Conclusion
C H Spurgeon:
Divine service is not a thing
of a few hours and a few
places. But when all of life
becomes holiness unto the
Lord, and every place and
thing, as consecrated as the
Tabernacle.