The Tabernacle

Dictionary of Biblical Words:

The first tabernacle was Moses’ own tent (Ex. 33:7⁷And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. (Exodus 33:7)), for the tabernacle proper was not yet made. The tabernacle itself was the one place of worship for the Jews, and was a pattern of things in the heavens (Heb. 9), every part of it spoke of Christ in His varied glories. Its foundations, boards, coverings, curtains, all tell us of Himself or His work. Its inner veil, between the Holy and most Holy, is Christ’s flesh (Heb. 10) The various contents are deeply instructive. The brazen altar where God and the sinner could meet in virtue of the atoning sacrifice, the laver where defilement was washed away, the Holy place, typical of heaven, containing the seven-branched candlestick—the church in testimony (Matt. 5 and Rev. 2. and 3.), the golden Cable bearing up the twelve loaves—Israel’s twelve tribes, and the golden altar of incense,—Christ through whom all our prayers and praises ascend, and lastly the most Holy now separated by no veil (it being rent from top to bottom when Christ’s flesh, which it typified, was also rent on the cross), typifying the very presence of God, containing the ark, Christ in all His perfection and the atoning blood, and into which all believers now have access (Heb. 10). The body is a tabernacle (2 Cor. 5).

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(little shed or tent). Tent of Jehovah, or movable sanctuary, which Moses was directed to erect in the wilderness (Ex. 25:8⁸And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8)). Its plan, materials, and furnishings are described in Exodus 25:9-40; 26; 27⁹According 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. ¹⁰And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. ¹¹And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. ¹²And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. ¹³And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. ¹⁵The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. ¹⁶And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. ¹⁷And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. ¹⁸And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. ¹⁹And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. ²⁰And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. ²¹And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. ²²And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. ²³Thou 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. ²⁴And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. ²⁵And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. ²⁶And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. ²⁷Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. ²⁸And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. ²⁹And 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. ³⁰And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway. ³¹And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. ³²And 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: ³³Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. ³⁴And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. ³⁵And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. ³⁶Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. ³⁷And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. ³⁸And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. ³⁹Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. ⁴⁰And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25:9‑40). It could be readily taken down and set up and accompanied the Israelites during their wanderings (Ex. 40:38³⁸For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. (Exodus 40:38)). During the conquest it was stationed at Gilgal (Josh. 4:19; 9:6; 10:15¹⁹And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. (Joshua 4:19)
⁶And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. (Joshua 9:6)
¹⁵And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. (Joshua 10:15)); and at Ebal (Josh. 8:30-35³⁰Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal, ³¹As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. ³²And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. ³³And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. ³⁴And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. ³⁵There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. (Joshua 8:30‑35)). After the conquest it was set up at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1¹And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. (Joshua 18:1)), where it remained during the time of the Judges and where the ark was captured by the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:17,22¹⁷And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. (1 Samuel 4:17)
²²And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. (1 Samuel 4:22)). Sometime after the return of the ark it was taken to Jerusalem and placed in a new tabernacle, and finally in the temple (2 Sam. 6:17¹⁷And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:17); 1 Chron. 15:1¹And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. (1 Chronicles 15:1)), but the old structure was still venerated, as long as it remained at Shiloh. It was afterward removed to Nob (1 Sam. 21:1-9¹Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? ²And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. ³Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. ⁴And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. ⁵And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. ⁶So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. ⁷Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. ⁸And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste. ⁹And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me. (1 Samuel 21:1‑9)), and in the reign of David to Gibeon (1 Chron. 16:39; 21:29³⁹And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon, (1 Chronicles 16:39)
²⁹For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon. (1 Chronicles 21:29)), where it was at the beginning of Solomon’s reign. Some suppose that the tabernacle and its furniture were moved into Solomon’s temple when it was completed.

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Download (1.5 MB)

Modern replica of the Tabernacle at Timna Park in the Arabah (Israel).

This is variously styled the “tabernacle of testimony, or of witness,” the “tabernacle of the congregation,” or “tent of meeting.” It was the place recognized by Jehovah, where, as dwelling among them, He met His people, and where in separation from the outer world His will was made known. It was to be made after the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, and when it was completed Moses bore witness that it had been constructed as the Lord had commanded. It is worthy of notice that none of its details were left to the ingenuity of Moses: he had simply to carry out his instructions. We read in the New Testament that the things made were patterns of things in the heavens, but not the very image of them; they were patterns of things that were before God, which were not to be materialized.

The tabernacle with its sacrifices was God’s way of displaying Himself, and His way for man’s approach to Himself. Any one drawing near to the tabernacle would see first its court, a space enclosed with curtains hanging from pillars. This was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits broad. On entering the court by its one gate the first thing approached was the brazen altar. This altar was the place of approach for the people. The burnt offering was the ground of acceptance for a people on earth. The place of approach for the priestly family was the golden altar in the holy (place); but the way into the holiest was not yet made manifest (Heb. 9:8⁸The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (Hebrews 9:8)).

Download (1.9 MB)

Between the brazen altar and the holy (place) stood the laver, at which the priests washed their hands and feet whenever they drew near to minister. The holy (place) contained the table of shewbread on the north, the golden candlestick on the south, and the altar of incense “before the vail” in the center. Here the priests ministered daily, burning sweet incense: type of Christ’s intercession, and of the perfections of His Person and work, not seen here as meeting man’s need, but as for the delight of God, His Father. The lamps were burning “continually,” but apparently only in the night (compare Ex. 30:7-8⁷And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. ⁸And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. (Exodus 30:7‑8); Lev. 24:2-3²Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. ³Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the Lord continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. (Leviticus 24:2‑3); 2 Chron. 13:11¹¹And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him. (2 Chronicles 13:11)). The light typified the manifestation of God by the Spirit, the seven lamps being figurative of heavenly completeness. Twelve loaves were constantly on the table, typical of Israel in association with Christ before God, and of God’s bounty which will be administered through Israel (twelve loaves) to the earth in the kingdom. The holy (place), or “first tabernacle” refers to the things of Israel. Inside the second veil was the holy of holies, in which was the ark with the cherubim, typical of the throne of God. It figured the approach which Christians now have to the presence of God, because Christ has made a new and living way for them by entering in Himself as their great Priest (Heb. 10:19¹⁹Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (Hebrews 10:19)).

Download (1.2 MB)

The tabernacle was a rectangle, measuring ten cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in length, which was divided into ten cubits for the holy of holies and twenty for the holy (place). The sides were formed of boards of acacia wood, ten cubits in height, set by tenons into silver sockets, each board having two sockets. The boards were kept together by horizontal bars throughout, and were all covered with gold. If the whole tabernacle be taken as typical of Christ, then the gold and the wood may point to His divinity and His humanity, or the gold may be taken as typical of divine righteousness. Internally all was gold and embroidered work: the wood was not seen.

Download (247.6 KB)

The whole was covered with curtains, the innermost being of rich embroidered work of various colors; then curtains of woven goats’ hair; then coverings of rams’ skins and badgers’ skins—typical of entire preservation from outward evil. There were three distinct parts in the entire covering: the tabernacle, the tent, and the covering (Ex. 35:11¹¹The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets, (Exodus 35:11)). The inner curtains, which were of such widths that the junctions of each set did not fall in the same place as the one next to it, formed the tabernacle (mishkan); the set of curtains of goats’ hair were the tent (ohel) of the tabernacle (see TENT); and the rams’ skins and badgers’ skins formed the covering (mikseh). An embroidered hanging formed the door, or the first veil. Exodus 25-27 gives God’s approach to man; Exodus 28-30, man’s approach to God; and Exodus 35-40 the gifts for the tabernacle and its construction.

Download (1.9 MB)

The tabernacle as a whole may be said to typify—

1. God coming forth in a Man (His own Son) and on the basis of redemption, filling the universe with the light of His glory.

2. The provision made by God for approach to Himself by a redeemed people. Much light is thrown on the tabernacle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, but what is there taught presents often a contrast rather than a comparison to what pertained to the earthly tabernacle.

The tabernacle may also be considered as God’s house, and thus a type of the saints in their present place. The temple was for the ordered and established kingdom. In Revelation 21, after alluding to the kingdom and the eternal state, the Spirit goes back to the thought of the tabernacle.

The tabernacle was carried about during the forty years in the wilderness (see CAMP), and when the Israelites entered the land it was apparently placed first at Gilgal (Josh. 9:6⁶And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. (Joshua 9:6)). Afterward it was at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1¹And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. (Joshua 18:1)). While here it was forsaken of God because of the idolatry and wickedness of the people (Psa. 78:60⁶⁰So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; (Psalm 78:60); Jer. 7:12,14¹²But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. (Jeremiah 7:12)
¹⁴Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. (Jeremiah 7:14); Jer. 26:6, 9⁶Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. (Jeremiah 26:6)
⁹Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. (Jeremiah 26:9)). The ark was taken by the Philistines and was not returned to the tabernacle; nor, when David removed the ark, did he restore it to the tabernacle, but placed it on Mount Zion. We next read of the tabernacle as being at Nob (1 Sam. 21:1-6¹Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? ²And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. ³Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. ⁴And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. ⁵And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. ⁶So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. (1 Samuel 21:1‑6)). Afterward it was at Gibeon (1 Chron. 16:39³⁹And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon, (1 Chronicles 16:39); 1 Chron. 21:29²⁹For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon. (1 Chronicles 21:29); 2 Chron. 1:3-6³So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness. ⁴But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. ⁵Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it. ⁶And Solomon went up thither to the brazen altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. (2 Chronicles 1:3‑6)). When the temple was built, the tabernacle was brought up, with the ark and the holy vessels. The ark was placed in the most holy place, and the staves drawn out, for it had found its settled rest. The tabernacle gave place to the house, the latter glory of which will yet be greater than ever (2 Chron. 5:4-9⁴And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. ⁵And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. ⁶Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. ⁷And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: ⁸For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. ⁹And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. (2 Chronicles 5:4‑9); Hag. 2:9⁹The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:9)).

Download (1.8 MB)

Amid the coming judgments, we read of “the temple [or shrine, that is, the holy place] of the tabernacle of the testimony” being opened in heaven, and out of the temple proceed the seven angels having the seven vials (Rev. 15:5-6⁵And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: ⁶And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. (Revelation 15:5‑6)).

Bible Handbook:

The tabernacle was constructed by Divine command and according to Divine plan, and when set up in the wilderness became the center of the many thousands of Israel, and the meeting place between Jehovah and His people (Ex. 29:42-46⁴²This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. ⁴³And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. ⁴⁴And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. ⁴⁵And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. ⁴⁶And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God. (Exodus 29:42‑46)). In it God dwelt, surrounded by His happy and redeemed people, and out of it He addressed them in strains of richest grace (Lev. 1:1¹And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, (Leviticus 1:1)). It is several times termed “the tabernacle of witness,” as eloquent in its teaching of heavenly and better things to come.

The tabernacle was set up in the wilderness on the first day of the first month of the second year of Israel’s departure from Egypt (Ex. 40:17¹⁷And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. (Exodus 40:17)); its flooring was the sand of the desert, unlike that of the temple, which was of pure gold, but the majesty of Jehovah abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah filled it (Ex. 40:34³⁴Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34)). The tabernacle and all that pertained to it, even to the cords, pins, and tacks, was intended to teach of Christ, to shadow His work and priesthood, and to illustrate various relationships between God and His heavenly and earthly peoples. In its general arrangement and structure, down to the minutest detail recorded, all was planned and constructed by the Spirit of God (Ex. 31), who, many centuries afterward comments upon His own workmanship (Heb. 9:8⁸The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (Hebrews 9:8)). The tabernacle was made according to a pattern shown to Moses (Heb. 8:5⁵Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. (Hebrews 8:5)), and served as a shadow of good things to come (Heb. 9:11¹¹But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Hebrews 9:11)); the patterns, too, of things in the heavens (Heb. 9:23-24²³It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:23‑24)), but it figured also the whole scene of creation (Heb. 3).

A Three Part Building

The building was divided into three parts, first, the innermost recess, into which the high priest alone could enter once a year, and only with incense and blood — Christ’s person and work. Here stood the ark, covered by the pure gold mercy-seat and supported by the golden, overshadowing cherubim, between which, Jehovah sat enthroned in Divine majesty and glory. This apartment is called “the holiest of all,” and “most holy,” and figures the immediate presence of God — the heaven of heavens. Second, the holy place divided from the “holiest” by the beautiful veil, and from the “court” by the hanging. Here rested the incense or golden altar, the gold-covered table of shewbread, and seven-branched golden candlestick. It was in this holy apartment where the priests daily worshipped and served, which represents the heavenly places, the scene of the church’s blessing; there we burn the fragrant incense in the presence of our God — the merits of Christ’s person and accomplished sacrifice; there, too, does the Holy Spirit exhibit the varied glories of Christ as the lamps shone upon the beautifully carved shaft of the candlestick, displaying its beauties; and there, too, do we feed upon Christ, as the priests did upon the shewbread. Third, we are now in the “outer court” where stood the brazen altar and the brazen laver filled with water. The former told its own tale of judgment; surely the ever burning fire, fed by continual sacrifice, impressively pointed to the “Lamb of God,” bearing sin’s judgment on the cross, and the value of which is eternally ascending to God; the brazen laver, on the other hand, which stood between the entrance to the holy place and the altar of burnt-offering, pointed to the necessity of God’s priests having clean hands to hold up, and clean feet wherewith to tread the courts of the Lord’s house, for both hands and feet were to be constantly cleansed in the laver. The vessels then in the outer court would express the ground, place, and means by which God could righteously meet any sinner coming out of the world, yes, and meet him too in richest grace.

Design with Two Purposes

The main design of the tabernacle was two-fold. First, as the scene and manifestation of God to man; and, secondly, as revealing the holy means by which man could be righteously and in grace presented to God. If this two-fold design in the construction of the tabernacle and in the enumeration of its vessels be borne in mind, it will sufficiently account for the singular omission of the laver in the description of the outer court (Ex. 27), and of the incense altar in the account given of the holy place (Ex. 25); both those vessels will be found fully described after the consecration of the priesthood (Ex. 30). Here we are furnished with a fine example of the perfection of Holy Scripture. From Exodus 25 till Exodus 27, we have God manifesting Himself to man through those wondrous types and shadows, hence the marked omission of certain vessels; but from Exodus 28 till Exodus 30, we have the priests, their holy garments, and the vessels previously omitted, as all these refer to the means of man’s approach to God.

The studies of the Christian reader on the subject of the tabernacle generally, and of its spiritual teachings, will be considerably facilitated by carefully noting the force of three expressions in Hebrews 9: “The tabernacle,” the “first tabernacle,” the “second” tabernacle. The first expression refers to the whole structure, as in first clause of Hebrews 9:2: “for there was a tabernacle made”; the second expression refers to the holy place, and the third to the most holy. Now, the first tabernacle, or holy place, the scene of constant service and worship, figures the whole Jewish economy, characterized by continual doing, yet unfinished service, and which necessarily kept man at a distance from God (Heb. 9:8-10⁸The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: ⁹Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; ¹⁰Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Hebrews 9:8‑10)).

Materials Used in the Construction of the Tabernacle, the Vessels, the Priests’ Garments, etc.

Exodus 35

1. GOLD — Divine glory; Divine righteousness; Divine nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. SILVER — Jesus in the value of His person and work for the sinners’ redemption.

3. BRASS — Christ sustaining the judgment of God against sin.

4. BLUE — Heavenly character of the blessed Lord.

5. PURPLE — Royalty of Christ.

6. SCARLET — Earthly glory of Christ.

7. FINE LINEN — Spotless purity of the blessed One in His person and ways.

8. GOATS’ HAIR — Christ’s absolute separation from all outward evil and sin.

9. RAMS’ SKINS DYED RED — Life-and-death devotedness of Christ to God.

10. BADGERS’ SKINS — Absolute holiness of Jesus, repelling every form of outward evil.

11. SHITTIM WOOD — The holy humanity of our Lord Jesus.

12. OIL FOR THE LIGHT — The Spirit of God the efficient power of all true testimony.

13. SPICES FOR ANOINTING OIL, AND FOR SWEET INCENSE — The moral graces and perfections of Christ expressed in the energy of the Holy Spirit (the oil), and also in Christ’s intercession for believers.

14. ONYX STONES — The variegated glories of Christ.

15. STONES FOR THE EPHOD AND BREASTPLATE — Moral glories and beauties of Christ.

The Prominent Vessels, etc. of the Tabernacle

1. ARK, made of shittim wood, and covered all over with gold inside and outside, surmounted with a golden crown, and with its rings and staves — Highest type of Christ in the two-fold glory of His person as man (shittim wood), as Divine (gold) and now crowned with glory and honour, and His perfect adaptation to all our wilderness circumstances (the rings and staves).

2. ALTAR OF INCENSE, made of shittim wood, and overlaid with pure gold, with its rings and staves, and surrounded with a golden crown — Christ the holy meeting-place between God and the saint in respect to worship. By Him we offer the sacrifice of praise to God (Heb. 13:15¹⁵By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15)). Crowned on high (Heb. 2:9⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)) and seated in the highest place (Heb. 8:1¹Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; (Hebrews 8:1)), He presents the merits of His own glorious person and the infinite perfection of His own accomplished sacrifice before the face of God, and that too for us, who there act as kings and priests to God (Rev. 1:6⁶And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:6)). In yonder Man, “Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,” my heart doth rest, in Him my affections delight; on Him I feed, and find present, full, and eternal satisfaction. As we gaze on Him, the heart is filled with worship, and we fill the holy place with songs of praise to Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.

3. ALTAR OF JUDGMENT, made of shittim wood and overlaid with brass (copper) with its rings and staves, grating, etc. — Christ the righteous meeting-place between God and the sinner in respect to sin. Christ on the cross measuring the distance and the responsibility of sinner to God. There my need as a sinner is fully met, and my guilty conscience perfectly satisfied. The golden altar in the holy place is the expression of my nearness to God as a happy saint; the brazen altar in the court is the expression of distance from God and of the judgment due to the sinner.

4. BREASTPLATE of judgment, made of gold (divine), blue (heavenly), purple (royalty), scarlet (earthly glory), and of fine-twined linen (spotless humanity), with stones engraved (reflections of the glories of Christ) and set in the breastplate in gold enclosing (Divine securities) — Believers ever borne on the heart of Jesus before God in divine love and righteousness, and according to all that Christ is personally and officially.

5. CHERUBIM (plural) made out of the same piece of gold as the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, one on either side covering it with outstretched wings — Divine attributes judicially displayed, or the moral supports of Jehovah’s throne, as “justice and judgment” (Psa. 89:14¹⁴Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (Psalm 89:14)).

6. CANDLESTICK, of pure gold, with beautifully carved shaft, and with its branches, bowls, knops, and flowers — The Holy Spirit’s perfect display of Christ in the exquisite and variegated glories of His person as the wondrous Light of a heavenly people.

7. GOLDEN BELLS AND POMEGRANATES, of blue, purple, and scarlet, hung alternately round the hem of the blue robe of the ephod worn by the High Priest in the presence of God — The “golden bells” set forth the testimony of the Holy Spirit to us as to the acceptance of Christ in all that He is, as now within the veil. The “golden pomegranates” sets forth the fruit Christ has gathered out of this scene, and which He now presents to God in all the glorious efficacy of His person. The “bells” are testimony to us; the “pomegranates” are fruit to God.

8. LAVER, of brass, with its foot also of brass and filled with water — The ability of Christ in meeting His people’s defilement, so as to keep them practically clean for priestly service and priestly worship. The water figures the Word of God (Eph. 5:26²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26)) as constantly applied to our walk, ways, words, thoughts, and actions.

9. MERCY SEAT, of pure gold; the golden cover of the ark — On this, and between the cherubim, rested the cloud — symbol of Jehovah’s presence. It was on the mercy seat, and thus before the eye of God, that the high priest sprinkled the blood once on the yearly atonement day, and before it seven times, as giving us a standing in the Divine presence. The mercy seat was also the trysting-place between God enthroned in Divine majesty and the people represented by the high priest, who entered with incense and blood. Christ is our mercy seat (Rom. 3:25²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25)).

10. TABLE OF SHEW-BREAD, made of shittim wood, overlaid with pure gold, surrounded with a golden crown, and shew-bread set before the Lord alway — Christ, now crowned with glory and honour in the double glory of His person as God and man, is the table; and Christ too the food set thereon, and all this He ever is before our God. He is our light — the candlestick; our food — the bread; and our object in worship — the golden altar: all these standing in the holy place. Is not Christ everything in these shadows?

11. VEIL of blue, purple, scarlet and fine-twined linen: with cherubim — We know from Hebrews 10:20,²⁰By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:20) that the veil represents “His flesh.” His varied glories and judicial and governmental attributes all center in Him, Who is the man Christ Jesus.

The glory of Jehovah filled the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-38³⁴Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: ³⁷But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. ³⁸For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. (Exodus 40:34‑38)).

The glory of Jehovah filled the Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11¹⁰And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 8:10‑11)).

The glory of Jehovah will occupy the Millennial Temple (Ezek. 43:1-5¹Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: ²And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. ³And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. ⁴And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. ⁵So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. (Ezekiel 43:1‑5)).

“To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Exodus 40:2²On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. (Exodus 40:2). On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

This was thirty cubits long by ten wide, and was ten cubits in height (Ex. 36:20-30²⁰And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up. ²¹The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half. ²²One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle. ²³And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward: ²⁴And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. ²⁵And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards, ²⁶And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. ²⁷And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards. ²⁸And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. ²⁹And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners. ³⁰And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets. (Exodus 36:20‑30)). It was made of boards of shittim or acacia wood, every board being ten cubits long, and one cubit and a half wide (Ex. 36:21²¹The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half. (Exodus 36:21)). The thickness is not mentioned in the Bible, but Josephus says that each of these boards was four fingers thick, excepting the two corners of the west end, which were each a cubit in thickness. (Ant. of the Jews, Book 3, chap. 6, § 3). Each board had two tenons at the base (Ex. 36:22²²One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle. (Exodus 36:22)), which fitted into silver mortises (Ex. 36:24²⁴And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. (Exodus 36:24)). These mortises in turn were fastened to the ground by means of brass pins (Ex. 38:20²⁰And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass. (Exodus 38:20)), which, according to Josephus, were each a cubit in length. The boards were held together by means of wooden bars covered with gold (Ex. 36:31-34³¹And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, ³²And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward. ³³And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other. ³⁴And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold. (Exodus 36:31‑34)).

Several kinds of curtains and coverings were made for the Tabernacle. One was of fine linen, the threads being “blue, purple. and scarlet,” and on the curtains were figures of cherubim, either woven or embroidered (Ex. 36:8-13⁸And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them. ⁹The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size. ¹⁰And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another. ¹¹And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. ¹²Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another. ¹³And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle. (Exodus 36:8‑13)). Another was of goats’ hair, spun and woven into cloth (Ex. 35:26; 36:14²⁶And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair. (Exodus 35:26)
¹⁴And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them. (Exodus 36:14)). Another was of “rams’ skins dyed red,” and a fourth was of the skins of the tachash or “badger” (Ex. 36:19¹⁹And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that. (Exodus 36:19)), though precisely what animal is meant by that name is not known.

The design and arrangement of these different curtains and coverings are a subject of dispute among restorers of the Tabernacle. Some regard them as coverings thrown over the tabernacle, the figured curtain being the first, and making a beautiful ceiling, the goats’ hair next, the dyed rams’ skins next, and over all the tachash skins. Others think that the figured curtains not only made a ceiling, but also were suspended on the inside, either partially or entirely covering the gilded boards.

Connected with this question is that of the shape of the Tabernacle roof, whether flat, like Oriental houses, or peaked and slanting, like Oriental tents. Great names might be mentioned on both sides. Fergusson, the celebrated English architect, presents a very strong plea in favor of the tent theory in Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible, art. “Temple.” Some very strong arguments against his plan of restoration may be found in a recent work by a learned Scotch layman (The Tabernacle and its Priests and Services, by Willam Brown, Edinburgh, 1871). One of the most original treatises on the subject is to be found in Solomon’s Temple, etc., by the Rev. T. O. Paine, Boston, 1861. Mr. Paine adopts the tent-theory, but, as we shall presently see, has a method of restoration entirely his own.

Fergusson supposes that the Tabernacle of gilded boards was entirely uncovered within and without, and that above this, and stretching beyond it on either side, so as completely to cover and protect it, were the curtains and coverings, in the form of a tent. The beautiful figured curtain was first thrown over the ridge pole, and was thus visible from the inside of the Tabernacle. Over this was the cloth of goats’ hair, and over this the “rams’ skins dyed red.” The tachtash skins he places along the ridge polo as a protection to the joint of the ram-skin covering.

Mr. Paine supposes that the linen curtains were hung in festoons on the inside of the gilded boards, four cubits from the bottom, thus leaving six cubits of gilded boards uncovered. Stretched over the Tabernacle, in tent form, was a double covering, made of goats’ hair, spun and woven into cloth of a dark brown color. This made the roof of the tent, and it came down close to the boarded sides of the Tabernacle. Fergusson’s tent, it will be remembered, stretches some distance beyond. Next to the gilded planks, on the outside, Paine puts the tachash skins, and over these the skins of the rams, with the wool on and dyed red. Thus “the Tabernacle had red sides and end, and a brown roof and gable, nearly black” (Solomon’s Temple, p. 16). He makes the front entirely open above the low entrance veil, and also has a small. opening in the rear, or west end, between the top of the gable and the peak of the roof. (See engraving on p. 77).

Nothing is said of the floor of the Tabernacle; whether of earth or boards is not known. In front were five pillars, over which was hung an embroidered curtain for a door (Ex. 36:37-38³⁷And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework; ³⁸And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass. (Exodus 36:37‑38)). There was also a veil dividing the interior into two rooms. This veil was of embroidery and hung on four pillars (Ex. 36:35-36³⁵And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work. ³⁶And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver. (Exodus 36:35‑36)). The precise length of each of these two rooms is not given, though, from the analogy between the Tabernacle and the Temple, two thirds of the space are supposed to have been given to the first room and the remaining third to the second. See 1 Kings 6:17-20¹⁷And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long. ¹⁸And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen. ¹⁹And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. ²⁰And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar. (1 Kings 6:17‑20).

The first room, which was called the Holy Place (Ex. 28:29²⁹And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. (Exodus 28:29)) contained on one side the table of show-bread, on the other the golden candlestick (Ex. 26:35³⁵And thou shalt set the table without the vail, 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. (Exodus 26:35)) and in front of the veil the golden altar of incense (Ex. 30:6⁶And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. (Exodus 30:6)). Behind the veil was the second room, supposed to have been in the form of a perfect cube. It contained the ark, and was called the Most Holy Place (Ex. 26:33-34³³And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. ³⁴And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. (Exodus 26:33‑34)).

In this Tabernacle of the Israelites there was a general resemblance to the temples of other ancient nations. This resemblance is to be seen, among other things, in the secret place where no one was permitted to enter, the special shrine of the Deity.

The wandering tribes of Asia have tents for their temples. They are larger than their dwelling-tents, and of better material and workmanship.