The Tabernacle

It was God’s own mind from before the creation of the world to have a people and to dwell among them. After Adam’s fall in sin, mankind was driven from God’s presence, and the way of return was barred by Cherubim with flaming swords. But God’s plan of redemption was already set in place. He called a people to himself, made them great, and raised up Moses to deliver them from bondage. Taking them into the wilderness, God commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle according to His perfect and detailed instructions—a house for the great God of creation to dwell among his people. The key to understanding everything in the Tabernacle is the central Person of the entire Scripture, Jesus Christ. God intended this holy structure to be the most visual presentation of the glory of Jesus Christ. It’s really the gospel in the Old Testament.

Lessons

Lesson Number Title Summary
1 Introduction The Tabernacle illustrates the main doctrines of the New Testament of salvation in a variety of ways. This study, from the book of Exodus, helps us understand the important connection between the...
2 The Temple Theme A temple is a place where God dwells—God’s house. The theme of God dwelling among his people is all throughout the Scriptures. But the Tabernacle was not made like any other temple that was ever...
3 Setting & Organization The Lord provided everything needed to build the Tabernacle. He caused the Egyptians to give the people of Israel the gold, silver, jewels and materials needed, as they were leaving Egypt. God gave...
4 The Courtyard Fence Let’s take a close and personal look at all the individual parts of the Tabernacle, starting from the outside, and moving inward toward the Holy of Holies. First, we learn about the white linen...
5 The Courtyard Gate And now we begin to see the symbolism pointing to salvation. There is only one gate—only one way into the Courtyard, only one way to God— the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, the truth,...
6 The Brazen Altar - Part 1 Once inside the Gate, we see the Brazen Altar, the symbol of justification. Animals were sacrificed there as substitutes to pay the penalty for sin, removing guilt before God. It was made of wood...
7 The Brazen Altar - Part 2 The Brazen Altar blocked the way to God—one cannot not approach God unless their sins are confessed and forgiven. Sin requires a blood sacrifice—“the wages of sin is death.” The final and perfect...
8 The Laver After being justified at the Altar, there is washing to be done at the Laver, but the priests had to return to the Laver to be washed repeatedly. This symbolizes the ongoing sanctification of the...
9 The Tabernacle Building Everything about the Tabernacle Building symbolized glorification. The walls were made of wooden boards covered in gold. They were held together with bars through rings, standing in sockets of...
10 The Lampstand Giving continuous light to the inside of the Tabernacle, the Lampstand was made of one piece of solid, beaten gold. In it, we are given many spiritual parallels with Jesus Christ and his references...
11 The Table of Shewbread Salvation means reconciliation with our Creator, God—though we are sinners, by true faith, we are accepted in God’s presence on behalf of Jesus’ merits. The Table was made from shittim wood...
12 The Altar of Incense Like the Brazen Altar, the Altar of Incense was made of shittim wood, but covered with gold instead of bronze. The Brazen Altar symbolized Christ in his humiliation, suffering, and death. But the...
13 The Ark of the Covenant Deep inside the Tabernacle Building, the Holy of Holies was separated by a veil depicting the Cherubim barring the way back into God’s presence. The Ark of the Covenant is there, a small chest made...