LESSON 42
BUILDING FURNITURE FOR THE TABERNACLE
By E. L. Bynum, Pastor
Memory Verse: Ex. 37:6————Lesson: Ex. 37:1-29
They were to build all things according to God’s pattern, so the Church today should give due respect to God’s Word in order to build all things according to every jot and tittle of His Word. Matt. 5:18, For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. God delights in sincere obedience and keeps an exact account of it. The only way we can build our lives and our families is to follow His plan recorded in His Word.
I. THE FURNITURE FOR THE MOST HOLY PLACE. v. 1-9
A. The Making Of The Ark. v. 1-5
1. Made of wood, a type of the humanity of Christ. v. 1. Wood was obtained by cutting down a living tree. Christ was cut down in order to provide a meeting place between God and man. Heb. 2:9-16, But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, … in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings … in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
2. It was overlaid with pure gold. v. 2. It had to be pure if it was to represent gold that came from God, to typify Christ. I John 3:3, And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Matt. 5:8, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
3. The crown. v. 2. It speaks of Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
4. The rings and staves. v. 3-5. They speak of Christ the ever living, ever present Saviour who abides with His people.
5. The ark as a type of Christ our Saviour.
a. The ark went before the people. John 10:4, And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
b. When they were camped it was in the midst of the people, just as Christ is today. Matt. 18:20, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Rev. 1:13, And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. Rev. 1:20, …and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
c. It went down into Jordan the place of death first. Josh. 3:3, And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. So Christ went down into death before us and for us. Rom. 6:3-4, Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Col. 3:1-4, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
d. God’s people were to follow the ark. Josh. 3:3. So we are to follow Christ. Heb. 12:1-2, Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
e. The ark led in bringing down the walls of Jericho. Josh. 6:4, And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. Col. 2:14-15, Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
f. When the ark was taken by the enemy, Israel fled. I Sam. 4:17-18, And 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. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. Mark 14:50, And they all forsook him, and fled.
g. The ark brought death to the Philistines. I Sam. 5:10, Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. Christ is a saviour of death to the unsaved unbeliever. II Cor. 2:15-16, For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
h. Dagon fell before the ark. I Sam. 5:2-4, When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. All false religion will someday fall before Christ.
i. The ark brought blessing to Obededom. II Sam. 5:25, And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household. Christ brings blessing to the house obedient believers today.
j. The ark was carried by the sons of Kohath, chosen men of Levi. Christ chose, and commissioned His Church to carry His name to the heathen. Num. 4:15, And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
k. The ark brought to the proper resting place. Christ is se seated in His proper place at the right hand of the Father. I Chron. 16:1, So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
B. The Making Of The Mercy Seat. v. 6-9
1 . The golden mercy seat speaks of the divine person, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. v. 6
2. It was made of gold, showing that all mercy is divine and comes down from God. v. 6
3. Mercy seat (the Hebrew (“capporeth”) means a covering. The law was covered by the mercy n the day of atonement their sins were here covered by the blood.
4. The cherubims made of one piece of gold beaten out. v.7-9. This speaks of the suffering of Christ as He was beaten for us/
II. THE FURNITURE FOR THE HOLY PLACE. v. 10-29
A. The Making Of The Table Of Shewbread. v. 10-16
1. The wood speaks of His humanity. v. 10
2. The gold speaks of His deity. v. 11
3. The crown speaks of His kingship. v. 11
4. The table speaks of fellowship and communion in Christ.
5. The shewbread speaks of Christ the bread of Life, who satisfies our every need. John 6:35, And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
B. The Making Of The Golden Candlestick. v. 17-24
1. The candlestick sets forth Christ as the light of the world. John 8:12, Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
2. The pure gold speaks of His deity and shows us that the light is divine light.
3. The beaten work sets forth the sufferings of Christ, in order to provide a light to lighten the Gentiles and Israel.
4. The almonds, knops and flowers set forth the resurrection life and fruitfulness of Christ.
C. The Making Of The Altar Of Incense. v. 25-28
1. The wood speaks of His humanity. v. 25
2. The gold speaks of His deity. v. 26
3. The altar speaks of His intercession for us.
D. the Making of the Anointing Oil and the Incense. V. 29
1. Christ was anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. Heb. 1:8, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
2. Christ lifts us up through intercession.
—by E. L. Bynum
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Where was the ark kept and of what was it made?
2. What did these materials speak of?
3. What does the crown represent or typify?
4. How was the ark a type of Christ?
5. What material was used in making the mercy seat?
6. What is the meaning of “mercy seat?”
7. How did the beaten work of the cherubims typify Christ?
8. Name the three pieces of furniture in the Holy Place and what each one typifies.