LESSON 41
THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE
—by E. L. Bynum
Memory Verse: Ex. 36:5————Lesson: Ex. 36:1-38
Although we have studied Ex. 26 which is quite similar to this chapter, nevertheless there is a difference. In Ex. 26 God is telling them what to build, but in Ex. 36 we have their obedience in building. Also, it furnishes us an excellent review of some of the truths that we previously studied.
I. THE WORKMAN AND THE OFFERINGS. v. 1-7
A. The sufficiency Of The Workmen. v. 1-3
1. They had sufficient wisdom and understanding. v. 1. This was provided by the all sufficient Lord.
2. They had sufficient plans from the Lord. v. 1. Notice that service to God is not to from the head, but from the heart. A head full of knowledge is worth very little to a person with an empty heart.
3. They had sufficient workers. v. 2. There is a need at this present time, for our hearts to be stirred up to serve God. Acts 6:3, Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4. They had sufficient materials. v. 3
B. The Sufficiency Of The Offerings. v. 4-7
1. The offering was more than enough. v. 4-5. How sad that modern churches have departed from God’s plan of tithes and freewill offerings and have substituted pledges, every member canvas, and high pressure offerings. A church that is walking in the truth and the Spirit will have their NEEDS supplied. I Cor. 16:2, Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. II Cor. 8:1-5, How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. II Cor. 9:6-8, But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
2. The people restrained from giving. v. 6-7
II. THE COVERING FOR THE TABERNACLE. v. 8-19
A. LinenThe First Covering. v. 8-13
1. Made by wise hearted men. v. 8. Only God could cause them to be wise hearted. “The talents with which God has intrusted the believer are not to be laid up but laid out. Have your tools ready and God will find you work.” Brooks
2. The fine twine linen speaks of Christ’s righteousness, which He imputes to His saints. v. 8. Rev. 19:8, And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Isa. 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Eph. 3:8, 10, 16, Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; … To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, … That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.
3. The colors. v. 8. Blue speaks of His coming from heaven. Purple speaks of His royalty. Scarlet speaks of His blood.
4. The description of the curtains. v. 9-13. Loops of blue and taches of gold. (A tache was a hook and the selvedge was extreme edge). The taches unite the curtains and they typify Christ’s unity with the Father and with His people. He also unites the Father and redeemed man in Himself.
B. Goats’ HairThe Second Covering. v. 14-18
1. The goats’ hair reminds us of the atonement (Lev. 16:5-22), and the sin offering v. 14. Num. 28: 22, And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you. Num. 29:2, 5, And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: … And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
2. The dimensions and descriptions of this curtain. v. 15-18. The number of curtains were eleven. This was one more than the linen curtains, in order to overlap.
3. They were longer, to overlap and cover the linen curtain. Each panel was 45′ x 6′ and the whole curtain was 45′ x 66′.
C. The Rams’ Skins Dyed RedThe Third Covering. v. 19
1. The ram was the offering of consecration for the priests. Lev. 8:22-29, And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. And he brought Aaron’s sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put [them] on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD. And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses’ part; as the LORD commanded Moses.
2. The red speaks of Christ’s precious blood that was shed.
D. Badgers’ SkinsThe Fourth Covering. v. 19
1. The badgers’ skins covering was the outer one.
2. It was made from the same material that they used for shoes.
3. From the outside it appeared drab and not beautiful. This was what the stranger would see, but from the inside they saw the beautiful linen curtain.
4. It was the same with Christ. Isa. 53:2-3, For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
5. It is the same with Christianity and with the New Testament Church. The world looks from the outside and cannot see the glory and beauty on the inside.
III. THE WALLS & THE FOUNDATION. v. 20-23
A. The Boards Of The Walls. v. 20-23
1. The wood is a type of His humanity. v. 20
2. The description of the boards. v. 21-23. Each board was 15 feet by 27 inches. The tenons were fingers on the bottom ends of the boards to secure it to the foundation of silver.
B. The Foundation Of The Walls. v. 24-30
1. The silver foundation made from ransom money. Ex. 30:11-16; 38:25-27. Each socket weighed about 80 to 100 pounds.
2. This silver speaks of our redemption. I Pet. 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Lev. 17:11, For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Heb. 9:22, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
C. The Bars Of The Walls. v. 31-33
1. These bars were for stability. Five is the number of grace. v. 31-32
2. The middle bar may have been invisible, and speaks of the Holy Spirit. v. 33
D. The Covering For The Boards Of The Walls. v. 34
Gold speaks of His deity.
IV. THE VAILS OF THE TABERNACLE. v. 35-38
A. The Inner VailSeparating The Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. v. 35-36
1. The material from which it was made. v. 35
2. The method of hanging it. v. 36
3. It was a type of Christ, who opened up a new and living way of access to God. Heb. 10:19-20, Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.
4. He rent the veil by His death, and made a way for us to have access to God. Matt. 27:50-51, Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.
B. The Outer VailThe Entrance To The Tabernacle. v. 37-38
It also typifies Christ, the only way to fellowship and service.
—by E. L. Bynum
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What were the qualifications of the workmen and how did they obtain them.
2. How well did the people supply the offerings?
3. Name the four coverings of the Tabernacle and what they typify.
4. What was the wall made of, and with what was it covered? What did it typify?
5. What was the foundation made of, and what did it typify?
6. Name the two vails and what they typify.