LESSON 27
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE
By E. L. Bynum, Pastor
Memory Verse: Ex. 26:14 (N .W . 26:30)————Lesson: Ex. 26:1-14
CORRECTION for last week: The dimension of the table should have been about 36″ long, 18″ wide, and 27″ high. Ex. 25:23
I. THE CURTAINS FOR A COVERING. v. 1-14
A. The Linen Curtain. v. 1-6
1. Only those inside of the tabernacle could see this curtain. They had come by the way of the brazen altar, a type of the cross. Only those who are in Christ can see the beauty and glory that is invisible to the lost. 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. Col. 2:3, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Psa. 96:6, Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
2. The spotless curtains point to the holiness of Jesus Christ. v.1
a. The priests were dressed in this same kind of material. Ex. 28:39-43
b. On the day of atonement Aaron was dressed in this kind of material. Lev. 16:4, He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
c. The fine twined linen represents the righteousness of the saints. 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. We learn what man is without that righteousness of Christ imputed to us. 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.
3. Their colors: blue the color of heaven; purple that of royalty; scarlet the color of blood; and white tells of righteousness, and all these point to Jesus Christ.
a. Blue, purple and scarlet are found together 24 times in the book of Exodus.
b. The priestly garments also contained these colors. Ex. 28:5-6
4. The dimensions of each panel of the curtains was about 42′ long by 6′ in width. v. 2. The whole curtain was about 42′ x 60′.
5. The Cherubim. v. 1. Probably the same as the living creatures of Ezek. 1:5-11.
a. These beautiful colors were used in embroidering the cherubim on the white linen.
b. They symbolize the presence of God. The priests on the inside serving, were constantly reminded that God was watching them. Psa. 61:4, I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. Psa. 91:4, He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psa.17:8, Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings. Psa. 36:7, How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Psa. 57:1, Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psa. 63:7, Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
6. Loops of blue and taches of gold. v. 3-6. (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. The Curtain of Goats’ Hair. v. 7-13
1. The goats’ hair reminds of atonement. v. 7. Lev. 16. Atonement has to do with covering.
a. The goat was used as a sin offering. Num. 28:17, 22; Lev. 23:15, 19; and Num. 29:1, 5.
b. These curtains pointed to Christ as the sin offering for the sins of His people. II Cor. 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Isa. 53:10, Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
2. The number of curtains were eleven. v. 7. This was one more that the linen curtains, in order to overlap.
3. They were longer, to overlap and cover the linen curtain. v. 8. Each panel was 45′ x 6′ and the whole curtain was 45′ x 66′.
4. Divided into two parts, 6 and 5. v. 9
a. Six is man’s number and five is the number of grace.
b. Note that six is man’s dominant number. Twelve inches in a foot; 36 inches in a yard; 60 minutes in an hour; 24 hours in a day; and 12 months in a year.
5. The taches were of brass, which speaks of judgment. v . 11
a. The brazen altar was where the sin offerings were burnt. Ex. 27:1-8
b. The serpent of brass, a type of the sacrifice of Christ. Num. 21:8, And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. John 3:14, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.
6. The overhang. v. 12-13. To all that entered, this would be a reminder of the sin offering. Isa. 53:6, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Heb. 9:28, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Isa. 44:22, I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Psa. 103:12, As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Isa. 38:17, Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
C. The Rams’ Skins Dyed Red. v. 14
1. Red is the color of blood.
2. The ram was the offering for consecration of the priests. Ex. 29:26; Lev. 8:22-29
3. The ram was Isaac’s substitute. Gen. 22:13, And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
4. This curtain points to our substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. Without His offering we could not be consecrated for service
D. The Badgers’ Skins Covering. v. 14
1. This was the drab outside cover which is all the world could see. This is as the world sees Christ. It is no wonder that the following Scriptures are found in the Word of God. Psa. 27:4, One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. Psa. 26:8, LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Psa. 65:4, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Psa. 84:1-2, 4, How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
2. Whatever this animal was, it skins were made into shoes. Ezek. 16:10
3. This was one of the offerings. Ex. 25:5. They literally gave up their material for shoes. This may seem like too great a sacrifice, but God took care of their feet. Deut. 8:4, Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Deut. 29:5, And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Phil. 4:13,19, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
4. The curtain portrays His humiliation. Phil. 2:7, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
CONCLUSION
The Tabernacle reveals the person and work of Christ. They needed no more than this. We need nothing more that Christ, and we should add nothing else to Him. Col. 1:19, For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col 2:3, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Col 3:1, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Eph. 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. As the song writer wrote, “Christ is all I need.”
—by E. L. Bynum
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. How many coverings did the tabernacle have?
2. How many sections did the linen curtain have, and how many did the goats’ hair curtain have?
3. How did the inside appearance of the linen curtain remind us of Christ?
4. What does the fine linen represent?
5. What does the Cherubim symbolize?
6. What does the loops of blue and taches of gold typify?
7. What does the goats’ hair remind us of? What was the goat used for in the sacrifices?
8. Six is_________number and five is the number of_________.
9. Why were the taches of gold for the linen curtain, and of brass for the goats’ hair curtain?
10. The rams’ skins dyed red point to who or what?
11. What else did the Israelites use the badgers’ skins for?