Exodus 25 Tabernacle or Sanctuary Part 1

Exodus 25: 8 "Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."

Jumping back to the previous chapter I should note that it contains a general guideline for the children of Israel. I say general because more details come later. The word general in no way should diminish the importance of these commands. Moses is going up into the mount to meet with the Lord and it was necessary to leave instructions for the people. You will note that the people agreed to do as instructed. So later if judgment comes we should remember that they did agree.

Exodus 24:3 "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do."

So you see as we proceed, we must realize that the people knew what they should do. We will see them falter but it is not through ignorance that they do it.

We have journeyed in our study from the garden of Eden where humanity sinned and saw the shedding of blood to make them coats to cover their nakedness. We have seen the flood and the ark of safety for Noah. Then we say the family of Abraham develop into a nation while in captivity in Egypt. They have now come out of Egypt under the guiding hand of Moses and the miracles of the Lord. The Lord desires to be near them but for God to dwell amonst a sinful people there must be strict guidelines, not to protect the Lord but to protect the people. For a holy God cannot look upon sin. As in Eden where the blood was shed, so must the dwelling be santified with blood as an atonement for sin and the blood stands as a protecting wall (if you will) between sinful people and a holy God. We have talked of this blood pointing to and representing the blood that Christ shed in the new testament.

And so in the building of the sanctuary we can see Christ and his work. There are books and studies on the tabernacle which go into great detail in what everything means. I simply want to note two things which will help in our study:
-when building the tabernacle, it started with the Lord as represented by the ark.
-In approach man begins with himself and moves toward the Lord, as represented by the washing and the progressive move toward the holiest of hollies. The mercy seat being sprinkled with the blood of atonement.

The colors of the tabernacle: (as accepted by scholars)
-Gold-diety - divine glory
-silver-redemption
-brass symbol of judgment
-blue: heavenly origin or nature
-purple: royalty
-scarlet: sacrifice
(from Scofield's footnotes)

Exodus 25:1-2 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel that they brng me an offering of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering."

And so a list is provided of material needed to make the tabernacle. This is not a tax on the people but as the verse says an offering from those who wish to give. You can tell from the list that it is going to be a thing of beauty and unlike anything seen before.

Gold stands out in the makings v30 "...thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway." or showbread.

Again I go to my footnotes for guidance where I find that shewbread is a type of Christ. He is the life-sustaining Christ. As the manna was the life-giving Christ.
John 12:24 (Jesus talking) "Verily, verily, I say unto you Except a corn of wheat fall into the grond and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
Who can deny that from the death of Jesus many have come to believe? And so one grain of wheat has produced a bountiful crop.

Next we will see the details of the candlestick.

Psalm 126:6 "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him."