Exodus 25-27-The study of the tabernacle

God wanted a way for his children to be able to have fellowship with him.
He commanded Moses to tell the people to bring offerings. Not just any offerings, but "offerings of gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats' hair, ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate." (Ex.25:1-7)

Wow, God had very specific orders for the building of the tabernacle and the creation of every item to be used for service by the priest.
God commanded Moses to follow the specifications exactly, and as we look at this, you will get a mental picture of the beauty and glory of the sanctuary that God had the people build so that they could worship Him.

Every piece of furniture, every altar, and every serving piece used in the tabernacle was either made from pure gold, or covered with pure gold. Can you imagine the beauty as the light from the golden lampstand danced around the room, reflecting off the other pieces of gold, silver and bronze?
And the fine linen carefully hand embroidered with thread of blue, purple and scarlet to God's specifications must have been exquisite.

In my mind it was a little piece of "heaven on earth" which is exactly what God wanted for his chosen people. He wanted to cause them to ponder in their minds what heaven must be like and to worship him in a place of sanctuary from the world outside.

Offerings for the sanctuary (Ex.25:1-9)

The Ark of the Testimony (Ex. 25:10-22)
The ark was a portable chest made of wood and covered with gold (25:10). To this extent it resembles portable chests made by the Egyptians, displaying their skill in woodwork and decoration. The chests also provide examples of the way objects were carried with parallel bars arranged for the porters.

The Table for the Showbread (Ex. 25:23-30)
The Gold Lampstand (Ex. 25:31-40)

The Tabernacle (Ex. 26:1-37)

The Altar of Burnt Offering (Ex. 27:1-8)
Ancient altars from the Middle East were often provided with projections on the four corners, called horns in the Bible (Ex. 27:2). Possibly these horns were used to hold the animal on the altar as Ps. 118:27 would suggest. The bull was honored in different religions and the horn is a symbol of divine strength. But Exodus says nothing of this.

The Court of the Tabernacle (Ex. 27:9-19)
The Care of the Lampstand (Ex. 27:20-21)
It's very interesting to me that God commanded the priest (Aaron and his sons) to keep the light in the lampstand burning day and night continuously. Isn't that just like God? He provided an everlasting light for us. All we have to do is obey Him and follow His light. Prior to the death of Christ there were outward signs of the light that was yet to come in the person of Jesus Christ. So, the people had to continually be reminded that the light was available to them in the tabernacle where they came to fellowship with God.

Today, after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, we have the same opportunity. The difference is that Jesus Christ is that eternal light. The light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5) is Jesus Christ. During the Millennial Kingdom, (Is.60:20) ..."for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light."
John 1:4 states "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
John 1:9..."the true light..."

One of my favorites is found in (Ps.27:1) "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
We can freely receive God's light through knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior.
I am so grateful for the privilege of knowing Him as my light, and my Savior.
I hope you know Him too!!