20131008 Tuesday, October 8 2013
Exodus 26: The First Christian Tabernacle

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

The LORD God (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) delivered the Israelites out of Egypt at, and by means of, the first Christian Passover (see Exodus 12: The First Passover). The Messiah then delivered His Ten Commandments to Israel (see Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments), as a prophetic object-lesson of the time when He will deliver His Law to all of humanity (see The Mount Sinai Prophecy and The Harvest Prophecies). He then also gave them a place that would serve as an ongoing prophecy of salvation (e.g. see Day of Atonement: The Messiah's Deliverance and The Feast Of Tabernacles In History And Prophecy). The first Tabernacle stood as that Holy Place for centuries - through the time of Moses in the Sinai, through the time of Joshua after crossing the Jordan (see Joshua: Crossing The Jordan) and through nearly all of the time of the Judges (see Judges: Right In Their Own Eyes) until the time of Samuel (see 1 Samuel: From Judges To Kings and 2 Samuel: The Kingdom Of David) when the Ark and the Tabernacle were parted (see The Parting of The Ark and The Tabernacle).

The design of the Tabernacle was given to Moses by the LORD.

"26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 26:2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 26:3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 26:4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 26:5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 26:6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle." (Exodus 26:1-6 KJV)

The Tabernacle was a portable structure with a wooden frame, covered with animal skins. Woven curtains were used to divide the exterior from the interior sections, and the interior Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (see also The Holy Place In History And Prophecy).

"26:7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 26:8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 26:9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 26:10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 26:11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 26:12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 26:13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 26:14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins." (Exodus 26:7-14 KJV)

The Tabernacle would be the place where the Levite Priesthood, with its High Priest as a direct living prophecy of the Christ (see Christ The High Priest), would conduct their service to the LORD and for the nation. The Levite Priesthood was established at the same time as the building of the Tabernacle (see The Origin Of The Levite Priesthood).

"26:15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 26:16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. 26:17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 26:18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 26:19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 26:20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 26:21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 26:22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 26:23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 26:24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 26:25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board." (Exodus 26:15-25 KJV)

The Israelites camped around the Tabernacle according to their tribes (see The Camp). The Tabernacle was positioned at the heart of the nation, with the Ark of the Covenant positioned in the heart of the Tabernacle.

"26:26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 26:27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 26:28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 26:29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.

26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 26:33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 26:34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 26:35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them." (Exodus 26:26-37 KJV)

Fact Finder: What is the significance of a "tabernacle" in the life of a true Christian?
See Where Is Your Tabernacle?