Sermon Central
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Blueprint For The Sanctuary Series
Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on Mar 20, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: More than anything, God wanted to be known, so He would pitch His tent in the very center of the camp of Israel. It was to be a place where God and humans would meet.
The entrance to the courtyard was to be on the east wall and was to be a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen.
In this way, when the people faced the Tabernacle, they would be facing west, their backs to the rising sun. This was an important detail. God did not want them to equate worship of him with the worship of the rising sun.
Exodus 40:6-8 - Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle; place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
The Courtyard was as far as an ordinary Israelite could go. Priests were allowed into The Holy Place. Only the High Priest was allowed into The Most Holy Place.
-Priestly Attire (ch. 28-29)-
The High Priest wore elaborate garments including a robe (blue – gold bells and pomegranates attached to the hem), Ephod (blue, purple and scarlet), breastplate, turban (with a gold plate engraved with “holiness to the Lord”).
The Ephod and Breastplate: The Ephod was a tunic made of blue, purple and scarlet joined at the top by clasps with engraved onyx stones - 6 tribes engraved on one stone, 6 on the other. Over the Ephod was the Breastplate which contained 12 precious stones - one tribe name was engraved on one stone.
o Represents 2 realities: God carries us and we are close to His heart.
Urim (no)/Thummim (yes) were placed inside the Breastplate and were to be used to discern the will of God in times of Crisis. (see 1 Samuel 28:6 – Saul)
The Regular Priests wore a long tunic with sleeves made of white linen, under garments, a linen hat and a sash.
Aaron and His sons were to be consecrated: This involved burnt offerings, washing the priests, dressing them and anointing their heads with a very specific oil recipe. Every future priest must be anointed and ordained before they could go into God’s presence.
-The Altar of Incense-
The Altar of Incense was to be made of acacia wood with horns at each corner and completely overlaid with gold. A gold molding encircled the top and gold rings were placed just under the molding.
It was to be square, 1 1/2 ft x 3 ft high.
It was to be placed in front of the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy Place.
Aaron was to burn fragrant incense on the altar twice per day.
It was to be carried by acacia poles covered with gold inserted into the gold rings.
The incense was a symbol of the prayers and intercession of the people going up to God (Revelation 8:3-4).
-Ransom Money-
When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted.
Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives.
(Matthew 20:26-28; Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:5-6)
-The Bronze Basin-
The Bronze Basin was to be used for washing. Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet before presenting a Burnt Offering to Yahweh and before they entered the Tabernacle.
