The Tabernacle is 'mishkan' in Hebrew and means 'dwelling-place' where God chose His Shekinah Glory to dwell. The word 'Shekinah' comes from the Hebrew word 'shakan,' which means to reside or permanently stay. The Tabernacle was a portable tent/sanctuary in the wilderness to house the Shekinah Glory, God's indwelling holy presence. It would constantly remind the people of His power and that His presence was with them, watching over them day and night through their struggles and triumphs on their journey to the promised land.
The permanent structure of the Temple in Jerusalem was a magnificent building that served as the dwelling place of God, who desires to 'tabernacle' with His people and relate to them through His gracious goodness and covenant love (1 Kings 5-7). It had the form of both a home and a palace.
Because God is love, He desires a relationship with us. That is why we were created and is the central theme throughout the Bible, starting in the Garden of Eden, which had Tabernacle-like qualities and where God dwelt relationally with Adam and Eve, who had unrestricted access to Him. Adam's roles in Eden were like that of a Priest in the Tabernacle. The Shekinah Glory of God was also present in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve until they ate the forbidden fruit and were banished from there (Genesis 3:1-24).
God still longed to have a relationship with His people and dwell among them, so He spoke to His prophet Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and gave Him detailed instructions on building the portable Tabernacle that was structured with seven statements just like the Creation account in Genesis. The plans describing the Tabernacle began with "And God said..." and ended with the Sabbath command, inspection, and blessing (Exodus 25-31; 35-40; 39:43). God also specified what furniture was to be placed in it, the procedures to be followed in worship and transportation, and who was allowed to enter as they traveled 40 years in the wilderness from Mount Sinai to the Land of Israel. The completion of the Tabernacle construction closely parallels the completion of Creation (Genesis 2:1-3).
The Tabernacle was the way God could continue His desire to commune with His people outside of Eden. It is a place where God makes and renews His covenant. Going to the Tabernacle was to go "before the LORD" to worship and share communion with Him (Leviticus 1:3 ESV). However, because sin has entered the DNA of the human race, unrestricted communion could only be possible by divine grace and appointment in the Eden like Tabernacle. God built His dwelling in the midst of His people to be a symbolic model of the Garden sanctuary of Eden and as a revelation of Heaven. The Tabernacle was a "copy and shadow of the heavenly things" and describes Heaven and the ministry of Jesus with Tabernacle imagery (Hebrews 8:1-5, 9:11, 23-28, 10:19-22 ESV).
God is omnipresent and is everywhere in Creation at all times. The Tabernacle was where He revealed Himself more clearly and powerfully to make Himself directly and personally accessible and for His Priests to receive special revelation (Exodus 25:22, 29:42-43, 30:6,36; Leviticus 1; Numbers 7:89; 12:1-9; Deuteronomy 31:14-21; 2 Chronicles 1:6-13). He would meet with His people there, and it would be sanctified by His visible glory cloud that descended into it (Exodus 13:21, 14:19,24, 29:43, 40:34; Leviticus 9:4-6,23; 1 Kings 8:10-11; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3).
The Tabernacle served as a blueprint for how the children of Israel were to approach God in holiness, purity, and reverence. To worship at the Tabernacle was to come to the house of God to draw near to His remarkable presence and to know the communion with Him that is the purpose and fulfillment of His covenant with His people. There, the high Priest would offer sacrifice once a year to atone for the people's sins.
"And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the Tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it." "There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel." (Exodus 25:8-9,22 ESV)
The language used of the Tabernacle in the Bible is to show how Jesus, the Word of God, became incarnate and "dwelt (Gk: 'skénoó' is related to 'skéné' or 'tent') among us" (John 1:14). God prescribed how to worship Him on His terms. Human Beings cannot build a 'temple' and observe 'rituals' to gain access to somehow manipulate Him by 'faith' to guarantee His favor over their lives. God desires to tabernacle with His people and manifest His Shekinah Glory on His terms alone (Exodus 29:43).
The Building of the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle was a garden-like structure with an outer court surrounding it, then divided into two rooms - the inner court or Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. It was 54 feet long by 18 feet wide by 18 feet high (Exodus 26:16-21). Solomon's Temple was significantly larger at 110 feet+- long by 37 feet+- wide by 55 feet+- high and included a porch and side rooms (1 Kings 6:2-3). A person would enter on the east side and move west, in the opposite direction that Adam and Eve went when they were banished from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3-4; Exodus 27:13; 38:13; Leviticus 16:14).
[NOTE: The Bible uses 'cubits' for measurement, which is the distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger, or approximately 18 inches]
The outer court could be entered by all Israelites when they brought their sacrifices and offerings to the entrance of the Tabernacle and when they gathered to hear a divine message (Leviticus 1:3,8:3,12:6,14:23,15:14; Numbers 10:3; 27:2). It possessed a degree of holiness because "holy things" were permitted to be eaten there (Leviticus 6:16,26; Matthew 9:19).
Brazen Alter
The first item a person would see in the outer Courtyard as they approached the Tabernacle from the East through the entrance doorway Vail was the Brazen Altar, also known as the Bronze Altar or Golden Alter of Burnt Offerings. It was in front of the Laver, just before the doorway Vail that separated the Outer Court from the Holy Place (Exodus 27:1-8,30:6; 40:6,26).
It was a table made of Acacia* wood overlaid with bronze that was the largest piece of furniture in the Tabernacle and had two golden-coated slats on each corner. All the other pieces of furniture fit inside it. It was square-shaped - 7.5 feet wide by 7.5 feet long by 4.5 feet high. It had horns projecting from its four corners. In comparison, Solomon's Altar was 30 feet by 30 feet by 15 feet! (2 Chronicles 4:1)
(*NOTE: Acacia wood was one of a few types of trees that grew in the wilderness Israel traveled. It is a very dense and robust wood resistant to insects and could last hundreds of years without decay).
Only Priests could approach and minister at the Brazen Altar. The Tabernacle excluded anyone from coming too close to God's Shekinah Glory. The High Priest offered incense every morning and evening. He made "atonement" for the Altar by applying blood to its horns (Exodus 30:10). Sacrificial food was cooked and shared between God and His people. In the Bible, sacrifices are often described as "God's food offerings" (Leviticus 2:3,10; 4:35; 5:12; 6:17; 7:30,35; 10:12,15; 21:6,21; 23:36; 24:9; Numbers 28:2; Deuteronomy 18:1).
The Brazen Alter prophetically pointed to the coming Messiah, Jesus. The plan of God for salvation called for a spotless, sinless sacrifice. Only Jesus met that requirement. To atone for the world's sins, He was sacrificed on the altar of the Cross (John 1:29). The Brazen Altar symbolizes our sin and salvation because of the Cross. It is where sheep were put to be consumed by the Fire of God, a burnt offering to Him. Jesus died as the sacrificial lamb. The difference between the constant sacrifices was that the sacrifice of Jesus was final, and no more sacrifices were needed. God's holy justice was met. Those who want to enter Heaven need to accept the gracious gift of salvation through trusting-faith in Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice and Savior.
The Laver
After the Brazen Alter, the Priest would go to the Laver, which was a basin made of bronze and filled with water like a fountain, that was placed in the outer court between the entrance of the Tabernacle and the Altar of Burnt offering (Genesis 2:10; Exodus 30:17-21; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Psalm 26:8-0, Jeremiah 17:7-12; Revelation 21:1-2). The Priests used the water to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tabernacle or offering a sacrifice.
The Laver represents the daily sanctification and purifying of the Holy Spirit and symbolizes the Word of God. It is essential to understand that walking in the daily anointing of God requires repentance, humility, and reading His Word to bring complete release from those things that bind us.
The Veils
The Tabernacle had three purple, blue, and scarlet curtains or veils covering doorways. The word "veil" in Hebrew means "to separate." They acted as a barrier between God and the people.
The first Veil was at the entrance to the Outer Court just before the Brazen Altar. A person could only enter if they brought a sacrifice as an offering for God (Exodus 26:31-35).
The second Veil was at the door the Priests used to enter the Holy Place after they had made the proper sacrifice at the Altar and washed at the Laver.
The third Veil divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Communion with the very presence of God was only in the Holy of Holies. Woven into this Veil were three prominent figures of Cherubim as a symbol of the Celestial Beings who defend God's power and holiness and guard the entryway into the Garden of Eden with fiery swords (Genesis 3:24; Exodus 26:1,31; 1 Kings 6:32–35).
The Veil stood before the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest was permitted to come into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement because it was the very presence of God only if he carried blood from the bronze altar to present as an offering to God. The blood was placed on the Mercy Seat as a substitutionary atonement for his and the people's sins.
It was Herod's Temple that Jesus visited. According to the Talmud, the Veil in front of the Holy of Holies was almost seventy feet long, thirty feet tall, and four inches thick. Tradition claims that it took three hundred priests to hang them.
When Jesus was made flesh and lived among the people, He took on the limitations of humanity without surrendering any of His divine attributes. None of His Glory would be directly visible (Isaiah 52:14,53:2). His physical body was a veil that hid His Deity from the people (Hebrews 10:20). Yet, a glimpse of Glory would manifest through the many miracles of Jesus. His Glory came to its peak manifestation when He died on the Cross, and the Veil covering the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom (Mark 15:37,38).
God tore the barrier away that had separated Him from sinful humanity since the Fall of Adam and Eve at the precise moment the Priests would be busy in the Temple preparing for the evening sacrifice. The most sacred Veil was torn in two before all the Priests as a proclamation by God that the Priesthood for the sacrifice and remission of sin had ended, and all who entrust themselves to Jesus would have continuous access to His presence and Glory.
The Holy Place
The Table of Shewbread, the Golden Lampstand, and the Alter of Incense was within the Holy Place, where only the Priests were allowed to enter.
Table of Shewbread
Bread was placed on a table on the north side of the Holy Place called the "bread of the presence" and represents how God chooses to fellowship with His people (Exodus 25:30; 26:35). The table was made of Acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. It was 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. It also had a rim of gold running around the edges. It had a rail trimmed in gold connecting the legs. A golden ring was fixed to each of them, rounded halfway down and close to the frame at each corner. Poles of Acacia wood overlaid with gold were inserted in the rings when the table was carried (Exodus 25:23-30). Pure gold was to be used in making plates on which the bread was brought to the table. There were dishes for frankincense and large and small bowls used in pouring drinks (Leviticus 24:5-9).
The Table of Shewbread was a constant reminder of God's everlasting covenant with His people and His provision for the 12 Tribes of Israel, represented by 12 loaves of bread and pointed forward to the future Messiah and His fulfillment of the covenant. The loaves were considered holy as an offering before the presence of God and could be eaten only by the Priests. They were also a symbolic acknowledgment that God was the resource for Israel's life and nourishment and served as their act of thanksgiving to Him. They were arranged on the table in two rows of six, with frankincense sprinkled on each row (Leviticus 24; 1 Chronicles 9:32, 23:29; Nehemiah 10:33).
Communion
The Priests consumed the old bread each week on the Sabbath and replaced it with fresh loaves. The taking of the Shewbread influenced the practice of communion in the Church as it points backward in remembrance of Jesus' victory over death on the Cross. Jesus is now our High Priest and was "given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6 NLT). He said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35 ESV). He also said He is "the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh" (John 6:51 ESV).
Jesus wants us to take communion to remember Him (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 ESV). It is vitally important that when you partake of Communion, remember His broken body and shed blood because it proclaims His death for the forgiveness of sin that brought reconciliation between God and us. When we receive the elements of His body and blood, we partake of the power of God.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV)
The blood is the power of the anointing that breaks every yoke. Taking communion signifies that we have faith in His blood. This blood was shed to forgive and save and is continually protecting from things that can attack physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Whether a Born-Again Believer partakes of Communion daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually, they are to "examine" and judge themselves just as King David did.
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV)
This was the failure of the Corinthian church. It can't be done in only a few fleeting seconds during a church service as the elements are being prepared. People must spend time on their knees before the Lord, seeking His face to search their hearts. Then, when the Lord reveals sin, such as unforgiveness, anger, rebellion, bitterness, fear, worry, anxiety, resentment, pride, envy, etc., in their life, we should acknowledge it, appropriate the blood to it and repent. If the sin is against another person, then we must make it right with that person. Reconciliation is the ministry of every Born-Again Christian (See 2 Corinthians 5:18).
If a person does not examine themselves before they take communion, and active sin is present, they will bring God's chastisement;
"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:27-32 ESV)
After decades of study, I firmly believe this is the most significant reason the Church has so much sickness and disease. The importance of this can't be overstated. God's chastisement and judgment are resisting the proud. It is designed to bring the wayward person back into the right relationship with Him and is always to restore but never destroy. Pride opens the door for the immune system to go haywire.
