God commands Material and Workmanship of HIS Dwelling place with Israel
Material and Workmanship--Inner
Material and Workmanship--Inner
Material and Workmanship—Cover
DBF Sunday Sermon, February 9, 2003, Exodus 26:1-14
God has created such an intricate design when HE created our bodies.
We are made up mostly of water, yet the layers he has carefully chosen is able to keep this water within us other than by HIS design.
If you don’t believe me, cut yourself somewhere…
If you do you will notice that you start to leak, and the greater majority of what is leaking is water…we call it blood.
God has preserved our very life in layers of dying skin cells, which keep the wet stuff in and has an amazing ability to keep other things out.
God is an “amazing Creator”.
If this is a new fact to you, you need to get used to it.
We see it from Genesis to Revelation in the Bible, and anyone who looks around us in Bristol Bay or Louisiana or anywhere else in the world, should be able to see that God’s handy work is evident in HIS creation.
We will walk with Moses today as God begins to give commands on the dwelling place that HE will design, this temporary dwelling place with man, until they reach the promised land.
We as born again Christians know that the “Promised Land” is not a place on this sod but the eternal “Promised Land” in the very presence of God. Let us join Moses as he receives God’s instructions for the nation of Israel.
Material and Workmanship--Inner
Exodus 26:1-6 (KJV)
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. [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. [3] The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. [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. [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. [6] And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
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…God begins to give Moses the dimensions of the material and workmanship required by commandment to be to be used as the inner walls and ceiling of HIS temporary dwelling place with man.
You might ask, “Why do you say temporary dwelling place?”
Well, it was only meant to signify God’s special relationship with HIS Covenanted people under Covenant with God, moving to a “Promised Land”, a temporary dwelling place pointing to a better dwelling place to come…eternity with God in Heaven.
Rev. 21:1-4 (KJV)
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. [4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
The Linen curtains actually served as the interior ceiling for the tabernacle sanctuary.
The ten curtains were made in two sets of five and sewn together.
Linen relates to the righteous nature of God and His word. When we enter the tabernacle we are receiving HIS righteousness as a gift. These beautiful curtains raised up on high represent the glorious, risen and exalted nature of Jesus Christ in all HIS splendor and majesty.
The beauty of the curtains, their colors and design could only be appreciated by the priests that ministered within the tent because the nation could not enter in, Isn’t it glorious that as Christians today we can come into the very presence of God continually.
This spiritual vision of HIS glory and perfection, which was only available to the Levites now comes to those who go beyond the outer court experience and enter this hidden place through acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and maintaining a close walk in HIS ways.
The curtains never touch the earthen floor. We are heirs of God and Joint heirs with Christ. Through our union with HIM we are raised up together into this heavenly state in Christ. Raised above our fleshly sinful estate by our fellowship with Christ and acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Romans 8: 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Romans 8: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,
The colors also show the different aspects of Christ’s righteous nature. White, for purity, free of corruption and sin. It was fine-twined linen which denotes the power of His nature working in and through our daily lives.
Philippians 2: 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Blue is the color of heavenly things. Christ came from heaven to “die for all who would believe on HIM” and now has ascended again into heaven an is again seated at the right hand of God himself.
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Hebrews 9: 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
1 Corinthians 15: 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Purple is a color that blends blue(heaven) and scarlet( blood/flesh) There is a divine mingling of human and divine throughout the tabernacle tent. Scarlet is the color of the blood of the sacrifice and Cherubim figures point to the kind of heavenly creatures we are becoming in Christ. It is also note worthy to consider that God needed to come down to offer HIMSELF as the only acceptable, complete sacrifice becoming fully man while remaining fully God.
Material and Workmanship--Inner
Exodus 26:7-13 (KJV) And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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.
And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make…God’s home requires many layers to insure it’s contents. We as Christians are guided by the layers of the bible, fellowship, prayer, church, and the circumstances that God opens in our lives.
The tent had three coverings.
Each of these points to some aspect of the human nature of Christ and man.
The inside covering was made of white goat’s hair. (eleven curtains) Each one four cubits wide and thirty cubits long.
Then two outer coverings made of rams’ skins dyed red and badger’s skin for protection.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith......a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5)
Goats hair was the covering over the inner linen curtains. There were eleven curtains in two sets of five. Five sewn together and six sewn together. This number appears out of order in the sequence of all the other curtains.
Here God could have been symbolizing the nature of the scapegoat. On the “day of atonement” there were two goats chosen for the Lord’s sacrifice.
Leviticus 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
The one goat was slain whose blood was brought into the sanctuary.
Leviticus 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, Where God Resides.
The other was led out into the wilderness after the High Priest laid hands and commuted the sins of the people to the scapegoat.
Material and Workmanship—Cover
Exodus 26:14 (KJV)
And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.
Then two outer coverings made of rams’ skins dyed red and badger’s skin for protection.
The covering of badger skins: a preservative and a protective covering.
This outermost covering had no specific measurements but was large enough to cover. It was a dark blue-gray color basically unattractive to natural senses.
Isaiah prophesied of Christ saying "he hath form nor comeliness, and when we should see him there is no beauty that we should desire him"
The top covering placed over all was noted for its strength and resistance. This points to the nature of Christ to “withstand the principalities and powers of darkness and prevail”. Who also is able to cover all of our sins when we turn to HIM and call upon HIS name.
John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, (1 Timothy 3:16) It is by the revelation of God, through acceptance of Jesus Christ, who sent the Holy Spirit that we can begin to understand the beauty of HIS life within each of us who are “Born Again”.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, we beheld (discerned) his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Ram skins were dyed red. This covering points to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s life for our salvation.
The Ram was an animal used in many of the sacrifices of Israel and is signified by the ram caught in the thicket of the bush, which was a substitute for Isaac (Abraham’s only son) on the altar.
Are you willing to do what is necessary to accept the death of a substitute for you and your sinful nature today?
There is only one substitute, one worthy sacrifice, one who proclaimed upon the cross of Calvary “It is done”.
You see, if you are in a place today that you are seeking the wisdom and knowledge of God, or feel that you are in a place of judgment and seek the wisdom of God in your life then we would ask you to consider that Jesus Christ loves you. HE loves you so much that HE died for you and is able to cover your sins with HIS precious blood of sacrifice.
You see we cannot start to be different until we first accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Under any other circumstance we can only have limited understanding of God’s perfect truths.
We must start by admitting to God that we are sinners, deserving as all men Death and fire and brimstone on our own. But Praise God, HE loved us while we were yet sinners and made a way for us to come before HIM. We are to believe that Jesus Christ is God’s only son and believe on HIM. Finally, we are to commit our lives to the Lord above and ask HIM to fill us up with God’s love. In these steps we become new creations if we truly believe.
If you would like to start to walk in newness of life today, if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, if you are weary, sick or bed ridden, Jesus is calling.
If you would like someone to pray with you, we ask that you let us know we would love to pray the “sinners prayer” with you or to just ask Christ’s direction into your life, or pray for any specific need.
If you have been walking with a hardened heart and need Jesus to tenderize it, come forward HE alone is able and willing to do it.
If you or your loved ones have any specific prayer needs we ask that you let us know, we would love to pray for you.
Closing prayer.
Notes: The tabernacle itself was forty-five feet long and fifteen feet wide, divided into two parts. The entrance from the east opened into the holy place thirty feet in length. Beyond it was the Holy of Holies. Surrounding the tabernacle was a court having a perimeter of 450 feet and a thirty-foot entrance from the east. The eastern half of this enclosure was the worshiper’s square where stood the altar of sacrifice or brazen altar where the Israelites made their sacrifices. Between this altar and the tabernacle was the bronze laver where the priests washed their feet in preparation for officiating at the altar of sacrifice in the tabernacle.
The tabernacle was a rectangular enclosure, in length about 45 feet (i.e., reckoning a cubit at 18 inches) and in breadth and height about 15. Its two sides and its western end were made of boards of acacia wood, placed on end, resting in sockets of brass, the eastern end being left open ( Ex. 26:22 ). This framework was covered with four coverings, the first of linen, in which figures of the symbolic cherubim were wrought with needlework in blue and purple and scarlet threads, and probably also with threads of gold ( Ex. 26:1–6 ; 36:8–13 ). Above this was a second covering of twelve curtains of black goats’-hair cloth, reaching down on the outside almost to the ground ( Ex. 26:7–11 ). The third covering was of rams’ skins dyed red, and the fourth was of badgers’ skins (Heb. tahash , i.e., the dugong, a species of seal), Ex. 25:5 ; 26:14 ; 35:7 , 23 ; 36:19 ; 39:34 .
Internally it was divided by a veil into two chambers, the exterior of which was called the holy place, also “the sanctuary” ( Heb. 9:2 ) and the “first tabernacle” ( Heb. 9:6 ); and the interior, the holy of holies, “the holy place,” “the Holiest,” the “second tabernacle” ( Ex. 28:29 ; Heb. 9:3 , 7 ). The veil separating these two chambers was a double curtain of the finest workmanship, which was never passed except by the high priest once a year, on the great Day of Atonement. The holy place was separated from the outer court which enclosed the tabernacle by a curtain, which hung over the six pillars which stood at the east end of the tabernacle, and by which it was entered.
The holy of holies, a cube of 10 cubits, contained the “ark of the testimony”, i.e., the oblong chest containing the two tables of stone, the pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded.
The holy place was the western and larger chamber of the tabernacle. Here were placed the table for the shewbread, the golden candlestick, and the golden altar of incense.
