Direction for the Tabernacle: Ark, Mercy Seat, Table & Lampstand

INTRO

In Exodus, we looked at the Deliverer, Christ, who will deliver His people out of bondage. The Israelites were wandering around the wilderness, and God began to give them direction. He gave them the Ten Commandments and ordinances about how to live. He also revealed His heart to them; they were His treasure, kingdom of priests, and holy nation.

In Exodus 24:18, Moses had received all commandments and ordinances, and entered the cloud as he went up the mountain. He remained there 40 days and 40 nights.

TEACHING

Exodus 25:1: Lord revealed something to Moses that was absolutely incredible. He revealed how He was going to dwell among His people. At this point, the Israelites weren’t even allowed to touch the mountain, remember?

Exodus 25:2: Moses was to take an offering from everyone willing to give. This was a form of worship. Sometimes it’s easier to give than to obey. God even calls it out, “I desire obedience more than sacrifice.” God wanted to take an offering for a place where the Israelites could experience God’s presence.

Exodus 25:3–7: Moses collected specific items for the offering. The Israelites had to make their colors: blue (shellfish), purple (snails), and scarlet (powdered eggs and worms). Moses also collected fine linen; the Egyptians had a good reputation for fine linen. Where do you think all of these offerings came from? Egypt (Exodus 12:35–36)!

It was never the Israelites’ money anyway. Our money is not ours. You become a funnel as finances come in and out for how the Lord wants to work in and through your life. The abundance of items the Israelites brought for the making of the sanctuary, is an incredible picture that people must be willing to give. There was more than enough (Exodus 36:3–7). To me, that is people giving from their heart (2 Corinthians 9:7). People were bringing specific things for a specific purpose.

Exodus 25:8–9: There are four terms Scripture uses for what the people were going to be building:

1. Sanctuary is symbolic and means a center for His presencewhere the Shekinah glory will dwell. This is thesame mentality as the holy ground at the burning bush.Glory means “weight”.You feel the weight of His presence.

Tabernacle is the same thing as sanctuary, just different terminology.This has the same mentality as a dwelling place for God.It looked no different from other nomad tents.

Tent of Meeting: This is another term for the sanctuary or the tabernacle (Exodus 26:36; 29:42; 35:21).

Tabernacle of Testimony: All four of these are different words for the same place (Exodus 38:21; Numbers 9:15). Every term implies God’s presence is dwelling amongst the people. God was going to get more specific about what was going inside the tabernacle.

Exodus 25:10–15: The first thing made was the Ark of the Covenant, an “ark of acacia wood.” Acacia wood is straight, not porous, and not susceptible to mold or insects. Acacia is hard-grained and orange-brown in color. It was covered with gold. Joshua 2:1 mentions an acacia grove (called Shittam in some Bible versions). The Israelites were commanded not to touch the Ark. Remember, Uzzah was immediately struck down when he touched the Ark (2 Samuel 6:6–7).

Exodus 25:16–22: Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the Ten Commandments (tablets of testimony), the golden pot of manna (Exodus 16:32–34), and Aaron’s budded staff (Numbers 17). Then the Israelites made a mercy seat of pure gold. MacArthur explained that the “lid or cover of the ark was the ‘mercy seat’ or the place at which atonement took place. Blood from the sacrifices [on the mercy seat] stood between God and the broken law of God.”¹“Mercy” means, propitiation or sacrifice. Jesus became our propitiation. The mercy seat served as the propitiation for the Israelites, but it no longer exists (1 John 2:2). Jesus Himself is the propitiation for our sins! This is the beginning stage of pointing people to the Messiah! A lamb would be sacrificed once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and its blood would be put on the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:23–30: The Israelites built the Table of Showbread (the table of acacia wood). The plates, cups, pitchers, and bowls were made out of pure gold, and held the bread of the Presence on the table before God at all time. Only the priests ate the bread of the Presence (Leviticus 24:5–9). Twelve loaves of bread were placed there to represent the 12 tribes. This is expressive of Christ ultimately becoming our Bread of Life. When Jesus said this to the Jews, He was pointing to the bread of the Presence, which they were familiar with (John 6:32–36). All these aspects of the earthly tabernacle pointed to the Messiah.

Exodus 25:31–40: Moses was receiving these instructions spelled out to him by God. The Israelites made a golden lampstand that had six branches, three on each side, in addition to the center lamp. It is also called the Menorah. They would see this light as they walked into the tabernacle. It was made of 75 pounds of gold and was the light for the priests who were serving in the Holy Place. The oil was essential to keep it burning. Part of the priest’s role was to keep the lamp burning continually (Exodus 27:20–21). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). The golden lampstand never went out, and Jesus says the same thing: “You will never walk in darkness again.”

God warned the Israelites to be careful to make everything according to the patterns shown. God showed Moses the pattern on the mountain. Moses was trusted to deliver God’s people and part of that process was to assist the Israelites into His Presence.

CLOSING

Hebrews 8:5–6 says: “These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, ‘Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern thatwas shown to you on the mountain’. But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been legally enacted on better promises.”

Moses’ pattern that he received from the Lord was a copy and shadow of the better pattern, Jesus!