Day 25: Exodus 25-27

(The previous post covered the completion of God's Covenant with reborn Israel. The 5th Dispensation had begun. God would reach people through the Law. Moses and Joshua went up to the mount with God for forty days and forty nights. The next seven chapters covered what God said during that time. What did the people do during that time?)

Exodus 25

(This chapter concerned the tabernacle.)

¹ And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
² Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for me an offering: of every man whose heart maketh him willing ye shall take my offering.

(God asked for a willing offering.)

(Verses 3-7: the specific materials to be gathered.)

³ And this is the offering which ye shall take of them: gold, and silver, and brass,
⁴ and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
⁵ and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood,

(The KJV stated it was "badgers' skins" not "sealskins." However, the Hebrew word was Strong's #8476 tachash - "a kind of leather, skin, or animal hide." There was nothing in the word that indicated it was the skin of a seal or a badger.)

⁶ oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
⁷ onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

(Verses 8-9: the purpose and pattern of the tabernacle.)

⁸ And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
⁹ According to all that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the furniture thereof, even so shall ye make it.

(God Himself would show the pattern (model) and the tools for exactly how He wanted it done.)

(Verses 10-11: the basic structure of the Ark of the Covenant.)

¹⁰ And they shall make an ark of acacia wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

(The Ark (pictured above) was approximately 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. A cubit was approximately 18 inches.)

¹¹ And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

(The Ark was overlaid with pure gold, inside and out.)

(Verses 12-15: the rings and the poles for the Ark of the Covenant.)

¹² And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four feet thereof; and two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
¹³ And thou shalt make staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
¹⁴ And thou shalt put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, wherewith to bear the ark.

(The rings and poles (staves) were used to carry the Ark.)

¹⁵ The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

(Verse 16: the contents of the Ark.)

¹⁶ And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

(Verses 17-22: the mercy-seat.)

¹⁷ And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

(The mercy-seat was approximately 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.)

¹⁸ And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat.

("Cherubim" were angelic beings.)

¹⁹ And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof.
²⁰ And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.
²¹ And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
²² And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

(God met with them from above the mercy-seat.)

(Verses 23-30: Dimensions, materials, and purpose for the table of showbread.)

²³ And thou shalt make a table of acacia wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

(The table of acacia wood was approximately 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Acacia wood, also known as shittim wood, was from a large tree that grew in Egypt and Arabia. The bark was covered with black thorns and the wood was very hard.)

²⁴ And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
²⁵ And thou shalt make unto it a border of a handbreadth round about; and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.

(A handbreadth was about 8 centimeters or 3 inches.)

²⁶ And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
²⁷ Close by the border shall the rings be, for places for the staves to bear the table.
²⁸ And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
²⁹ And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and the spoons thereof, and the flagons thereof, and the bowls thereof, wherewith to pour out: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
³⁰ And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway.

(On the table of showbread were set twelve loaves of showbread. The term showbread literally meant "bread of faces." This bread was meant to be associated with and eaten before the "face" of God.)

(Verses 31-36: the lampstand itself.)

³¹ And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.
³² And there shall be six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
³³ three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the candlestick:
³⁴ and in the candlestick four cups made like almond-blossoms, the knops thereof, and the flowers thereof;
³⁵ and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the candlestick.

(The lampstand looked like a modern-day menorah.)

³⁶ Their knops and their branches shall be of one piece with it; the whole of it one beaten work of pure gold.

(Verses 37-40: the lamps for the lampstand.)

³⁷ And thou shalt make the lamps thereof, seven: and they shall light the lamps thereof, to give light over against it.

(Since the tabernacle was itself a covered tent, the lamps on this lampstand would be the only source of light.)

³⁸ And the snuffers thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
³⁹ Of a talent of pure gold shall it be made, with all these vessels.
⁴⁰ And see that thou make them after their pattern, which hath been showed thee in the mount.




Exodus 26

(This chapter concerned the curtains and veils for the tabernacle.)

(Verses 1-14: Four sets of curtains for the tent itself.)

(Verses 1-6: the first covering - fine linen curtain.)

¹ Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim the work of the skilful workman shalt thou make them.

(The work of a skillful workman.)

² The length of each curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.

(The size of each curtain was approximately 42 feet long and 6 feet wide. Each curtain was the same size.)

³ Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the 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 edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.
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 second coupling; the loops shall be opposite one to another.
⁶ And thou shalt make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tabernacle shall be one whole.

(Verses 7-13: the second covering - curtain made of goat's hair.)

⁷ And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make them.
⁸ The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.

(The goats' hair curtains were approximately 45 feet long and 6 feet wide. These eleven curtains were all the same size.)

⁹ And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent.
¹⁰ And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling.
¹¹ And thou shalt make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
¹² And the overhanging part that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.
¹³ And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

(The remaining material would cover the sides of the tabernacle. About 18 inches on each side.)

(Verse 14: the third and fourth sets of coverings - ram skin dyed red and seal skin.)

¹⁴ And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.

(Some versions say "porpoise" or "dolphin" or "badger" instead of seal's skin.)

(Verses 15-30: the framing system for the tabernacle.)

(Verses 15-25: Boards for the sides of the tent.)

¹⁵ And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.
¹⁶ Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.

(These boards served as a framework for the tabernacle. These boards were about 15 feet high and 27 inches wide.)

¹⁷ Two tenons shall there be in each board, joined one to another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
¹⁸ And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward.
¹⁹ And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.
²⁰ And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,
²¹ and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
²² And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
²³ And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part.
²⁴ And they shall be double beneath, and in like manner they shall be entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
²⁵ And there shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

(Verses 26-30: Bars to join together the boards.)

²⁶ And thou shalt make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
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 hinder part westward.
²⁸ And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end.
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.
³⁰ And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been showed thee in the mount.

(Verses 31-37: Two barriers - the veil and the screen.)

(Verses 31-33: the veil.)

³¹ And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim the work of the skilful workman shall it be made.

(The work of a skillful workman.)

³² And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, upon four sockets of silver.
³³ And thou shalt hang up the veil under the clasps, and shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

(The veil was meant to divide.)

(Verses 34-35: the arrangement of the furniture in the two rooms of the tabernacle.)

³⁴ And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
³⁵ And thou shalt set the table without the veil, 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.

(Verses 36-37: the screen for a door.)

³⁶ And thou shalt make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.
³⁷ And thou shalt make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold: their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

Exodus 27

(This chapter concerned the inside, or courtyard, of the tabernacle.)

(Verses 1-8: the altar of burnt offering.)

(Verses 1-2: the basic structure of the altar.)

¹ And thou shalt make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

(The altar was approximately 7½ feet wide, 7½ feet long, and 4½ feet high.)

² And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof; the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

(The horns were to be overlaid with brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. How hard do you think this was to make in Moses' day? Who had the abilities that would be necessary to make all of these different parts? A skillful workman was extremely valuable.)

(Verses 3-8: Accessories for the altar.)

³ And thou shalt make its pots to take away its ashes, and its shovels, and its basins, and its flesh-hooks, and its firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
⁴ And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass: and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof.
⁵ And thou shalt put it under the ledge round the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar.
⁶ And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with brass.
⁷ And the staves thereof shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, in bearing it.
⁸ Hollow with planks shalt thou make it: as it hath been showed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

(Verses 9-21: the courtyard and the gate.)

(Verses 9-15: the hangings for the perimeter of the courtyard.)

⁹ And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side:
¹⁰ and the pillars thereof shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
¹¹ And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, and the pillars thereof twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.

(The curtains hanging in the courtyard on the north and south sides were about 150 feet long.)

¹² And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
¹³ And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

(The length of the curtains hanging on the west and east sides were about 75 feet long.)

¹⁴ The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
¹⁵ And for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

(The curtains for each side of the gate were about 22 ½ feet.)

(Verse 16: the gate to the courtyard.)

¹⁶ And for the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four.

(This curtain was approximately 30 feet long.)

(Verses 17-19: Other details concerning the courtyard.)

¹⁷ All the pillars of the court round about shall be filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass.
¹⁸ The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

(The size of the entire courtyard was about 150 feet long and 75 feet wide.)

¹⁹ All the instruments of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

(All the instruments in all the service were of brass.)

(Verses 20-21: the oil for the lamps on the lampstand.)

²⁰ And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

(Olive oil burned every night, continually.)

²¹ In the tent of meeting, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Jehovah: it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

 

(This post covered God's instructions to Moses concerning the tabernacle. Moses and Joshua went up to the mount with God for forty days and forty nights. The next four chapters continued to present what God said during that time. What did the people do during that time?)

Day 26