Chapters 25--28 minutely prescribe the
construction of the Tabernacle and its furniture, while
chapters 35--40 describe the execution of the task. The
materials for the Tabernacle were supplied, by divine
commandment, by the people's offering, and included
three metals, colored fabrics, animal skins, wood, oil,
and precious stones.
The minute repetitions in these chapters of the
materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle and
of the vessels and the furniture of that place of
worship is precious to the spiritual reader. Why this
repetition? Because the Tabernacle, its curtains, its
boards, its hooks, its sockets, its pins, its spoons--
everything connected with it, displayed to God's heart
the infinite perfections and glories of His dearly
beloved Son.
The Tabernacle and its furnishings are a picture
of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11) and God's program for
man's salvation. The Tabernacle was to be 45 feet long,
15 feet wide, and 15 feet high, made of boards, covered
with curtains, and facing the east. It was to be divided
into two compartments: (1) The Holy Place, the east 30
feet of the Tabernacle, containing the Table of
Shewbread on the north side, the Candlestick on the
south side, and the Altar of Incense in front of the
veil; and (2) The Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies),
the west 15 feet of the Tabernacle (a perfect cube)
containing only the Ark of the Covenant.
The veil, which separated The Holy Place from
The Most Holy Place, was to be made of "blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen" and was to
be exquisitely embroidered with Cherubs.
There was to be an outer court (fence) around
the Tabernacle, approximately 150 feet long, 75 feet
wide, facing the east, with a gate in the east end. Just
inside the gate there was to be placed a brazen altar
for the general sacrifice of animals; then about midway
between the altar and the Tabernacle was to be placed a
brazen laver, a great brass bowl to hold water, for the
priests to wash their hands and feet before ministering
at the Altar of Incense.
The Ark of the Covenant was a chest made of
acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. It was a
picture of Christ; wood speaking of His humanity, gold
of His deity. It contained the two tables of stone upon
which were inscribed the Ten Commandments, a golden pot
of miraculously preserved manna, and Aaron's rod that
budded.
The Mercy Seat was the top of the Ark, a lid of
solid gold. There was a Cherub at each end. Between the
Cherubim was the Shechinah, the cloud in which Jehovah
appeared above the Mercy Seat. The New Testament word
for "propitiation" means "mercy seat.".
The Table of Shewbread held special bread which
pictures Jesus Christ the Bread of Life, and the Word of
God, which is our spiritual food. The Candlestick was
made of one piece of pure gold, again emphasizing the
deity of Christ, the Light of the world. The oil speaks
of the Holy Spirit and the seven branches typify the
perfection of Christ.
The veil speaks of Christ's earthly body. When
Christ died on the cross the veil was rent in twain,
thus providing direct access to God through Christ. This
marked the end of the Law, priesthood, and sacrifice. To
go back to the Law is to sew up the veil that was rent
on the day Christ died.
Madam Guyon
