Lesson #31

EXODUS
Lesson #31
A STUDY OF THE TABERNACLE:
THE TABERNACLE BUILDING (THE HEART OF THE CHURCH—THE PERSON OF CHRIST)

• Memory Verse: Eph 2:22

• Review:
• The tabernacle is an illustration of three things:
• A picture of Christ
• A picture of the church
• A picture of the individual believer
• We discussed the meaning of all the 14 elements that made up the tabernacle.
• We examined the significance of the outer court.
• We saw how the pillars and curtains of the outer court represent the individual believers that make up the body of Christ and that present a witness to the outside world.

• The gate of the outer court
• Read Exo 27:16
• Read Exo 38:18-20
• Notice that the tabernacle has only one entrance.
• The reason is because there is only one way to God. (Joh 14:6)
• If man wants to approach God, he must come in the manner prescribed by God.
• What is the way prescribed by God?
• Man must come with the proper sacrifice.
• Read Exo 34:20
• Read Deu 16:16
• Notice that the doorway is wide. The significance is that it is an invitation for all to come (Mat 11:28), but few find it. (Mat 7:14)
• There are no guards at the doorway.
• There is no test to pass.
• The 4 pillars of the outer doorway = They represent the 4 writers of the 4 gospels standing at the entrance to God’s kingdom proclaiming the manner and the way man might enter.
• Did you ever wonder why we have 4 gospels?
• It is prescribed by God and pictures in the Old Testament tabernacle.
• Each gospel uniquely presents Christ in a different way.
• While in the pictures of the tabernacle we see that the 4-colored curtain covered 5 pillars, only 4 pillars were spoken of in scripture as the gate to the courtyard.
• Therefore, there are alternative interpretations of the entrance gate:
• One interpretation says that the gate was recessed into the courtyard with 4 pillars containing a stationary curtain. However, this increases the total number of pillars to 61. Also, this makes 2 doorways when the scriptures say there was only one..
• Another interpretation that accommodates all the scriptures says that there were 20 pillars on the north side and 20 pillars on the south side with 10 pillars on the west and 10 pillars on the east with a total of 60 pillars making angled corners so that no pillar is counted twice and the correct number on a side is preserved according to scripture. The arrangement leaves 4 pillars centered on the east side for the gate.
• The 4-colored curtain of the outer doorway = the 4 gospel messages:
• The four messages of the four gospels presents Christ to us in a different way:
• Matthew = presents Jesus as King of Kings and is represented by the color of royal purple.
• Mark = presents Jesus as the servant, obedient unto death and is represented by the color scarlet.
• Luke = presents Jesus, the Son of Man, as the perfect human without sin and is represented by the color white.
• John = presents Jesus as Deity, the Son of God, and is represented by the color blue.
• In the multi-colored curtain at the outer entrance to the tabernacle courtyard, we see the beauty of the welcome at the entrance. This welcome presents the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ.
• In other words, what attracts us to God’s kingdom is the beauty of Jesus Christ and the message presented by the gospels.
• Purple = The royal color that at His name every knee should bow. (Phi 2:10)
• Scarlet = The color of sacrifice. Jesus took upon Him the form of a servant. (Phi 2:7)
• White = The color of sinless perfection. Jesus was found in fashion as a man, yet without sin. (Phi 2:8)
• Blue = The heavenly color = Jesus, in the form of God. (Phi 2:6)
• The outer courtyard represents the church, the body of Christ. Therefore, the construction of this area tells us what should be the role of the church in the kingdom of God.
• The door of the church should be open wide to whosoever will come and whosoever desires to know God.
• The message that the church preaches should be the beauty of Jesus Christ, of who He is and what He does for man.
• This is the same message and doctrine presented in the 4 gospels
• The church should present God’s prescribed way to salvation by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
• In the outer courtyard, there were 2 pieces of furniture which we will discuss in detail later.
• The altar of burnt offering where animal sacrifices were offered to God for the covering of sin.
• This altar was just inside the outer doorway. The altar was very big so you could not miss it.
• How many times people spend years in churches and never hear about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins! The pattern of the tabernacle tells us that people who enter into churches should not have to be there very long before they are confronted with the huge presence of the cross of Jesus Christ that takes away sin.
• The second piece of furniture that a person would pass on his way to getting close to God was the laver for washing. This is another very large piece of furniture which we will discuss more in detail later.
• At the present time, you should know that this piece of furniture has to do with the forgiveness of sin after you are saved. Sin must be dealt with before a person can approach a holy God.
• The construction of the tabernacle building:
• Read Exo 26:15-30
• Read Exo 36:20-34
• The tabernacle building is a picture of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
• It had 48 boards of Acacia wood were covered with gold = It represents Christ’s humanity covered with Deity.
• There were 2 silver bases for each board. (Rom 5:2)
• Remember that silver symbolizes redemption.
• Read Exo 30:11-16
• Silver was the ransom payment of the Israelites.
• The significance:
• Read Mat 20:28
• Jesus purchased salvation (redemption) for the body. (Rom 8:11,23)
• Jesus purchased salvation (redemption) for the soul. (Heb 6:19)
• The tabernacle construction is also a picture of the believer and the church. (Eph 2:20-22 Heb 3:6 1Cor 3:16 2Cor 6:16)
• The boards of wood are covered with gold = humanity of the believer is covered over with a new Godly nature when a person is born again.
• There are 2 silver bases for each board =
• The silver base separates the board from the sandy soil = Redemption separates the believer from the world. (Gal 14:5)
• There were 12 outer wood poles covered with gold = They represent the 12 disciples as the beginning of the church and representing God’s New Testament people. The church as the body of Christ is held together outwardly by the work begun in the 12 disciples.
• There are 4 poles on each of the 3 sides = Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor/Teachers that strengthen the church. (Eph 4:11-13)
• There are 3 inner poles that go through the center of all the boards on that wall and uniting them together = Christ is the pole that indwells all the believers and joining them together one with another. (Col 1:27)
• When Christ is the center of the believer’s life and the church, there is a bond of unity.
• The 3-fold person of God indwelling the church and binding us one to another.
• Only when the sockets, boards, and poles were in place did the building have the proper strength and stability.
• Only when believers in a church permit the indwelling Christ to operate and manifest outwardly the gifts that God gave to the church in the form of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers will the church stand firm in Jesus Christ.
• The implications for each believer in the church:
• Only when everything is operating as it should, is the church fully demonstrating all that the church can be for Christ.
• We need all believers in the church to work together to make the church the strong body of Christ it should be. You will notice again, just like the white linen enclosure of the outer courtyard, there are no lone Christians. They are all seen functioning within a church structure.
• The construction of the door of the tabernacle building:
• Read Exo 26:36-37
• Read Exo 36:37-38
• There were 5 gold columns at the door = the 5 writers of the New Testament Epistles (Peter, John, James, Jude, and Paul). (Rev 3:12 Gal 2:9)
• The pillars were made of wood overlaid with gold = It represents humanity overlaid with the Deity of Christ’s new nature.
• The 5 pillars stood in 5 brass bases = It represents the New Testament writers who lived through testing and suffering.
• They were all martyred except for John.
• The 5 pillars had 5 capitals of gold = These 5 sufferers and martyrs for Christ were crowned with a righteous crown of life (the martyr’s crown) (2Tim 4:8 Jam 1:12)
• The position of the pillars:
• Looking from the Holy of Holies and God’s position, the pillars were hidden by the curtain. In scripture, the curtain is mentioned first as though you are looking at the New Testament writers from God’s viewpoint.
• The curtain represents Christ who should have pre-eminence in worship just as Christ had pre-eminence in the New Testament message.
• The entrance curtain of the tabernacle building:
• The significance of the tabernacle entrance curtain is that it also depicts Christ in resurrection glory, and a Son over his own house. (Heb 3:6)
• Purple = Kingly, the crowned one. (Rev 19:12)
• Scarlet = Sacrifice, the sacrificed lamb who is worthy. (Rev 5:6)
• White = Sinless, the perfect Son of Man who comes to judge. (Dan 7:13 Joh 5:21-22)
• Blue = heavenly, the risen ascended one. (1Cor 15:20 Act 1:11)
• The construction of the entrance to the Holy of Holies:
• Read Exo 26:31-33
• Read Exo 36:35-36
• There were 4 pillars of wood covered with gold = the 4 gospels and their authors.
• These 4 pillars are outside the Holy of Holies located in the Holy Place.
• The 4 pillars of wood had 4 silver bases = They represent the foundation of the gospels that is based on the good news of redemption through Christ. (1Cor 3:11)
• There were no gold capitals = When the believer is in the presence of God, the believer’s crown is cast as the feet of Christ.
• The inner veil or curtain:
• This, too, was a curtain of 4 colors with the same meaning as the curtains described before.
• Cherubim were embroidered on this curtain = The angels ministered to Jesus in the garden before his crucifixion.
• Cherubim angels guard the presence of God. (Gen 3:24)
• The significance:
• Read Mat 27:51
• Read Heb 10:20
• The tearing of Christ’s flesh opened the way to God so that all men could have access to God without going through a human high priest or a human priest.
• How can a believer enter through the torn veil?
• The believer must be willing to pass through the veil by:
• =1= Dying to self-will as Christ died.
• =2= Living with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• =3= Allowing the Holy Spirit to control motivations and desires.
• =4= Living for Christ and serving Him.

• Summary and Application:
• We have considered the details of the construction of the Tabernacle and how those details relate to Christ
• Read Eph 2:19-22
• How does this passage relate to the tabernacle?
• The tabernacle is a prefigure of Jesus Christ, His person, His work, and His church in the same way that the church is built on Jesus Christ and His work on the cross.
• Just as the tabernacle was the first building where God dwelt, the temple where God dwelt was built later in the promised land, then God dwelt in Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, and now God dwells in all believers in Jesus Christ.
• We are able to see God’s full plan exemplified in Exodus and Ephesians together.

HOMEWORK
A STUDY OF THE TABERNACLE: THE COVERINGS (THE WORK OF CHRIST)
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of a Study of the Tabernacle: The Tabernacle Building:
• How has the study of the tabernacle changed your concept of God’s purpose and plan for the church?
• How well does your church fulfill God’s plan?

• What can you do to encourage your church to do a better job of fulfilling that plan?

• Preparation for a Study of the Tabernacle: The Coverings (The Work of Christ)
• Read Exo 26:1-14
• Read Exo 36:8-19
• Read Eph 2:11-19
• What part of the tabernacle coverings do you think represents the church made up of Jews and Gentiles?
• Read the following scriptures and see if you can find their symbolic significance in the tabernacle:
• Eph 4:16 = the Cherubim Covering
• Eph 1:18 = the Cherubim Covering
• Deu 18:15-19 = the Goat’s Hair Covering
• Heb 4:14 = The Covering of the Ram’s Skins dyed red
• Isa 53:2 = The Badger Skin Covering
• Memory verse: Eph 1:18