Lesson 13: The Tabernacle, The Place Where God Dwells
Exodus 25, 27, 30, 31, 35, 37, 38
Faithful to his promises, God delivered his people from Egypt, adopted them to be his special people, proclaimed them to be his special treasure and now he was about to fulfill his promise to live among his people. In order to do this he needed two things: a place for him to live and servants to minister to him in that place.
For the place, he commanded the Israelites to build him a tabernacle, and for the servants, he commanded the tribe of Levi to serve him. The building of the Tabernacle and the ordaining of priests are the two major themes in these seven chapters of the Book of Exodus.
Throughout the earlier sections of the Bible, God had “walked” with his people, but now he would “dwell” with them. Having the Lord dwelling in the camp was a great privilege for the nation of Israel for no other nation had the living God in their midst. But the privilege brought great responsibility, for it meant that the camp of Israel must be a holy place where a holy God could dwell.
These chapters record much more than the historical and practical events surrounding the construction of the tabernacle and inauguration of an order of priests. The writings of Moses reveal some profound spiritual truths about our God and how we approach him in worship and service.
Read 25:1-9
1. What did God tell Moses the people were to do? __________________________________
2. What was to be the motivation for the people to give? _____________________________
3. What does the large variety of acceptable offerings needed tell us about our own giving to God? _______________________________________________________________________
4. How much creative leeway was Moses given in the design of the tabernacle? ___________
Read 25:10-22
5. What is an “ark?” ____________________________________________________________
6. What size did God specify? ____________________________________________________
7. What are some of the names the ark was called? ___________________________________
8. Besides housing the tablets of the Law, what was the main purpose of the ark? _____________________________________________________________________________
9. Why was the ark mentioned first among the items of furniture to go into the tabernacle?
______________________________________________________________________________
10. What is another name for the “atonement cover” of the ark? _________________________
Read 25:23-30
11. What was the purpose of the table? ______________________________________________
12. What was the size of the table? _________________________________________________
Read 25:31-40
13. What was the lamp stand to be made of? __________________________________________
14. How many lamps were to go on the stand? _______________________________________________
15. How much gold was to be used in making the lamp stand and lamps? _________________________
Read 30:1-10
16. What was the purpose of the altar of incense? ___________________________________________
17. What were its dimensions? _________________________________________________________
18. What picture does the burning of incense portray? ______________________________________
Read 30:17-21
19. What was the purpose of the basin for washing? _______________________________________
20. What was the washing with water supposed to remind them of? __________________________
Read 27:1-8
21. What was the purpose of the brazen altar? ___________________________________________
22. What were its dimensions? _______________________________________________________
23. Name two features of the altar. __________________ and _____________________________
Read 26:1-36
24. Tabernacle is another word for a ___________.
25. What are two characteristics of the tabernacle? ____________ and _________________.
26. How was the strength of the structure assured? ________________________________________
27. How was the beauty of the structure assured? _________________________________________
28. Why is it important for the things of God, organizations and people to be both strong and pleasant?
_________________________________________________________________________________
All of the features of the tabernacle had special meaning – some were practical, some for beauty, some apparent and many from tradition. These are some that have been identified:
Four Pillars – Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Colors of the Veils and Curtains -
Purple, royalty, the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of the King
Scarlet – Jesus’ sacrifice, the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of the Suffering Servant
White – the perfect Son of God, , the Gospel of Luke,
Blue – heaven, the Gospel of John
No matter how the tabernacle appeared to outsiders, everything about the structure was costly and beautiful and it spoke of the Savior the people of Israel would give to the world. What the people of that day had in the tabernacle, God’s people today have in Jesus Christ.