Exodus 26.30-37-The Tabernacle Blueprint, Design Of Veil In Front Of Holy Of Holies And Entrance Curtain And Its Support Posts
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday April 22, 2012
Journey Through The Bible Series: Exodus 26:30-37-The Tabernacle Blueprint, Design Of Veil In Front Of Holy Of Holies And Entrance Curtain And Its Support Posts
Lesson # 32
Please turn in your Bibles to Exodus 26:1.
Two weeks ago we studied Exodus 26:1-14, which records the Lord giving Moses instructions regarding the design of the inner and protective curtains and weather coverings of the tabernacle.
Last week we noted Exodus 26:15-29, which records the Lord giving Moses instructions regarding the design of the framing uprights and crossbars supporting the curtains of the tabernacle.
This week we will complete our study of Exodus chapter 26 by noting verses 30-37, which record the Lord referring to the tabernacle blueprint and giving Moses instructions regarding the design of the veil in front of the Holy of Holies as well as the entrance curtain and its support posts.
The prescribed order for the building of the tabernacle is given in Exodus 25:10-27:19, beginning with the Ark and proceeding outward, whereas in 36:8-38:31 there is a description of its construction, pursuing the reverse order.
Merrill F. Unger writes “The general authority for the typical significance of the Tabernacle is found in Hebrews 9:1-24. Having the assurance that the building, its furnishings and its priesthood are typical, the details of necessity must have typical significance also, or at least be richly illustrative of the person and work of the Savior and the salvation He came to bring. The New Testament explains that the tabernacle is typical (1) of Christ (Hebrews 9:4); (2) of the church as the habitation of God through the Spirit (25:8; Ephesians 2:19-22); of the believer (2 Corinthians 6:16); and (4) as a figure of things in the heavens (Hebrews 9:23-24).” (Unger, Merrill F., Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament; pages 134-135; Tyndale Theological Seminary Published by AMG Publishers, 2002)
Exodus 26:1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits (forty-two feet), and the width of each curtain four cubits (six feet); all the curtains shall have the same measurements. 3 Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. 4 You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 5 You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. 6 You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit. 7 Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits (forty-five feet), and the width of each curtain four cubits (six feet); the eleven curtains shall have the same measurements. 9 You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 11 You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it will be a unit. 12 The overlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. 13 The cubit (foot and a half) on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other, to cover it. 14 You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above. 15 Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits (fifteen feet long) shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits (two feet three inches) the width of each board. 17 There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19 You shall 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 For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23 You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24 They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25 There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 26 Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of 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 rear side to the west. 28 The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.” (NASB95)
Verse 30 is a reference to the blueprints of the tabernacle rather than merely the oral instructions from God.
It tells us that Moses not only heard the Lord’s instructions regarding the construction of the tabernacle but also he saw the blueprints or in other words he saw a picture of the plans.
This would indicate that when Moses communicated the Lord’s instructions to Bezalel, Oholiab and their co-workers, he not only told them what to make and how to make it but also he could recognize the way it was to look when finished since he had been shown the blueprints of the tabernacle.
The Lord had shown him the various parts of the tabernacle and what they were to look like.
Therefore, the information provided in writing which would appear confusing in places to us here in the twenty-first century would not cause a problem for Moses since he had seen a visual representation or a representation of the finished product in accordance with the Lord’s instructions.
The implication is that the tabernacle was the product of a designed revealed by God rather than an interpretation of a general concept (Stuart, page 590).
Through the Israelites the Lord constructed a home for Himself, which was according to His specifications and not according to the imaginations of the Israelites.
Hebrews 8:5 teaches that the Lord required that Moses construct the tabernacle for Him based upon the exact plans of design and building it precisely according to His design.
This would insure that the Israelites would respect the tabernacle as not only a place where the Lord dwells but also as a replica of His heavenly temple but on a small scale and built with earthly material.
The reason for God demanding that the Israelites strictly adhere to His instructions was to emphasize with the Israelites and all His people in subsequent dispensations that they were to ultimately live with Him in heaven in His heavenly tabernacle.
Thus, it was preparing them to live in their true home in heaven.
In effect, God was giving the Israelites a little taste of heaven with the construction of the tabernacle and the worship that would take place within its walls.
Exodus 26:31 “You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.” (NASB95)
These verses teach that a special curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen was to be made to close off the most holy place, i.e. the “Holy of Holies” from the front room of the tabernacle, which is called “the Holy Place.”
This curtain was to match the curtains that lined the inside of the tabernacle (26:1) as well as the entrance curtain (26:36).
Thus, everything in the interior of the tabernacle would share the same general appearance of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen curtains with cherubim figures woven into them, supported by gilded frames and poles with silver bases.
This passage also teaches that this special curtain hung from four gold-covered poles that had silver bases.
The support of these poles would stretch the veil from one side to the other of the interior of the tabernacle or in other words from south to north.
This curtain hung by the golden clasps mentioned in verse 6 from the top of the tabernacle.
It was a long single curtain, which was not a divided curtain, which could be easily opened.
In order to get past this curtain, one would have to move at least one of the poles at the either side and go around it since it was not designed to be gotten past under ordinary conditions.
Rather, this curtain was to provide a barrier which would prohibit people from entering.
The ark rested behind this curtain in the most holy place and in front of it would be a table and lampstand.
When the priest faced toward the back or west end of the tabernacle, the table would be standing to the right or north side and the lampstand to the left or south side.
This special veil typified the physical death of the impeccable humanity of Jesus Christ in hypostatic union (Hebrews 10:20; cf. Matthew 27:50-51; Mark 15:37-38; Luke 23:45-46).
Exodus 26:36 “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37 You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.” (NASB95)
These verses teach that there was yet another curtain, which was not part of the ten that formed the interior sides and ceiling.
It was distinct from the dividing veil in front of the holy of holies/most holy place.
It hung at the front of the tabernacle and served as an entrance curtain.
This veil was designed and composed of the same fabrics and colors as the special veil which separated the holy of holies from the most holy place.
However, it did not have cherubim woven into it.
Furthermore the bases for the golden posts were to be bronze and not silver (cf. verse 32) since this curtain would be part of the exterior that had bronze throughout.
The use of bronze rather than silver represented the fact that the closer a person was to the presence of God, as symbolized by the ark, the closer you were to holiness and glory.
Consequently, the farther away you were from the presence of God, there would be less contact with the holiness and glory of God.
This curtain mentioned in verses 35-36 would be supported by five posts or columns and not four as was the case with the inner curtain (cf. verse 32).
The same the method for hanging or joining the inner curtains was used for this curtain.
The point of chapter 26 is that the dwelling place of Yahweh must be prepared in accordance with, and by the power of, His word.
If God was to fellowship with his people, then the center of worship had to be made to his specifications, which were in harmony with His divine nature.
Everything in this chapter was functional for the approach to God through the ritual by divine provisions.
However, everything also reflected the nature of God, the symmetry, the order, the pure wood, the gold overlay, or (closer to God) the solid gold.
The symbolism of the light, the table, the veil, the cherubim was all revelatory since it all reflected the reality in heaven.
The tabernacle and its contents spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross.
Israel was taught about Christ through the tabernacle worship.
Old Testament Israel had a shadow Christology whereas church age believers have a historical Christology.
Christians live in the light of the fulfillment of Christ, and so they know the realities that the tabernacle worship foreshadowed.