Exodus 39:32

Starting in this verse in Exodus chapter 39 and going to the end of the book of Exodus in chapter 40, we are given a review of the construction of the tabernacle and the items that God commanded to be placed within the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the central point for organizing the worship of God in the community of the children of Israel. There are several truths about the tabernacle that are a great blessing to understand. Of course, Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the spiritual truths that are presented in the tabernacle. We no longer are required to construct a tabernacle to serve God, but the same spiritual principles do still exist. If these important spiritual principles are present in our lives, we will also have the experience described at the very end of Exodus starting in Exodus 40:34. But before we get to the end of Exodus chapter 40, we need to read the summary of the construction of the tabernacle.

The Bible says in Exodus 39:32-43, “Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread, The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.”

It is important to notice that the tabernacle was constructed exactly as the Lord wanted to construct it. It is amazing to think about the mind of God and His plans for all generations. Of course, God knew the symbolism behind each item in the tabernacle, and God knew that the same spiritual lessons would apply not only to the children of Israel, but also to Christians in the age in which we live. We can think about the symbolism of each one of the items that were a part of the tabernacle. First we notice the altar of burnt offering. The altar was the place of death. It was a bloody place because animals were killed there every day. The death of each sacrificial animal symbolized the death that Jesus Christ suffered for us. Jesus gave everything. He was totally consumed for us. As it says in John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.”

Before anyone could go into the sanctuary in the Old Testament, they had to pass by the altar of burnt offering. Until you have come to Calvary and seen Jesus bleeding and dying there (spiritually speaking), you will not be allowed to enter the kingdom of God. You must obtain eternal life from Jesus, and that is only possible because He died for you. After you pass by the altar of burnt offering, you will come to the laver (the washing bowl), where the priests had to wash their hands and their feet each day before entering the sanctuary. The sanctuary represents the presence of God. As we go through our daily tasks, our hands and our feet get “dirty” because even though we are saved by Christ, we are still imperfect and we still sin. To be in fellowship with Jesus, we must have continual cleansing. It says in First John 1:6-9, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Also, Jesus said in John 13:6-10, “Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”

Once you are rightly related to God through faith in Jesus, you can enter into the tabernacle. That is to say, you can enter into fellowship with God. True Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship. Once you have this relationship, you go from darkness to light. Before you were cleansed by Jesus you were blind, but now you see. Inside the sanctuary the only source of light is the golden candlestick. Jesus is the Light of the world.

As soon as a person is saved by faith in Jesus, that person has an avenue of prayer open up that had never existed before. That is what the altar of incense represents: prayer. Jesus said in John 14:13-14, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. For if ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” The Lord loves to hear our prayers. That is one of the reasons that He created us and saved us: so He would have people to talk with. God loves communication and fellowship.

The table of shewbread was also inside the tabernacle. This was a table with ordinary bread placed upon it each day. This bread symbolized the fact that Jesus supplies our physical and our spiritual needs each day. Concerning our physical needs, Jesus said in John 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Concerning our spiritual needs, the Bible says in John 6:32-33, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”

The ark of the covenant was inside the tabernacle. Inside the ark were the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were written with the hand of God, and that truth reminds us that God has given to us a written Word so that we might know His wonderful truth. The Ten Commandments also represent the law and the Old Testament. The law brings a curse, but thank the Lord Jesus that He brought to us a New Testament. Jesus said in Matthew 26:28, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” On top of the ark inside the tabernacle was the mercy seat having a cherubim on each side. Of course, the mercy seat reminds us that God is merciful. Even though we have broken His commandments many times, we can always find mercy in Jesus. It says in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in tome of need.”

There is a least one more truth we should mention about the tabernacle. Inside the tabernacle was an inner chamber called the holy of holies. It seems that this inner sanctuary represented the closest possible contact with God. That is interesting, because it signifies that there are different levels of closeness to the Lord. You might know the Lord as your Savior, but there is a much greater closeness to Jesus that you have yet to experience. That is one of the great things about being saved. There is more….there is always more to experience about the infinite Savior. Jesus said in John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” Notice the last phrase of this verse. Jesus is talking to believers: people who have already had Jesus manifested to them as Savior; and yet there is another manifestation of Christ that goes beyond what they have already experienced. How much have you experienced the resurrected Christ? Maybe you have entered into the tabernacle, but have you entered into the holy of holies? In the Old Testament only the High Priest could enter into the holy of holies, and he could only do so one day each year on the Day of Atonement. But when Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, the veil of the temple was torn in two, signifying that access is open for all to enter the holiest place: the closest contact with God. The invitation is there, not just for salvation, but for an ever more vital and revealing relationship with Christ. Jesus said to the disciples after He had risen from the dead in John 21:12, “Come and dine.” Jesus also said in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The priests had very special garments to wear. The clothing that they wore was designated by the Lord, and therefore a spiritual significance and a spiritual meaning can be found regarding some aspects of the priests’ clothing. For example, the name of the twelve children of Israel were engraved upon precious stones that were on the shoulder-pads of the priests. Because they were on the shoulders, these names were facing upwards towards God as a reminder of how much Jesus loves us. He looks down and sees these precious stones with names on them because each one of us is precious to Him. Also, on the breastplate of the priest the names of the children of Israel were written on precious stones and jewels. Being near the heart on the breastplate represents how much Jesus wants each of us to love one another. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Notice the last verse of Exodus chapter 39. It says in Exodus 39:43, “And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” Because they had constructed the tabernacle just like the Lord told them, they were promised a great blessing. Exodus chapter 40 will give another review of the contents of the tabernacle, and then the end of Exodus chapter 40 will tell us more specifically what that blessing is: the power of the Holy Spirit.

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