The Construction of the Tabernacle

Transcription

1 The Tabernacle

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3 The Construction of the Tabernacle 1. Found in Exodus where God reveals the plan, materials, and contents of the tabernacle. Then repeat almost exactly as Moses carries it out, and the book ends with the tabernacle being set up. 2. A square latticework frame made of acacia wood covered with linen curtains to form a 45 ft. long, 15 ft wide, and 15 ft high rectangle divided into two rooms. 3. The Holy Place The larger room was called the Holy Place and was 30 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet high. 4. Most Holy Place The back and smaller room was called the Most Holy Place and was a 15 foot cube. 5. The Ark of the Covenant A rectangular shaped box instructed by God to hold the two tablets of the Ten Commandments. The dimensions stated in Exodus make it about 52 in. long, 31 in. wide and 31 in. high. Constructed of acacia wood, it was overlaid with gold, and had 4 rings attached to each corner through which gold covered poles were inserted to carry it. A golden lid covered the box. On each end of the lid were cherubim whose wings extended toward one another over the lid. The ark was the only fixture in the Most Holy Place. The glory of God manifested over the lid of the ark. 6. Golden lampstand on the left side of the Holy Place. Oil lamps serviced by the priests to give light. 7. Table of Showbread on the right side of the Holy Place. Covered in gold. Twelve loaves of bread on the table, one for each tribe of Israel. Priests changed out the bread. 8. Altar of Incense Stood in front of the curtain between the two rooms. Priests kept incense burning on it. 9. Altar of Burnt Offering Stood inside the main entrance to the courtyard. The sacrifices took place alongside it. The animal parts were burned on top of it. 10. Laver A water basin for the priests to clean themselves from the blood of the sacrifices. The Purpose of the Tabernacle 1. The Dwelling Place of God The Hebrew term for tabernacle means dwelling place. 2. The Offerings a. Introductory comments -- The Hebrew term for offerings means presentation or things which are brought near. Five offerings were included in the law, but one of

4 these, the peace offerings, were divided into three kinds, so there were seven offerings in total. All but the cereal offerings involved animal sacrifices, so the various offerings are often just called the sacrifices. b. Offering procedure (Lev 1:3-9) i. Offering presented at entrance to courtyard ii. Offering represented the offerer s own life. iii. Offering was to be of superior value. Animals without blemish, fine flour, or best of first-fruits. iv. With animal offerings, the offerer placed his hand on the head of the animal probably to indicate identification with the animal. v. For sin and guilt offerings, the offerer confessed specific sins. vi. Offerer cut the throat and drained the blood into a basin held by the priest. vii. Offerer skinned the animal and cut it in pieces. viii. Priest then went around and threw blood on the sides of the altar and poured the rest around the base. After washing animal parts, the priest placed them on top of the altar for burning. c. Types of Offerings i. Burnt offering An offering to atone for sin in general. A male animal from herd or two birds for the poor. The entire animal was completely burned on the altar. ii. Sin offering To atone for a specific sin. With this offering the priest would take some of the animal s blood inside the Holy Place by the altar of incense. He would sprinkle some of it in front of the curtain and then place some on the horns of the altar of incense. The remainder would be poured out around the base of the altar of burnt offering. iii. Guilt offering This offering was like the sin offering in that it was offered for a specific sin. The difference was that the guilt offering required restitution be payed to an injured party before the offering was made. Both sin and guilt offerings repeat variations of the expression the priest shall make atonement on his [the offerer s] behalf for his sin, and he shall be forgiven. Normally the priest would get a portion of the meat to eat for himself, but if he was bringing the offering for himself or on behalf of the congregation as a whole, he could not consume his portion but had to take it outside the camp and burn it. This was the case also for the sin offering above.

5 iv. Grain offering Was usually offered along with an animal sacrifice. Difficult to determine its purpose from the OT text, but it seems to have been a general offering of devotion to God. A handful was burned by the priest on the altar of burnt offering and then the rest was eaten by the priests. v. Peace Offerings To give thanks to God. A male or female from the herd or flock. Fatty portions of animal were burned but meat was eaten and shared between offerer and priest. 1. Thank offering for a blessing received 2. Vow offering upon completion of a vow 3. Freewill offering from a glad heart d. Day of Atonement (modern holiday of Yom Kippur) Once a year the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place. He would take off his priestly garments and wear a simple white garment. As a sinner himself, he would first make an offering for himself and his family. He would enter the Most Holy Place and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat of the Ark. He would make another offering on behalf of the people and again would enter the Most Holy Place and put blood on the mercy seat. He would then take a live goat, lay both of his hands on its head and confess over it all the sins of the people. He would send the goat out into the desert. The symbolism was clear: the goat carried the sins of the people far away. This is known as the scapegoat.