Teacher BIBLE STUDY Thirteen of the last sixteen chapters of the Book of Exodus consist of instructions for building the tabernacle. The word tabernacle means dwelling place. The tabernacle was a portable tent where God met with His people. God had a great purpose for the tabernacle. (See Ex. 29:45-46.) Moses had been on the mountain talking with God for 40 days. During that time, God wrote the Ten Commandments, the words of the covenant, on tablets. Moses called all of the Israelite community together and gave them the instructions God had given him. (Ex. 24:3-4) God s directions for building the tabernacle were very detailed. God was not trying to burden the people; He was trying to show them His holiness and absolute authority. God appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to oversee the building of the tabernacle, giving them wisdom, understanding, and craftsmanship. Every skilled person whose heart moved him eagerly worked on the tabernacle of the Lord. (See Ex. 35:30-35; 36:1-6.) God gave the Israelites the tabernacle as a visual picture of His dwelling with them. The tabernacle was a temporary place for God s glory to dwell until the coming of Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6) Every part of the tabernacle was designed to illustrate God s relationship with His people. Christ is the New Testament fulfillment of the Old Testament tabernacle. John 1:14 says that the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. Jesus made His dwelling with men. He tabernacled with them. (Rev. 21:3) As you teach kids about the building of the tabernacle, show them God s desire to be with His people. Emphasize that Jesus was God s plan to bring people back to Himself. Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 6 Session 2 1 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
The BIBLE STORY The Tabernacle Was Built Exodus 35:4 40:38 When Moses was on the mountain talking to God, God said, Tell the Israelites to make a sanctuary for Me so that I may be with them. God gave Moses very detailed instructions for building the tabernacle and everything that went inside it. Make it exactly like I show you, God said. So when Moses went down the mountain, he gathered the entire Israelite community together. He told them everything God had said. He asked them to bring materials: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; animals skins; wood; oil; spices; and gemstones. Moses called for anyone who was good at building and making things to make everything the Lord had commanded. This included the tabernacle and all its pieces, the ark of the covenant, the table for the bread of the Presence, the golden lampstand, and many other parts. Every Israelite who wanted to give brought an offering for the tabernacle. People came with gold jewelry; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; animal skins; wood; oil; spices; and gemstones. God gave two men, Bezalel (BEHZ uh lehl) and Oholiab (oh HOH lih ab), special skills for building and creating things. Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the skilled people worked together to build the tabernacle for God. At the same time, people kept bringing offerings of what they had. Pretty soon, the craftsmen came to Moses and said, The people are bringing more than enough. We don t need all of this to build the tabernacle as God instructed. So Moses told the Israelites to stop bringing their offerings. Everyone working on the tabernacle built it just as God had instructed Moses. They made a wooden frame with silver bases to hang the curtains and roof of the tent. Everything was done exactly as God had said. Inside the tabernacle, the people made a veil. They made an ark, a table, a lampstand, and many other parts. Every part had its special purpose and was made just as God had said. Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 6 Session 2 3 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
When the time had come, God told Moses how to set up the tabernacle. God told him how to anoint the tabernacle so that it would be holy. God told Moses to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tabernacle. Aaron put on the holy clothing that God had instructed the craftsmen to make, and Moses anointed him to be priest. Aaron s sons were also anointed so that they would serve God as priests too. Moses did exactly what God commanded, and the tabernacle was finished. God was in a thick cloud. When it covered the tabernacle, God s glory filled the tent. God made a sign for the people: If the cloud covered the tabernacle, the people would stay where they were. When the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, the Israelites would move and take the tabernacle with them. The cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle during the day, and fire was inside the cloud at night. Every one of the Israelites could see it as they traveled. Christ Connection: God instructed the Israelites to build a tabernacle so that He could dwell with them. God desires to be with His people. As part of His plan of salvation, God sent Jesus to tabernacle, or dwell, with people on earth. The Wilderness 4 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Small Group OPENING Session Title: The Tabernacle Was Built Bible Passage: Exodus 35:4 40:38 Big Picture Question: Why did God s people need a tabernacle? God s people needed a place to meet with God and worship Him. Key Passage: Exodus 20:1-17 Unit Christ Connection: God instructed His covenant people how to live holy lives in an unholy world. This sustained their relationship with God until the perfect plan was revealed through Jesus Christ. Prepare: Play the song Give You Glory in the background. Set an offering basket near the door. LOW PREP Circle Tabernacle Treasures activity page, 1 per kid crayons white paper, 1 sheet per child red, blue, and purple tempera paint craft sticks (optional) baby wipes Welcome and Session Starter (15 20 minutes) Put a few favorite toys, books, or puzzles out for kids to enjoy after they do the activity sheet. Activity Page: Circle Tabernacle Treasures As kids work on the page, talk about the title of the song Give You Glory. Tell the boys and girls that today they will hear about making the tabernacle; when it was completed, the Bible says the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Circle items that would have been in the tabernacle. Hint: For some special items, God gave instructions for how to make them easier to carry. Talk about how they carried some things such as the ark of the covenant: God told them to attach rings to the corners of the ark and put carrying poles through rings; they could carry the ark with the poles. (See Exodus 37:1-5.) Make a purple, red, and blue picture Fold a white sheet of paper in half for each child. Open the page; on half of the page (not near the edges), let each kid choose three spots to drop paint: a spoonful of red, a Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 6 Session 2 5 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
spoonful of blue, and a spoonful of purple. Older kids might drop the colors themselves, but teachers should handle the paint for 3s. Refold the paper and tell the child to rub his fingers back and forth to spread the paint inside the folded page. You might prefer using craft sticks instead of fingers. Open the picture and admire it. Say God said to make the curtains in the tabernacle and the clothing of the high priest using these colors. The fence around the tabernacle was made of white curtains. small ring of jingle bells (optional) Transition cue: Show the countdown video, ring the bell, flip the lights, or clap a simple rhythm for children to copy to gain attention. Transition to Bible study Gather the boys and girls and move to the large group area. If you would like, place the ring of bells over your wrist so that it will jingle as you move to the large group area. Say God told the Israelites exactly how He wanted them to make the tabernacle and the special clothes for the priests. The high priest had the most special clothing of all. God said to attach bells to the high priest s robes. People could hear the bells make soft jingling sounds when the high priest went about his duties. We will hear more about the tabernacle in our Bible story. The Wilderness 6 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
countdown video (optional) candy-coated chocolate pieces O-shaped cereal pretzel sticks cheese-flavored cracker squares Post the allergy alert for parents to see before class. Journal Page Bible Story Coloring Page crayons books and puzzles Snack Time and Transition (20 minutes) Signal for cleanup time using the countdown video or whatever method you prefer. Take a bathroom break and wash hands before the snack. Ask for volunteers to help set up and serve the snack. Remind kids to wait until everyone has been served before they eat. Say The items in our snack today remind us of materials used to build the tabernacle. Raise your hand if you know what the O-shaped cereal could be. (rings to hold the curtains or rings on the ark of the covenant) What are the pretzel sticks? (poles for the ark of the covenant) What do the candy-coated chocolate pieces represent? (gemstones) The cheese crackers might be harder to figure out. Do you have a guess? (gold for the items in the tabernacle) Great job! Thank God for the snack. Transition When kids have finished their snacks and thrown away their trash, they can choose a quiet activity such as coloring the Bible story coloring page, working a puzzle, reading a book, or drawing on a journal page. Suggest that they draw something from the tabernacle on the page. Or they might draw something that helps them remember one of the commandments. Follow church security procedures if parents are picking up their children. The Wilderness 12 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
At the tabernacle, the fence around the courtyard protected people from wandering where only the priests could go. classroom sink or basin of water hand soap (to be dispensed by teacher) paper towels Ten Commandments song 6 pages numbered 5 10 beanbag tape Key Passage Posters Wash hands Priests had to be clean before entering the tabernacle. You may practice washing hands to enter the tabernacle if there is a sink in your room. (If your room is not equipped for water play, pretend you are scrubbing your hands.) Wet hands; soap them; scrub every finger and the front and back of each palm, particularly under the fingernails; rinse; dry; turn off water with a paper towel. Scrubbing is important: scrub for 20 seconds as long as singing twice through Happy Birthday or once through Great and Mighty. Say Why did God s people need a tabernacle? God s people needed a place to meet with God and worship Him. Listen to the Ten Commandments song Tape to the floor the pages which you have numbered five through ten. Play the song or watch and move to the music of the video. Tell the boys and girls to listen for a commandment about how to treat people (one of the last six commandments). At the end of the song, let each kid take a turn throwing the beanbag on a number. Read that commandment from the key passage posters. Say God told Moses and Aaron to put the Ten Commandments inside the ark of the covenant, which was in the holy of holies in the tabernacle. The Wilderness 10 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
paper crayons or markers Lampstand Pattern, 1 per kid glue yarn or gold cord or lentils or sand elbow macaroni red paper Design jewelry People brought jewelry, yarn (red, blue, and purple), animal skins, metal, and wood to give for making the tabernacle. Draw one of those things. Let the boys and girls bring their pictures as gifts for the tabernacle. You might remind them that the Egyptians gave the Israelites jewelry before they left Egypt. Perhaps that jewelry was used in making the tabernacle and the high priest s clothing. Read Exodus 39:1-14 for a list of gemstones used in Aaron s robes. Say Why did God s people need a tabernacle? God s people needed a place to meet with God and worship Him. Make a lampstand Look at the picture of the lampstand on the activity sheet. Each branch of the lampstand held a bowl of olive oil, which was burned to give light in the tabernacle. Every part of the tabernacle was very special because the glory of the Lord would be there. To make a lampstand, print a lampstand pattern for each kid. Help them paint glue with a cotton swab along each branch of the lampstand. Place lentils, other beans, or sand along the lines of glue, or lay strips of yarn or gold cord along the glue lines. At the top of each branch, glue a piece of elbow macaroni to represent the cup for holding olive oil. Roll up little pieces of red paper to be the flames, and glue one into each macaroni cup. Say Why did God s people need a tabernacle? God s people needed a place to meet with God and worship Him. Everything about the tabernacle reminds people of Jesus in some way. Jesus said of Himself, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5) The lampstand reminds us of Jesus. Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 6 Session 2 11 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources