Types, Shadows, Patterns *The Bible uses types and shadows to speak of Christ. The Bible has two parts- the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament describes a time before Jesus came. In the Old Testament we have the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and many others. This was a time before Jesus came to the earth. God has always wanted man to know Him. Before Jesus came and made a way for us to know God and to have salvation, God used other ways to try to tell man about Him and His Son. Before the cross, God related to His people in ways that we would later understand to be a shadow of how He now relates to us in Christ. God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, rules that were really a description of who Jesus is- a Person who does not lie, does not kill, the Person who IS the sabbath rest, etc. God also gave Israel rules about offerings and sacrifices. These things also show something about Jesus, who was like a lamb led to the slaughter, a sacrifice when He died on the cross. God told Israel to keep certain holidays or feasts, and the rules He gave about those also describe things about Jesus. The Bible tells us that ALL of the Bible was written as a testimony of Jesus. That means that God is always telling us about His Son. Sometimes it seems like the Bible is just telling a story, like the story about Noah, or the story about Joseph, but if we ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to see and understand, God will show us how He is always teaching us about Jesus. Let s look at some verse that tell us this. Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning Heb 10:7 In the volume of the book it is written of Me These things- Ten Commandments, sacrifices, and feasts- that God gave man to point to Jesus are sometimes called shadows, types or patterns or maybe even parables. They are like a picture that points to the real, the true- which is Jesus. There is more to the story than just rules and holidays and buildings that God told Israel to make. Those things were not the important part. They were only important because they pointed to the real and true. Let s think about a shadow. What is a shadow? What do you need to make a shadow? (a thing and light shining on it). Is the shadow the same as the thing? How is it different? Think about a person and their shadow. How are they similar or different? Can you talk to a person? How about a shadow? Can you touch a person? How about a shadow? Are shadows as important as the thing they are a picture of? The stories in the Bible are really only important if we can see that they are pointing to Jesus. If the thing is gone, can you have a shadow? If God was not trying to point to Jesus, He would not have made Israel do all of those things. Without Jesus, there would be no point to the Ten Commandments, the Tabernacle, the feasts, etc. This week we are going to learn about a tent that God told Moses and the people of Israel to build; it was called The Tabernacle. We are going to ask God to help us to understand how the Tabernacle is a shadow of Jesus. We want to learn something more about knowing Jesus by looking at this Tabernacle. When you look at a shadow, some things are clearly similar to the original, and some things might be harder to make out. When we look at the Tabernacle, we will some some ways that it speaks of Christ that are easy to see. There are other things that can be seen that may be harder to understand. It s okay if we don t understand everything; it is just important for us to know that God gave us the Bible and all of its history and stories to point us to Jesus.
ACTIVITY (You may want to do this activity before the lesson to provide the kids with a reference point.) Using an overhead projector, trace silhouettes of each child onto large paper or posterboard (if using black paper, trace with chalk). Label on the back with child s name. Show class silhouettes. Can they figure out which person the silhouette is of? Note the similarities. If it is hard to figure some out, remind them that we need the Holy Spirit to understand the shadows in the Bible. They are not always easy to see. Then ask, Can you have a relationship with the silhouette? Can you talk to the shadow? God meant for the shadows to point only to Jesus. Shadows can t take the place of the real thing. Jesus is the real thing. He came so that we could have relationship with God through Him. Allow children to use different objects in the room to make shadows with by placing objects in front of the projector. Can you tell what color the object is by looking at the shadow? Can you use the shadow in place of the object (i.e. Can you wear the shadow of a shoe?). Though we will be learning about the Tabernacle, we are really learning about Jesus. The Tabernacle was a shadow, but Jesus is the real. Coloring sheet: In the volume of the book it is written of Me.
A Dwelling Place for God *The Tabernacle was a temporary house for God, in the middle of a crucified people. *By the cross, we are now built together to be members of the true house of God, and He dwells in our midst. Before we talk about the tabernacle, I want to let you know about what had just happened with the people of Israel. They had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years when God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go. Pharaoh liked having lots of slaves, and he did not want to let the Hebrew people go free. So God sent 10 plagues on Egypt. In the last plague, God sent the angel of death to kill the firstborn in every family unless they had the blood of a lamb on their doorpost. Pharaoh s son died that night. Then Pharaoh let the Israelites go. The Egyptians gave them riches and jewelry, gold and silver as they left Egypt. When they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh changed his mind and came after them with armies. God opened up the Red Sea, and Israel walked through the sea to the other side. When the Egyptians tried to follow, the sea came crashing down on them and Pharaoh and his armies were drowned in the sea. Israel was free, and God wanted to lead them into the land He had promised. Moses went and met with God, and God gave the Ten Commandments and also instructions about The Tabernacle, which was a house for God. This house was not Israel s idea; it was God s, and He gave them very careful instructions about how it was to be built, and where it was to be. (Use toy figures to illustrate the following, or draw a picture on a chalkboard for children to see). They were to camp in the shape of a cross. And God told them to put the Tabernacle right here in the center of the camp (Numbers 2). Do you see the picture? God made a cross. Israel lived in a cross-shape, with a place for God in the very middle! Why did God do this? He was pointing to Jesus and His plan for salvation through the cross. For God to live in the middle of a people, we have to come to the cross. Outside the cross, He cannot live in us. God had a tabernacle or house in Israel. Now, because of Jesus, His house is in us. Now let s talk about what a tabernacle is. The word tabernacle means tent or dwelling place. The tabernacle was a tent that God told Israel to build to be a house for Him. Think about a tent. Have you ever gone camping? How long does a person usually stay in a tent? Does a tent last as long as a house? A tent is usually temporary, just for a short time. The Tabernacle in Israel was a tent, and it was temporary. God did not intend for it to be His permanent house. Again, He was pointing to His plan for another house- a place to live forever. This tent would just be for a time, then, when Jesus of Nazareth came and died on the cross, God would have His permanent house. He now lives in His body, the Church (Eph 1:23). So then, you are of God s household, part of a building, with Christ as the cornerstone, that is fit together and growing into a holy house in the Lord; in whom you also are being built into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (paraphrase of Eph 2:19-22) And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 and that Christ in His love, through your faith, may make His permanent home in your hearts. Eph 3:17 (Williams)
CRAFT The following pages are for a cross craft showing the tabernacle in the midst of Israel s encampments We printed the tabernacle squares on blue paper, the hearts on red paper, and the cross on cardstock. Then, we printed the tribes of Israel on labels. We cut out the tabernacle squares, hearts, and cross. Then, we glued the tabernacle on the front of the cross with the labels of the tribes of Israel. (The tabernacle faced east, so the longest part of the cross is the east side.) Then, we glued the heart on the back of the cross. Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8
Ephesians 3:17 Ephesians 3:17 Ephesians 3:17 Ephesians 3:17 Ephesians 3:17 Ephesians 3:17
South side: Reuben Simeon Gad South side: Reuben Simeon Gad South side: Reuben Simeon Gad North side: Dan Asher Naphtali North side: Dan Asher Naphtali North side: Dan Asher Naphtali South side: Reuben Simeon Gad South side: Reuben Simeon Gad South side: Reuben Simeon Gad North side: Dan Asher Naphtali North side: Dan Asher Naphtali North side: Dan Asher Naphtali North side: Dan Asher Naphtali South side: Reuben Simeon Gad
Building the Tabernacle *God made provision for everything in the building of the Tabernacle. It was all His doing, and salvation, too, is His doing. Today we are going to look at how God took care of every detail in the building of the Tabernacle, so that man could take no credit at all for what was built. It was not man s idea, or his provision; it was not man s desire or even his ability. The Tabernacle was God s doing, just as the plan of salvation is God s doing. First, I have a little story for you. Once there was a little seed that had been planted in a garden. It was just a tiny sprout when a little boy came along. My, said the boy, you sure are a cute little sprout. You picked a very nice place to plant yourself. The little sprout looked up at the boy and said, Thank you, it wasn t my idea. How could I plant my own self? The farmer picked out this place for me. I guess he thought that it was the right place. I didn t have anything to do with. Oh, said the boy, and off he went to find something else interesting to see on the farm. The little sprout began to grow. He wasn t sure just what made him grow, it just seemed to happen without him doing anything. The little boy came again. Boy, you sure have gotten big since the last time I saw you, he said. The plant answered, I know! Look how tall I am. The boy answered, I ve been trying to get taller, too. What are you doing to make yourself tall? I ve been doing reaching exercises, but I m not sure if they work. The plant replied, Well, I haven t really been doing ANYTHING. I m just planted right here in this soil. I have deep roots that feed me the water and food I need, and I think the sunshine helps. But I m not making myself grow. Hmmm, the boy thought, and off he went. As the plant grew, it put on some little flower buds. The little boy came again for a visit. Wow! You are covered in flowers. You must have wanted it really bad. I heard that if you want something bad enough, you ll find a way to get it. The plant said to the boy, I don t really know if I wanted flowers. I never even thought about it before. They just happened. Well, I still want to be taller. Do you think I am? asked the boy. The plant just shook in the wind. The boy didn t really seem any taller. Those buds soon faded, and fruit took their place. Again the boy came for a visit. Wow. I didn t know you were a fruit tree. You sure are one smart and clever plant to make fruit! This little boy didn t know much about gardening at all. The little plant said, I don t think it had anything to do with me being smart or clever. I think that I am just the kind of seed that makes fruit. The gardener planted me, watered me, pulled the weeds and took care of me, and now I have fruit that he will pick. But I didn t really do ANY of it. All I did was stay planted right here. The boy started to understand. Do you think that I have been trying to make myself grow, when I can t really do anything about it? Maybe if I just trust that my parents are taking care of me when they feed me and stuff, then I will grow when it s time to grow. The plant answered, I think maybe you have the right idea. Just like the plant could take no credit for the idea of growing or where and how it was growing, it couldn t take credit for wanting to make flowers and fruit, or for the ability to do it, Israel could not take any credit for the building of the Tabernacle. Even though they participated in the work, everything first came from God. It was God s idea. He told Moses to build it, and to build it just as He described. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so shall you make it, Exodus 25:8,9.
God gave them all that they needed for it when He brought them out of Egypt. God caused the Egyptians to give the Israelites gold, and silver, and jewels, and all sorts of things. These are the things they built the Tabernacle with. God caused them to WANT to give. The people s hearts were stirred to bring the things for building the tabernacle. Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord s offering for the work of the tabernacle Exodus 35:21 God even gave the skill and ability to those who built the tabernacle. And Moses said to the children of Israel, See, the Lord has called Bezalel and has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works Ex 35:30-32 (paraphrased). God thought of all that was needed and He made provision for it. God had a very specific plan and gave many details about what to build and how to build it. The same thing is true about God s plan to live in our hearts by Jesus. It s not our own idea that God should live in us. God first loved us and made a way for us to be in relationship with Him (1 Jn 4:19, Rom 5:8). There is nothing we can do to earn salvation. There is no way for us to be able to buy what was needed. We could not come to Him, except that He first has come to us, and He has taken care of everything. Php 2:13 says, For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. He works in our hearts to make us willing to do of his good pleasure. God does it all! We abide in Him, like the plant stayed in the ground, and He abides in us. *Teacher note: Israel later believes the Tabernacle to be the work of their own hands. They turn the Testimony of Christ found in this Tabernacle into an idol. This first Tabernacle then becomes a contrast to the eternal, as found in II Corinthians 5, because of the darkness of Israel s understanding. See also Isaiah 66:1-3, Acts 7:48-49. ACTIVITY Teacher- bring all ingredients for a layer or no-bake dessert (we made a trifle) and pass out ingredients to the children. Have them bring their ingredients to you as you prepare the dessert. Thank them for what they brought, and then remind them, Oh yeah, YOU didn t buy that. It was given to you and you just gave back what you were already given, just like the people of Israel. Prepare the dessert together, reminding them that it was not their plan, or their gifts, or their ability that allowed them to make the dessert. So too, it is not our plan or gifts or abilities that we give God. He is the one with the plan, gifts, and abilities. Anything we have first came from Him. Our Trifle recipe layer the following: Brownie pieces (or chocolate chip cookies), Cheesecake filling (no-bake), Chocolate pudding, Cool whip, chocolate chips and/or nuts; repeat layers ending with chocolate chips and/or nuts. (This can also be a way to introduce order--since many children will recognize a pattern developing.)
The Tabernacle- Order *God has an order to His plan. We must come by way of the cross before we can enjoy His presence. Let s look at what the Tabernacle looked like. God gave instructions about every piece of furniture. He told them what to build, how to build it, and where to put it. Each piece of furniture speaks of Christ in some way. This morning I am going to show you what each piece looked like, tell you what it was called, and talk more about the first and the last piece. (Use flannel pieces or paper model pieces as each part is described) The very first piece of the tabernacle that Israel would come to was a Brazen Altar. This was a square shaped altar made of bronze where animals were killed and burned as a sacrifice. Next was something called a Laver. Here the priests washed themselves. Next, only the Levites and priests went into a place called the Holy Place. Here there was a table with twelve round loaves of bread called the Table of Shewbread. There was also a lamp filled with oil that looked kind of like a tree with branches. This was called the Golden Candlestick. Last, in this room, was an Altar of Incense. Sweet smelling incense was burned here. Then there was a very large curtain. This was called the Veil. A veil hides something, like when a bride wears a wedding veil to cover her face. Only the High Priest was allowed behind this veil, and only one time a year on a special day called the Day of Atonement. The room behind that veil is called the Holy of Holies, and in it was the last piece of furniture, called the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was a box made of wood, covered inside and out with gold, with a seat on top, called the Mercy Seat. On the Mercy Seat were two angels who faced each other, and between them, God s Presence would be in the form of brightness and glory. This was the place in the tabernacle where God s presence dwelt. The people of Israel could not go to Him, they had to send their High Priest. Blood from the sacrifice on the first piece of furniture, the Brazen Altar, was brought all the way to the Mercy Seat on that one day a year that the High Priest went behind the veil. If God accepted the sacrifice that year then Israel s sins were covered for a year. So that s what the Tabernacle looked like. We talked once before about how God can only be in the midst of those who have come to the cross. His Tabernacle was in the middle of Israel when the camped in the shape of a cross, and His Life is in each of us, and in all of us as the Church, when we have come to Him by the cross. Here in the furniture, God has an order, and first is the cross. See the brazen altar? It has four horns where blood was put. Think about the cross. Jesus was nailed on His hands and feet, with a crown of thorns on his head. We can see blood at four places, just like on the altar, and like the door at Passover (explain, if needed). Again, God is saying that the only way to Him is by the cross. Jesus said, No man comes to the Father, but by Me. Sometimes we hear people talk about Christ and Him crucified. The brazen altar is a picture of this. The blood goes from this altar all the way in the Holy of Holies to the Mercy Seat. When Jesus died, He went before the Father s presence with His own blood (point to the Holy of Holies). His offering of blood was accepted for ALL time, not just for one year. The Bible calls Jesus OUR Great High Priest. Now we have a way to God through Jesus. God s plan of salvation, the way He made for us to know Him, means going first to the cross. Only then can we come into His presence, and have His presence live in us. The cross is like a door into a house. Jesus is a dwelling place for us. We have to come in through the door, the cross. In Him, we will know the Father.
CRAFT The tabernacle sheet showing the furniture can be used as a visual aide or a coloring sheet. Dot-to-dot. Show the JESUS dot-to-dot without numbers (this can be transposed onto a posterboard using an overhead projector). Have children take turns connecting dots, until all of the dots have been connected. More than likely, the children will not have created anything with their dot-to-dot. Without knowing the order, or just making up our own order, it doesn t work. Now, either as a group on a posterboard, or individually, do the same dot-to-dot only with the numbers, knowing the order. God s order brings us to Christ. (Use a cross-shaped dot-to-dot for younger children.) ACTIVITY Make an obstacle course, or series of activities that are to be performed in a certain order. At station 1, post a picture of the Brazen Altar with the #1 on a paper bag. Inside, have slips of paper with a picture of the brazen altar- one per person. Do the same for each station, with corresponding furniture from the tabernacle. As child completes activity 1, they reach in and get a slip of paper, then proceed to station 2, until they have completed all of the activities in order. The final activity (#6- Ark of the Covenant) may include entering into a tent and resting (and maybe even eating) until all of the group has finished. Activities may be things like: jump rope while singing a song, walk backwards between two cones, wash hands (corresponding with the laver), blow bubbles (corresponding with the altar of incense), etc.
The Tabernacle- Head and Body *The pieces of the Tabernacle speak of things Christ has done FOR us. The Ark of the Covenant, however, speaks of His actual presence. Let s look at the Tabernacle and its furniture again. (Point to a view from above- a floor plan). We are going to look at how the furniture can be a shadow of different things that Jesus has done for us. First we have the Brazen Altar, which we said makes us think of the cross with the blood on each corner. Jesus died on the cross for us. He paid the price for sin. The Altar opened the way for us into Gods house. Next, the Laver. Psalms 51:2 says, Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Jesus has done this for us also. His death paid the price for sin, and we have been washed and forgiven of sin. The Table of Shewbread had bread and wine on it. It was a place to eat. Jesus said, in John 6:56, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. When you eat food, it goes down inside you. Because of the cross, we now can have the life of Jesus down in us. He is in us. We are also in Him. The Candlestick shows us this because it looks like a tree with branches. It has oil in it, like a tree has sap. That is what keeps the branches alive. We only have life when we are joined to Him, just like a branch can only live when joined to the tree. Sometimes we call this abiding. Next is the Altar of Incense. The smoke of the sweet smell would go into the Holy of Holies. Only Jesus can come before the Father. Here we see a picture of Him going to the Father for us. It s okay if you don t understand all of the details of this. The important thing is to see that it represents things Jesus has done for us. A person can know all of these things about God, and even have Jesus in their hearts, but still miss the purpose of it all- and that is to see Him, to dwell in His presence, to see His face. This veil hid the Ark of the Covenant, which was where God s own presence rested. I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat, Lev. 16:2. On the top of the Ark were two cherubims facing each other. We sometimes talk about the Revelation of Christ, which means unveiling. A veil hides something that is there, and when it is unveiled, you can see it. In the tabernacle, the veil hid the presence of God. We can have a veil in our hearts that hides Jesus from us, but the Bible says that the veil is done away in Christ, and that when a heart turns to see, it WILL see Jesus. He will unveil Jesus to our hearts. This is what the Revelation of Christ is. The other pieces of furniture show us what Jesus has done for us, but the Ark of the Covenant shows us Jesus Himself. Do any of you have a grandma or aunt or some relative who lives far away and who sends gifts to you. You might not really know them very well, but you enjoy the gifts they send. Some people only know God in this way. They enjoy the gifts and privileges of being a Christian, but they don t spend time actually KNOWING and SEEING Him. I want to show you one more thing. If I were to draw a person on top of this Tabernacle shape, it would look like this (draw a person, with the Holy of Holies as the head). The body DOES STUFF. And in the tabernacle, these sections show us some of the stuff Jesus DOES. The head shows you WHO a person is. It s hard to tell, just looking at a body without seeing their face, who a person is.
But when you see the face, you know. Here, in the Holy of Holies, is where the Person of Jesus is revealed. We want to see Jesus. We want to see His face. We don t just want to know the things He does for us, but we want to know Him. *For further study, look at the Man described in Rev. 1:13-17. His feet are brass, just as the furnishings in the outer court are of brass. His belt is of gold, just as the furnishings in the Holy Place are of gold. His eyes are flames of fire, and His head and hair are white, just as the glory of God rest above the most Holy Place as cloud and fire. The High Priest is also pictured in the Tabernacle. CRAFT Give children each a drawing of the Tabernacle furniture from above. Have them draw a human figure around the furniture, with the head drawn around the Ark of the Covenant, and the body around the rest (you can give them a cardboard shape to trace). Add the verse, I have seen Thee in the Sanctuary. Next, play hide-and-seek with the pictures. When one is found, remind them of the unveiling of Christ. What was unseen becomes seen. The following can be used for this craft:
Optional edible tabernacle: Ground--Sheet cake baked in cookie sheet pan (leave in pan) Perimeter of the court--vanilla sugar wafers placed vertically Furniture of the tabernacle Make from peanut butter clay (mix peanut butter and powdered sugar) Brazen altar Laver Table of showbread Candle stick Altar of incense Ark of the covenant and angels Use pretzel sticks for the grill of the brazen altar Use blue jello for the water in the laver Use nilla cookies for the showbread Use pretzel sticks to create the candles in the candle stick Use large (8 oz) chocolate bars to create the holy place walls (we used one on each side and half at the back) Use pop tarts and fruit roll-ups for the coverings over the holy place allow one of the coverings to dip down for the veil. Then, we used canned whipped cream to represent the glory of the Lord filling the temple (but we didn t spray it all over! We served it on individual portions when we ate the tabernacle.) Read Exodus 40:18-35
The High Priest- We are in Him *We are in Christ by the work of the cross. When God gave the instructions for the Tabernacle, He also gave instructions for the people who would take care of the Tabernacle. These were the priests. God appointed one Great High Priest, who was Moses brother Aaron. The High Priest had a special job and special clothing. Part of his special clothing was a breastplate on this chest. There were twelve precious stones in the breastplate, one for each of the twelve tribes (or families) in Israel. Exodus 28:29, And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. When the High Priest wore this breastplate, all of Israel was represented in him. God appointed one day a year, called the day of Atonement, when the High Priest would offer a sacrifice, first for his own sin, and then for the sins of the people. All of Israel would gather at the tabernacle to wait and see whether the sacrifice for their sin would be accepted. Only on this day, every year, did the High Priest go into the Holy of Holies, where the presence of God was. If the High Priest s offering was not accepted, he would die in that Holy of Holies. But, if the sacrifice was accepted, the High Priest would come back out of the Holy of Holies and put on this breastplate. All of Israel would see the High Priest a second time. Israel was seen to be in him. When Jesus died on the cross, the sacrifice he offered God was His own body for our sin. Was His sacrifice accepted by God? Of course! He was perfect and sinless. We were separated from God because of our sin. But we are no longer separated. Col 1:21,22 says this, And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: Unblameable and unreproveable mean that God sees no wrongdoing or sin because He sees Jesus (and we are hidden in Him). Jesus life was accepted by the Father, and now we have been made accepted in Him (Eph 1:6). Not because of anything we have done to be good or right, but because of Him. When we see Jesus in this way, like the people of Israel seeing their High Priest again, we see that we are in Him. Colossians 3:3,4 says, For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see you, to understand your appearing. Thank you for putting us in your Son and bringing us unto Yourself. ACTIVITY This activity may be done before the lesson to encourage interest in the meaning of the breastplate. Make a poster of the High Priest. Make his breastplate using a 1 ½ dozen egg carton cut down into a 3x4 shape and paint it gold. Purchase gemstones that approximate the ones described in Exodus 28:17-20. Make two sets of labels naming these twelve precious stones. Label each location inside the breastplate, and also label either the stone itself or the inside of an easter egg containing that stone. Place all of the stones into easter eggs, one each. If you have a lot of students, you may put rocks inside of other eggs so that they are more eggs to find. Hide these, then allow children to go and find them. If they find a precious stone, have them place it into the appropriate place on the breastplate until the breastplate is completed. Just as the High Priest wore a breastplate representing the fact that God saw all of Israel in one man, Jesus Christ has gathered us up into Himself, and we are in the One.
The Glory Filled the House *Christ is in us. We are His house. Christ in you is the hope of glory. Let s read Exodus 40:33b-38 It is going to tell what happened after the Tabernacle was finished being built. 33 So Moses finished the work. 34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: 37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In the wilderness, God was among the people of Israel as a pillar of fire and cloud, resting on the Tabernacle. We have talked about how the Tabernacle is a picture of Jesus as a dwelling place for the Father, in the midst of a people. But we, also, are a dwelling place for God. Because Jesus lives in us, God also lives in us. Here are a few verses. John 14:16-18,23 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. I Cor. 3:17 for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. II Cor. 6:16 for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, 'I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. These verses tell us that God, because of the work of the cross, has now made His home in us. We are a tabernacle, or home, or dwelling place for the Lord. The last verse we read in Exodus said that the glory of the Lord FILLED the tabernacle. What is the glory of the Lord? It is the outshining of God. God had so filled the tabernacle that there was no room for Moses. God desires to fill us full with Himself. Col. 1:27 says that Christ in you is the hope of glory. We have no hope of God's expression or shining in us except that we have Christ in us. ACTIVITY Use a lite bright with patterns of a heart, cross, butterfly or other objects. Let children fill in the pattern with pegs, then turn on the light. When we live by the life of Christ, it is like the peg taking part in the making of the picture. The picture is chosen by God. The light itself is Him. There is no light in the pegs themselves. Plugged in, the pegs show His light, but they don t become light. This is like the glory of God. Christ in us is the hope of glory- that means that the only glory we can be part of is His.
The pegs do not have a purpose apart from their use in the lite bright. Without the lite bright, the pegs are useless. They were made to be plugged in to the lite bright. It is only as they are connected that they find their purpose. We were made to be vessels for Christ s Life. It is only as we are plugged in to Him, abiding, that we realize the purpose for which we have been created.