Furnishing God’s House
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Introduction: You can tell much about a person by how they furnish and decorate their home...
1. The interior furniture, 37:1-29
1. The interior furniture, 37:1-29
A. The Ark, 37:1-9.
A. The Ark, 37:1-9.
The most holy piece of furniture and the only piece in the Holy of Holies, that part inside the tabernacle tent that was set apart from rest by an inner veil. Its construction is described in verses 1-5.
Bezalel did the work on the ark himself.
The dimensions of the ark (based on 18” = 1 cubit) is 45” long, 27” wide, 27” high
Within the ark were to be placed three sacred items:
1) A jar of unspoiled manna.
1) A jar of unspoiled manna.
(Omer = about 1/3 gal.)
Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded, ‘Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ”
This was a memorial sign of God’s providential care, that He would satisfy all Israel’s needs.
Who is God? He is the faithful provider.
2) Aaron’s budded staff.
2) Aaron’s budded staff.
Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.
Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod.
But the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.”
This was a sign that Aaron was the rightful High Priest, confirming His wielding spiritual authority.
Who is God? He is the ruler of His people, who bestows spiritual authority on those He chooses.
3) Stone copies of covenant between God and Israel.
3) Stone copies of covenant between God and Israel.
“You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.
“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you.
These are the terms of the covenant for God’s relationship with Israel.
-- every blessing of salvation; also demanding their obedience to His commandments
-- a permanent reminder of God’s promise to Israel and His law for their lives.
Who is God? He is both Savior and Lord.
Then verses 6-9 describe the making of the most important piece of the ark -- the mercy seat with the cherubim on top.
Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.
Cherubim are the guardians of the throne of God; the ark is a representation of God’s throne.
Who is God? He is the ruler of heaven and earth, who sits enthroned between the cherubim.
Illustrated in Joshua 3 and Joshua 6, showing the God of mighty angels was present in power leading His people into battle.
Because He is present in all the purity and power of His holiness, it was fatal to touch the ark (2 Samuel 6:1-7) or to use it in any inappropriate way (1 Samuel 4-5).
The people were not holy; therefore, there was one more thing that went on the ark: the blood from a sacrifice for sin on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). The High Priest would make atonement for the sin of Israel; this is where the name given to the ark’s lid come from: the atonement cover. Scripture called it “the mercy seat” because it was the place where God showed mercy to sinners.
The blood placed on it was an expiation: it removed the guilt of Israel’s sin.
The blood was also a propitiation: it turned aside God’s wrath.
Who is God? The atonement cover reveals He is the God of mercy and justice, who forgives sinners on the basis of a blood sacrifice.
B. The Table of Showbread, 37:10-15.
B. The Table of Showbread, 37:10-15.
The table for the bread was constructed of wood covered in gold and the dishes and utensils were made of gold as well. The table was the place where twelve fresh loaves of bread, baked by the priests, were placed on the table each Sabbath. Toward the end of the week, the bread became the priests’ portion to eat before the Lord.
This bread reminded Israel that God was their provider, giving them grain and providing bread for His priests. One time it was even used to feed David and his mighty men.
The bread is an offering to God; even so it taught the Israelites to offer themselves for God’s service. It served to also remind them that they were bound to God by covenant. Every time the priests partook of the bread, they confirmed the covenant on Israel’s behalf. In Exodus 24, the elders had sealed the covenant by sharing a meal in God’s presence. Now, the bread in the tabernacle showed that God communes with His people.
Who is God? He is our provider and our friend--someone who sits down with us at the table.
C. The Lampstand, 37:16-24.
C. The Lampstand, 37:16-24.
This beautiful lampstand made it possible to work inside the tabernacle; without it, the tabernacle would be pitch black. This lampstand gave perpetual light inside, day and night.
The lampstand was a symbol of God’s pure and perfect light; after all, light comes from God and in whom is no darkness.
This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
God is both the revealer and the illuminator, making things clear and teaching us to live in the light of His word as well as bringing all things to light, even exposing what is done in secret.
The very design of branches, buds, and blossoms of the lamp suggests life. Some Bible students suggest it was a reminder of the tree of life, pointing out that God is not just a light-giver, but is also a life-giver.
Who is God? The golden lampstand points to Him as the Lord and giver of life. All life and light come from Him.
D. The Altar of Incense, 37:25-29.
D. The Altar of Incense, 37:25-29.
The altar of incense stood before the veil separating the ark from the other furniture in the tabernacle. It was the place for the sacred incense to be burnt by the priest; it was the altar that was before the Lord. The incense was a special blend which could not be used for any other purpose.
Measuring about 18 inches square and thirty-six inches tall, whenever a priest stood at this altar, he was standing in front of the ark, and thus in the presence of the Lord. This incense offering was to God both morning and evening. filling the tabernacle with a pleasing fragrance. The incense represented the prayers of God’s people, rising before the Lord.
O Lord, I call upon You; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to You!
May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.
Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
The altar of incense was the place where the priest praised God for His holiness, thanked God for His mercy, and presented the petitions of Israel before the throne of Heaven.
Who is God? The altar of incense says he is a God who hears and answers prayer.
[Transition] The tabernacle was furnished to show His people that the God who was dwelling in their midst was everything they needed.
2. Jesus Christ, God’s True Tabernacle
2. Jesus Christ, God’s True Tabernacle
For us today, we do not need a tabernacle. Why? Jesus Christ is the true tabernacle of God. God has come to live with us in the Person of His Son. The details of the Tabernacle testify to the salvation which would be fully realized in Christ. The Israelites were saved by trusting in the Savior to come, as He was represented in the tabernacle, and in the rituals of the Old Testament.
A. Jesus is our ark of the covenant.
A. Jesus is our ark of the covenant.
He offered Himself as our sacrifice, dying on the cross to make atonement for our sins. He then sprinkled His very own blood on the mercy seat of Heaven.
1 John 2:2 (NASB95) -- 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
When God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him to the highest place in the universe, Jesus is now shown to be not only the blood on the mercy seat -- He is also the God enthroned between the cherubim.
B. Jesus is our table of showbread.
B. Jesus is our table of showbread.
Indeed, He is the bread itself.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
Jesus sustains us, giving us our daily bread and now supplies us with His Spirit as the source of our spiritual life now and forever. He welcomes us to fellowship with Him in the friendship of His covenant love.
‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
C. Jesus is our lampstand.
C. Jesus is our lampstand.
Jesus is the light of creation, who first brought life and light into the world.
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
He is the light of salvation, showing us the way to eternal life.
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
Do you want spiritual life? Do you want to live forever? Then come to Jesus and walk in His light.
D. Jesus is our altar of incense.
D. Jesus is our altar of incense.
Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Jesus is our altar of incense. It is on the basis of His atoning death on the cross that Jesus prays incessantly for our salvation and sanctification. We pray to God in the name of Jesus, on the basis of His sacrifice for our sins, and God will hear us.
The tabernacle -- and later, the temple -- were just a foretaste of what we truly needed: Jesus Christ is who we needed. He is:
* The blood sacrifice for all our sins.
* The living bread for all our hunger.
* The friend at the table for all our loneliness.
* The lampstand of life in all our darkness.
* The prayer of intercession in all our desperate troubles, and Jesus is praying right now that we will come home to God and trust Him for everything, forever.