Introduction & Prayer
Exodus 26 reveals to us the detailed blueprints of the sacred tent—the central structure in the tabernacle of God. We see over and over the children of Israel failing to trust in God. What does Exodus teach us about God in contrast to man?
Pray: Father God, please reveal your truth to us just as you revealed your truth to Moses and the Children of Israel.
Review
What is the meaning of atonement? [reparation for wrong or injury]
The sacred tent of the tabernacle had 2 spaces: The Holy Place was one space. What was the name of the other space?
What pieces of temple furniture were in both spaces?
Read Exodus 26:1-6
“Make the Tabernacle from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. 2 These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide. 3 Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain. 4 Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set. 5 The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain. 6 Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece.
Why do you think that God provided so many details about the tabernacle?
How do you think God feels about the details of your life?
Read Luke 12:6-7 6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
When Jesus was asleep in the boat, the disciples were sailing their boat through a major storm. They thought the boat was going to sink and they were going to drown. Why do you think the disciples were that afraid even though Jesus was in the boat with them?
Sometimes, even though we have the Spirit of God in our lives, we too can be afraid. What are specific steps that we can take to remind us not to fear?
BIBLE TRIVIA: What other piece of tabernacle furniture from Exodus 25, had the symbolic cherubim?
Read Exodus 26:7-14
7 “Make eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle. 8 These eleven curtains must all be exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide. 9 Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and join the other six into a second long curtain. Allow 3 feet of material from the second set of curtains to hang over the front of the sacred tent. 10 Make fifty loops for one edge of each large curtain. 11 Then make fifty bronze clasps, and fasten the loops of the long curtains with the clasps. In this way, the tent covering will be made of one continuous piece. 12 The remaining 3 feet of this tent covering will be left to hang over the back of the Tabernacle. 13 Allow 18 inches of remaining material to hang down over each side, so the Tabernacle is completely covered. 14 Complete the tent covering with a protective layer of tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather.
What do the different layer signify?
Why were the skins of animals used as coverings?
What does using an animal skin assume? (an animal had to be sacrificed)
Read 1 John 2:1-2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
What does 1 John reveal to us about Christ? Do we still need sacrifices to cleanse us from sin?
In the Old Testament, much of what was defined as sin was based on actions. In the New Testament, Jesus said to even think it in your heart could be sin. How does Jesus’ sacrifice impact how we should think about others and ourselves?
Read Exodus 26:15-30 (Optional)
15 “For the framework of the Tabernacle, construct frames of acacia wood. 16 Each frame must be 15 feet high and 27 inches wide, 17 with two pegs under each frame. Make all the frames identical. 18 Make twenty of these frames to support the curtains on the south side of the Tabernacle. 19 Also make forty silver bases—two bases under each frame, with the pegs fitting securely into the bases. 20 For the north side of the Tabernacle, make another twenty frames, 21 with their forty silver bases, two bases under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the rear—the west side of the Tabernacle—23 along with two additional frames to reinforce the rear corners of the Tabernacle. 24 These corner frames will be matched at the bottom and firmly attached at the top with a single ring, forming a single corner unit. Make both of these corner units the same way. 25 So there will be eight frames at the rear of the Tabernacle, set in sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame. 26 “Make crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle 27 and five for the south side. Also make five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which will face west. 28 The middle crossbar, attached halfway up the frames, will run all the way from one end of the Tabernacle to the other. 29 Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well. 30 “Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.
The vertical boards of wood were 27 inches wide and 15 feet high and they satin 2 bases of silver. 20 of these were placed side-by-side and then crossbars were attached to make the individual boards act as one solid wall.
The boards were made of acacia wood. The gold coating made the boards different. What can we learn from this in regard to how our lives can be used for God’s holy purpose?
If the 5 crossbars brought stability and unity to the walls of the tent, what brings stability and unity to the church?
Read Ephesians 4:11-12 11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
What is the role of a pastor?
What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
Read Exodus 26:31-35
31 “For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. 32 Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases. 33 Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. 34 “Then put the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table outside the inner curtain on the north side of the Tabernacle, and place the lampstand across the room on the south side.
What did God instruct Moses to put in the Ark?
What 3 items were in the Ark of the Covenant? [Read Hebrews 9:4 for the answer]
Why would God want the Children of Israel to remember the manna?
Why do we so quickly forget about the faithfulness of God when we encounter a current trial?
Read Exodus 26:36-37
36 “Make another curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent. Make it of finely woven linen and embroider it with exquisite designs, using blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 37 Craft five posts from acacia wood. Overlay them with gold, and hang the curtain from them with gold hooks. Cast five bronze bases for the posts.
Why would the entrance to the sacred tent have a curtain that marked it off from the outside/outer court?
With the Tabernacle and the Sacred Tent, was God trying to be distant to mankind or was God accomplishing something else?
Ultimately, the items used to build this elaborate tabernacle likely came from their time in Egypt and when they departed from Egypt. How does God take things from our past that were broken and re-use them for His glory?
Share an example of how God took something broken from your past and redeemed it for His good.
Pray:
Father God, I pray that you will constantly remind me of your grace and mercy that continue to chase after me. Help me never to trust in my own righteousness, but instead trust in yours.