Exodus
26-27: “The Regulations For Building Of The Tabernacle: Part #2”
By
Jim Bomkamp
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study, we looked at chapter
25 of the
book of Exodus.
1.1.1. We saw that the
Tabernacle is the subject or object that occupies more verses of the Bible than
any other, and that in the book of Exodus alone, ten chapters tell us about the
Tabernacle.
1.1.2. We read the quote from
Adolph Saphir which Arthur Pink has in his book about three different meanings
of the Tabernacle for us: “In the first place, the tabernacle is a type, a visible
illustration of that heavenly place in which God has His dwelling. In the second place, the tabernacle is a type
of Jesus Christ, who is the meeting place between God and man. And, in the third place, the tabernacle is a
type of Christ in the church—of the communion of Jesus with all believers.”
1.1.3. We saw that the Tabernacle as an illustration of the heavenly place of God’s dwelling
is indicated in Hebrews 9:23-24 where we see that was “to be patterned after
the true” Tabernacle.
1.1.4. We saw that the Tabernacle as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ is
depicted in many scriptures and that in John 1:14 it is written of Jesus Christ
that He ‘tabernacled’ among us: “And the Word became
flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten
from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
1.1.5. We saw that the Tabernacle as a type of Jesus Christ in the church and the communion of
Jesus Christ with all believers is seen in the many
sacrifices, mediations, and offerings that were carried out in it in order for
God’s people to be placed in proper relation with Him, and commune with Him.
1.1.6. We saw that because the Tabernacle was just a tent
made of plain boards and skins, and apart from some of its furnishings not
brilliant in its splendor (as is the case with the temples of the gods of this
world) that it symbolized the Lord Jesus Christ in His first advent, the
incarnation.
1.1.7. We saw that as the Tabernacle reflects upon Jesus
Christ in His incarnation and humility, that the temple, which was designed to
be a permanent and gloriously adorned structure, reflects upon Jesus Christ in
His resurrected glory, and of His second advent.
1.1.8. We saw that the Tabernacle was the place where God met
with man, and it was called “the tent of meeting” and the Israelite was
to come to the door of the Tabernacle if he wanted to draw near to
Jehovah. Likewise, there is just one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).
1.1.9. We saw that at the Tabernacle sacrifices were made,
and Jesus Christ is typified in the Brazen Altar as well as all of the other
furniture of the Tabernacle. The
sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind upon
1.1.10. We saw that the Tabernacle was the place of worship
for the Israelites, and it is to Jesus Christ that we are to offer up to God a
continual sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15).
1.1.11. We saw that the Tabernacle was to be in the center of
the Israelites whenever they camped, as it was the center of their worship and
civil life. In the same way, Jesus
Christ is to be the center of our lives in the church today as God’s
people.
1.1.12. We saw that the Tabernacle declares to us that God is
holy and majestic, that sin separates a man from God, that one may only be
brought near to God through the shedding of blood, that there must be a
mediator in order for a person to be brought near to God, through the sacrifice
on the brazen altar that there must be a substitutionary victim on behalf of
the guilty person, and through the water of the laver declares cleansing for
the washing away our sins.
1.1.13. We saw that the first thing mentioned about the
Tabernacle had nothing directly to do with its construction, but is the Ark of
the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant is
the most important part of the Tabernacle for the mercy seat of the
1.1.14. We saw that the order of the construction of the
tabernacle and its contents is significant, and that the Lord did not set the
order that we would have set for the construction of the Tabernacle (we have
begun with the boards and supports, for instance):
1.1.14.1.The
1.1.14.2.The Table of the Showbread.
1.1.14.3.The Candlestick.
1.1.14.4.The Curtains.
1.1.14.5.The boards of the Tabernacle, with the veil that
separated.
1.1.14.6.The Brazen Altar.
1.1.14.7.The hangings of the court.
1.1.15. We looked at the construction requirements in chapter
25 for the
1.1.15.1.The
1.1.15.2.The Table of Showbread was next in importance as it
indicated that relationship with the Lord was designed to provide fellowship
with the Lord, the cakes one for each of the tribes all of the same size and
consistency indicated God’s equal love of all of His people, and that the bread
was to be eaten by the priestly family indicated that Christ is to be our food
and sustenance as believers. Acacia wood
covered with gold again symbolized the two natures of Jesus Christ, totally man
and totally God.
1.1.15.3.The Candlestick, or Menora, was all made of gold and
contained the seven candles was a picture of the power to do God’s will, the
illumination of the Holy Spirit necessary to understand God’s Word (symbolized
in the cakes), and the seven-fold work of the Holy Spirit (see Isaiah 11).
1.2.
Someone sent me
an email this past week about this new area of Christian scientific thought
called the “Anthropic_Principle.”
This study came about as a result of the many ways in which in this
world in which we live we see that life as we know could not exist if
conditions were not fine-tuned within very specific limits. There are a thousand different parameters
that have been discovered where if they were just slightly different that life
as we know it could not exist. It has
led many to believe that the universe in which we live had to be created
specifically just for mankind to live in.
This is of course just as the Bible tells us that it was created. Well, in the book of Exodus we see that there
are also hundreds of ways in which the Tabernacle and its regulations were
commanded to be created, and in this parameters we see how uncanny it is that
Jesus Christ is reflected really in every part of the Tabernacle. This could not be coincidental. We also would not expect this to be the case
because Jesus says of Himself in the scripture, “In the volume of the book
it is written of Me.” Jesus Christ
IS God’s revelation of Himself to mankind, and He is found on every page of the
scripture because it is God’s intent to reveal Himself to mankind through Jesus
Christ. You can find out more about the
Anthropic Principle here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_principle
.
1.3.
In our study
today, we are going to look at chapters 26-27, which is the second part of our
study to look at the construction and regulations for the Tabernacle.
THE TABERNACLE
1.3.1. There are some considerations to keep in mind when we
think about the construction of the tabernacle:
1.3.1.1.Colors:
1.3.1.1.1.White symbolizes purity and holiness.
1.3.1.1.2.Blue symbolizes heaven and heavenly-mindedness.
1.3.1.1.3.Gold symbolizes divinity.
1.3.1.1.4.Red symbolizes blood shed.
1.3.1.1.5.Purple symbolizes royalty.
1.3.1.2.Materials:
1.3.1.2.1.Wood symbolizes Christ’s humanity.
1.3.1.2.2.Gold symbolizes divinity.
1.3.1.2.3.Brass or bronze symbolizes judgment.
1.3.1.3.Numbers:
1.3.1.3.1.Three symbolizes the Trinity and also resurrection.
1.3.1.3.2.Four symbolizes creation and the earth
1.3.1.3.3.Five symbolizes grace.
1.3.1.3.4.Six symbolizes man.
1.3.1.3.5.Seven symbolizes perfection.
1.3.1.3.6.Ten symbolizes human responsibility.
1.3.2. We are going to look in our study today at the
construction of the curtains for the Tabernacle, the boards for building the
Tabernacle, the veil to separate the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place, the
veil to serve as a door into the Holy Place, the Bronze Altar, the Court for the
Tabernacle, and the veil for the entrance to the Court of the Tabernacle. We will see again how Jesus Christ is
symbolized in all of these things.
2.
VS 26:1-6 - “1
“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted
linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with
cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 2 “The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight
cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have
the same measurements. 3 “Five curtains shall be
joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined
to one another. 4 “You shall make loops of
blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise
you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the
second set. 5 “You shall make fifty
loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the
curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. 6 “You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the
curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.” - The Lord commands Moses as to the design of
the curtains for the Tabernacle is described
2.1.
The curtains
themselves are called the Tabernacle we see here in verse 1 and 6.
2.2.
The Tabernacle we
will see had four different coverings.
2.3.
The number ten
for the number of curtains of the tabernacle symbolize human responsibility,
but the fact that they were colorful to those inside the Tabernacle and made of
blue, purple and scarlet material indicate the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ
fulfilled all human responsibility by perfectly keeping the Law. The ‘blue’ symbolizes the fact that
there is always something “heavenly” about Him. The ‘purple’ symbolizes His
royalty. The ‘scarlet’ symbolizes
the fact that in keeping the Law He shed His blood for the sins of mankind, and
paid the full price for our sins.
2.4.
The Lord Jesus Christ
is seen in the fact that the ten curtains are made of ‘fine twisted linen.’
2.5.
The Lord Jesus
Christ was watched over by angels continually and ministered to by them on a
few occasions. Therefore, the curtains
of the Tabernacle were to be made with ‘cherubim,’ made by the hands of
‘a skillful workman.
2.6.
The curtains are to made of two groups of five
joined together, and this indicates that the grace of God was displayed in the
life of the Lord Jesus Christ as He kept all human responsibility in the Law of
Moses.
2.7.
It is significant
that ‘loops’ of ‘blue’ held the two sets of curtains together,
and that symbolizes that there is a heavenly hope and aspect to all parts of
what Jesus is and does.
2.8.
The fifty ‘clasps’
of ‘gold’ that held the curtains together through the loops symbolizes
that Jesus Christ’s divinity assures His heavenly distinction.
2.9.
The ten curtains
each each were to be twenty-eight cubits in length, or 42 feet, and four cubits
in width, or six feet. These curtains
coupled together would yield a 42 feet by 60 feet size. With the Tabernacle only being 15 feet wide,
these curtains would go up over the ceiling of the Tabernacle and overlap the
sides.
3.
VS 26:7-13 - “7
“Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the
tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. 8 “The length of each curtain shall be thirty
cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall
have the same measurements. 9
“You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains
by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the
tent. 10 “You shall make fifty
loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the first set, and
fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second
set. 11 “You shall make fifty
clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent
together so that it will be a unit. 12 “The overlapping part that is left over in the curtains
of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the
tabernacle. 13 “The cubit on one side
and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains
of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the
other, to cover it.”
- The Lord commands Moses as to the
design of goats’ hair curtains to go over the tabernacle
3.1.
Curtains of ‘goat’s
hair’ were to be placed over the
Tabernacle, and thus to the outside world the Tabernacle was non descript thus
did not symbolize the glorious character of the Lord Jesus Christ in His
divinity, royalty, heavenly distinction, and blood shed. Instead the outside of the Tabernacle
symbolizes His humanity and incarnation.
We have already seen from Isaiah 53 the fact that with the Lord Jesus
Christ in His first advent, “He has no stately form or majesty That we should
look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”
3.2.
These outer
curtains were ‘thirty cubits’ in length, and ‘three’ is the
number of the Trinity and also of resurrection, and also symbolizes that Jesus
was one of the three persons of the Trinity, three-in-one God. But, they were ‘four cubits’ in width
which is the symbol of creation and the earth, and this symbolizes Jesus’
humanity.
3.3.
The ‘six
curtains’ joined together with the ‘five curtains’ makes a total of
eleven, the combination of the “number of man” and the “grace of God.”
3.4.
The ‘fifty
loops’ for connecting these curtains along with the ‘bronze clasps’ for
connecting them symbolizes that in the Lord Jesus Christ grace “meets human
judgment.” The gold in the
Tabernacle, symbolizing Jesus’ divinity, is only seen on the inside; on the
outside of the Tabernacle the only material seen is ‘bronze.’
4.
VS 26:14 - “14
“You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a
covering of porpoise skins above.” - The Lord
commands Moses as to the design of a covering for the tent made of ram’s skins
4.1.
Over the outer
curtains of goat’s hair is a covering for the tent of ‘rams’ skins’ and
these were to be ‘dyed red,’ and this indicates that the main point to
know about the Lord Jesus Christ was about His blood shed for the sins of
mankind.
4.2.
On the top side
of the Tabernacle, unseen to men on ground level, was to be placed ‘a
covering of porpoise skins.’ This
detail about this skin being ‘above’ evidently indicates that the
construction of the Tabernacle was not an “A Frame” but rather had a flat
ceiling.
4.3.
One has to wonder
where the porpoises would come from to make the skins for the top of the
Tabernacle. But, I guess someone had to porpoise to go and find them, and then
bring them back so everyone could be of one porpoise and mind!
5.
VS 26:15-30 - “15
“Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing
upright. 16 “Ten cubits shall be the
length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17 “There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted
to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 “You shall make the boards for the tabernacle:
twenty boards for the south side. 19 “You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty
boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under
another board for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north
side, twenty boards, 21 and their forty sockets
of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 22 “For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you
shall make six boards. 23 “You shall make two
boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24 “They shall be double beneath, and together they
shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of
them: they shall form the two corners. 25 “There shall be eight boards with their sockets of
silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under
another board. 26 “Then you shall make bars
of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of
the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for
the rear side to the west. 28 “The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass
through from end to end. 29 “You shall overlay the
boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars;
and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to
its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.” - The Lord commands Moses as to the design for
the boards to build the tabernacle from
5.1.
The dimensions of
the Tabernacle was thirty cubits long (45 feet) by ten cubits wide (15 feet) by
ten cubits high (15 feet).
5.2.
We finally get to
where the ‘boards’ for the Tabernacle were to be constructed. They were to be of ‘acacia wood’ which
we saw previously that the ‘Acacia’ trees are the very hardy and are the only
ones that grow in the desert in
5.3.
Arthur Pink
quotes Mr. W. Scott concerning the construction of the Tabernacle with the
boards: “The north and south sides of
the Tabernacle were each composed of twenty boards. Thus the length of the holy building would be
thirty cubits (forty-five feet), the boards being a cubit and a half in
breadth. Its height was ten cubits
(fifteen feet), its width was exactly the same, namely, ten cubits (fifteen
feet). Each board was maintained in its
place by two tenons, or hands, which again were grasped by two sockets of
silver. Then in order to bind the whole
in one compact body of strength and security, five bars of shittim wood with
gold--same as the boards--ran along the two sides, and also along the end at
the west; fifteen bars in all being inserted in rings of gold attached to the
boards. The third, or middle bar,
stretched across the whole length of the building-forty-five feet; of the
length of the other cross-bars we are not informed. The corner-boards at the extreme end--north
and south--were coupled together at top and bottom by rings of gold, in
addition to the tenons and silver sockets at the base. These corner-boards then would knit the ends
so firmly by their fastening of rings, tenons, and sockets, or blocks of
silver, that a breakdown was impossible, while the sides were equally upheld
and maintained by the bars. Here then we
have the Rock of Ages embodied in the Tabernacle.”
5.4.
The boards and
the bars covered in gold symbolized the two combined natures of Christ.
6.
VS 26:31-33 - “31
“You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and
fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful
workman. 32 “You shall hang it on
four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold,
on four sockets of silver. 33
“You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of
the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a
partition between the holy place and the holy of holies.” - The Lord commands Moses as to the design of
the veil to separate the
6.1.
We next go to the
regulations for the construction of the all important veil in the temple. This veil separated the
6.2.
This veil was to symbolize
that access to God was not at this time available for mankind. The veil symbolized the “flesh of Jesus
Christ” in the New Testament. In the
book of Hebrews there is a passage that speaks of the new covenant of the New
Testament and how that access into God’s presence in heaven occurs through the
veil, or the flesh, of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 10:19-20 “Therefore, brethren,
since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He
inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh.” The veil in the Tabernacle showed that access
to God was currently not allowed, the Tabernacle represents the pattern of that
which exists in heaven, and the symbol is fulfilled in that Jesus Christ in His
flesh died upon Calvary’s cross and His blood now appears there on our behalf,
which indicates that access to God is not freely permitted through those who
come in through the blood of Jesus Christ.
6.3.
Notice how
colorful is this veil, and the ‘blue’ represents “Jesus’ heavenly
distinction,” the ‘purple’ represents “His royalty,” and the
“scarlet” represents “His blood shed to provide this access to God.”
6.4.
The ‘cherubim’
on the veil symbolize the help and encouragement of the holy angels in Jesus’ first
advent.
6.5.
Only once a year
on the Day of Atonement did anyone enter into the
6.6.
The Most Holy
Place was 15 feet long by 15 feet wide.
7.
VS 26:34-35 - “34
“You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of
holies. 35 “You shall set the table
outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the
tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.” - The
Lord commands Moses as to where to put the furniture for the Tabernacle (see
the diagram at the top of this study)
8.
VS 26:36-37 - “36
“You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and
scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37 “You shall make five pillars of acacia for the
screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and
you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.”
- The Lord commands Moses as to
how to construct the veil on the entrance into the Tabernacle
8.1.
Instructions on
the making of the veil for entering into the
8.2.
Interestingly,
this veil is identical in construction to the veil to the
8.3.
‘Five pillars’
of the acacia wood were used to support this veil, and their number symbolizes
that “access to God is obtained only through the grace of God.”
8.4.
The wood covered
with gold on these pieces of wood again reveals the two natures of Jesus
Christ, the GodMan, 100% God and 100% man.
9.
VS 27:1-8 - “1
“And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five
cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 “You shall make its horns on its four corners; its
horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 “You shall make its pails for removing its ashes,
and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make
all its utensils of bronze. 4
“You shall make for it a grating of network of bronze, and on the net you
shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 “You shall put it beneath, under the ledge of the
altar, so that the net will reach halfway up the altar. 6 “You shall make poles for the altar, poles of
acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7 “Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so
that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8 “You shall make it hollow with planks; as it was
shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it.” - The
Lord commands Moses as to how to construct the Bronze Altar
9.1.
The ‘bronze
altar’ was the ‘altar of the offering,’ and this altar was placed
outside the Tabernacle proper, just inside the court of the Tabernacle. The ‘bronze altar’ and the blood
sacrifices that were made there were a symbol of that one sacrifice for all
time that Jesus Christ made upon Calvary’s cross. Everyone who came to the Tabernacle was
immediately confronted with and had to pass by ‘bronze altar.’
9.2.
The ‘bronze’
which covered the acacia wood on this altar symbolized “God’s judgment.” An Israelite who sinned had failed to meet
God’s requirements for relationship with him and therefore a substitute victim
was needed to pay the debt of his transgression, and thus he had to come to the
Tabernacle to make an offering.
9.3.
The Israelite
bringing an offering had to personally lay his hands upon the head of the
animal conferring his sins upon it, and then the animal was slain and its blood
brought a temporary atonement for his sin.
9.4.
The Brazen Altar
was to be 5 cubits by 5 cubits, or 7 ½ ft. by 7 ½ feet, and 3 cubits high, or 4
½ feet high.
10.
VS 27:9-18
- “9 “You shall make the court
of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court
of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side; 10 and its pillars shall be twenty, with their
twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of
silver. 11 “Likewise for the north
side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long,
and its twenty pillars with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the
pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 12 “For the width of the court on the west
side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and
their ten sockets. 13 “The width of the court
on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14 “The hangings for the one side of the
gate shall be fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their
three sockets. 15 “And for the other side shall
be hangings of fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their
three sockets. 16 “For the gate of the court there shall be a
screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet material and
fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, with their four pillars and
their four sockets. 17 “All the pillars around
the court shall be furnished with silver bands with their hooks of
silver and their sockets of bronze. 18 “The length of the court shall be one hundred
cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine
twisted linen, and their sockets of bronze.” - The
Lord commands Moses as to how to construct the court for the Tabernacle
10.1.
The requirements
concerning the construction of the Court are here given. The north and south sides of the Court shall
be 100 cubits long, or 150 feet.
The east and west sides of the Court shall be 50 cubits or 75
feet. The height of the Court shall
be 5 cubits or 7 ½ feet.
10.2.
‘Twenty’
pillars shall be on the north and the south sides of the Court, and ‘ten’
pillars shall be on the east the west sides of the Court.
10.3.
‘Hangings’
of ‘fine twisted linen’ were to go between all of the pillars all around
the Court.
10.4.
The ‘gate of
the court’ which is on the east side of the Tabernacle directly in front of
the Brazen Altar is to be 15 cubits with ‘three pillars and their
three sockets.’ The ‘veil’ of
the Court is to be 20 cubits and just like the two veils in the temple
it is to be of ‘blue and purple and scarlet material.’ These colors again indicate the “heavenly
distinction” and “royalty” of Christ, with the ‘scarlet’
testifying to His blood shed for our sins.
11.
VS 27:19 - “19
“All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all
its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.” - The commands Moses in regard to how to make
all of the utensils of the Tabernacle
11.1.
‘Utensils’
to be used in the Tabernacle service, including even ‘all its pegs’ were
to be made of ‘bronze’ which indicates “judgment.”
12.
VS 27:20-21 – “20 “You shall charge the sons of
12.1.
The Tabernacle was
to be in used around the clock and in the evening hours the lamps of the Menora
had to be kept lit.
12.2.
The children of
13.
CONCUSIONS:
13.1.
As we have now
considered the construction of much of the furnishings and regulations of the
Tabernacle, it is important to keep in mind that the Tabernacle was to be a
place of constant activity. Just note
the fact that there was not even a chair to be found in the Tabernacle. The light of the Menora was to be continually
burning, and the people were to be continually bringing sacrifices for their
sins, around the clock. The priests
surely worked in shifts so that they were always available to minister to the
people. The Tabernacle probably stunk
when you got close to it, but in the same way our lives as Christians are often
kind of stinky because of our sins. But,
the Israelites could have their sins temporarily atoned for by bringing their
sacrifice, and this provided for them to be in proper relationship with
Yahweh. In the same way, as often as we
come to the Lord and confess our sins, 1 John 1:9 tells us that, “He will be
faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” My question to you, Oh Christian, is are you
making full use of the forgiveness and cleansing from sin that is available to
you? As soon as you realize that you
have sinned, are you coming to the Lord, confessing and repenting of that sin,
and letting Him cleanse you and keep you in good fellowship with Him?