We Need God to Dwell with us!

Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.

15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. 17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the 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 two sides westward. 28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. 3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. 4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof. 5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar. 6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. 7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. 8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side: 10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver. 12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. 13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four. 17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass. 18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass. 19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. 21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

• We learn lots of lessons from the Tabernacle

• Everything in the tabernacle and the tabernacle itself points to Jesus

1. They were commanded to make the tabernacle 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

2. God gave specific instructions about every detail of the tabernacle

3. He wanted it built to His specifications

4. Every measurement was important

5. Every detail was important

6. We can learn that how we build and treat our place of worship is important

7. We should not take lightly the great investment we have in our place of worship

8. We should remember that all we do is a testimony to the believers and also to the community

9. The tabernacle was very expensive

10. What costs you nothing is worth nothing

11. God’s people spared no expense in the building of the tabernacle

12. It took money, material goods, and great talent to build the tabernacle

13. They worked hard on every detail

14. Much work goes into the planning of a new home we might choose to build

15. Nothing less should go into the planning of our church building

16. We should be ready to sacrifice and work to make it happen

17. God should be important enough for them to prepare a place to meet with Him

18. They were to build and use it exactly like He wanted 26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount. 27:8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

19. When the tabernacle was completed and ready for use it was to be raised up to look like just what Moses had seen in the mount

20. Every piece of equipment had a place where God wanted it

21. The tabernacle was not to be just thrown together but meticulously put together like God wanted

22. To me, it seems important to God that the tabernacle be what He wanted

23. I do not think it right that we do not consider how we will build and do our ministry without looking to Him

24. Everything is to be done the way God showed Moses

25. It is hard to acknowledge but we need to realize that we are not to do what we want but what He wants

26. We are to live our lives seeking to do His will

1. Separation

2. The world was separated from God’s people by the enclosure

3. The people were separated from God by the vail

4. Before even the priests go to the holiest place, they had to go by the altar where sacrifices were made

5. The vail has now been torn in to

6. All can have access because of the sacrifice that Jesus made

7. The tabernacle was beautiful on the inside but not very pretty on the outside

8. People do not have access to God except through Jesus Christ

9. The world feels cut off but God has made a way for them. God has come to us

10. They were to never let the fire go out 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

11. The oil had to be pure

12. They were not to look for short cuts

13. They were to use only the best that they had and could get to worship God

14. It was to be a priority for them

15. It was oil that they got from beating the plants and not by the mechanical means that they had

16. It cost each of them personally

17. They had to work at it

18. It was to be perpetual, never-ending

19. They were to keep at it

20. Sometimes it is easy to get started in God’s work but the real job is to stay at it

21. This work is not done in a day or a year but a lifetime

22. It takes dedication and discipline to serve God

23. We do not serve out of emotion or duty but a commitment to Him

24. It was for God’s people 27:21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

25. God wasn't calling on people to come to worship Him because of His needs but rather to meet their needs

26. We never should forget that we need God and not the other way around

27. We take the gospel to the world because they desperately need the Lord

28. God was moving on behalf of His people

29. God wanted some special people to work for Him 28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

30. God picked who He wanted to serve Him

31. They were to minister unto Him, the Lord

32. 5 times God will mention that He is picking these men to minister to Him

33. God wanted Aaron to bear the names of the tribes on His shoulders before the Lord 28:12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial.

34. Aaron was to carry God’s people in his heart before the Lord 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.

35. Aaron was going before God praying over the people, their direction or guidance, their needs 28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.

36. Today God still calls people into His work

37. Find where you fit in

38. God gave people special talents to prepare everything 28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

39. They were given all the wisdom and talents they needed to make a difference in their lives

40. God had a plan of how He wanted to be worshipped and served

41. He called on them to give Him what He asked but gave them the funds and abilities to do all that He asked

42. He still equips people to do His ministry

43. Each of us should actively look for how we can cause the work of God to go forward

44. What can you give

45. How can you pray

46. How can you help those that are going

47. Should you go

48. Should prepare things for those that are going

49. You need to find where you fit in