Lesson 12
THE LAW AND THE TABERNACLE
Exodus 15:26 to Exodus 36
JEHOVAH APPEARED many times to Israel in a special manner. Whenever they did wrong, murmured or rebelled, He would manifest Himself to them in the cloud ☁️ .
It might be signaled to them by plagues or fiery serpents, or it might be a voice that filled them with fear and wonder.
Exodus 15:27. They had camped by twelve springs of Elim, and the hand of God had been upon them. They had murmured at Marah because of the badness of water, but nothing had been said of the lack of bread. They had evidently been bountifully supplied on leaving Egypt. They must have anticipated a wilderness journey. This supply had now come to an end. The discovery of the condition of the three million was soon known. One neighbour going to borrow from another would be met by the assurance that the other was as poor as himself in the matter. In this way the terribleness of their condition would be borne upon them with stupefying effect. Death then seemed inevitable.
The Giving of the Manna
To go forward would make that fate certain. To retreat was equally impossible. They would perish before they could retrace their steps and gain the borders of Egypt.
"And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness; and the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (Exodus 16:2-3).
Now here was a case in which this people could easily have sought help from God.
Had He not in every manner proven Himself true to the Covenant? The failure of the bread supply was alarming, but He who had miraculously delivered them from Egypt, led them through the Red Sea, led them by the cloud, and made the bitter waters sweet, could easily provide bread.
What a different story we would have had, and what joy it would have brought to the
Covenant God, had they come to Him for this need in assurance that He who had entered a Blood Covenant relationship would meet every need. Instead, they flung away from God. They broke out in rebellious murmuring. They had been shamefully deceived. They had been led away from Egypt, a land of peace and plenty, and they were now entrapped in this terrible wilderness that young and old might die. However, their rebellion could not make Jehovah deny Himself. He heard their murmuring, their unbelief.
Then, He gave to them the promise that He would supply them with bread and meat that they might know that He was their Covenant God (Exodus 16:4-12).
Exodus 16:13-36 gives to us the sending of the bread and meat and the instructions for gathering it.
For forty years, He, their Covenant God, fed them in this miraculous way.
Reason for the Law
As we study the history of Israel, we hold in mind the fact that they are God's Covenant people.
Exodus 19:1-8. In the third month of their journey they came into the wilderness of Sinai. The time has come when the Covenant God is going to give to them the law.
We hold in mind the fact that they have not yet received the life of God. They are still spiritually dead, and a Law must be given to them that will govern every phase of their lives.
Before the Law is given, Moses is called to the Mount. There God reviews to Moses His faithfulness to the Covenant. Now Israel must make known whether or not they will obey Him as their Covenant God.
In these three months they have learned of His faithfulness to His part in the Covenant (Exodus 19:8). Israel promises to obey.
Exodus 19:9-25 gives to us the manifestation of God to His people. We notice that this manifestation of Himself was again on the level of their physical senses. They could see the smoke and fire and hear the voice of the trumpet which waxed loud. They were unable to approach the Mount because of spiritual death.
The Law that was given is the Law of the Covenant. When the Abrahamic Covenant was fulfilled, it also was fulfilled. There are three divisions that come from this law: The Commandments expressing the Righteous Will of God, Exodus 20:1-27; The Judgments governing the social life of Israel, Exodus 21:1-24; and the ordinances governing the religious life, Exodus 24:12-31.
Three elements formed the Law: the Commandments, the Ordinances, and the Sacrifices. The Commandments were a Ministry of condemnation and of death (II Corinthians 3:7-9). They revealed the spiritual death that reigned in the heart of man.
The Ordinances gave, in the High Priest, a representative of the people with Jehovah.
The Sacrifices gave a covering for the broken law and spiritually-dead Israel.
Giving of the Law
There was a threefold giving of the Law. It was given first orally, recorded in Exodus 20:1-17. This was given with no provision for the Priesthood and sacrifices, and was accompanied by the Judgments (Exodus 21:1-23). Relating to the relations of Hebrew
with Hebrew were added directions for keeping three annual feasts (Exodus 23:14 - 19) and instructions for the conquest of Canaan (24:3-8).
Next, Moses was called up to receive the Tables of Stone (Exodus 24:12-18). Moses on the Mount receives the gracious instructions concerning the Tabernacle, Priesthood and Sacrifices (Exodus 25:31).
Meantime, the people led by Aaron break the first Commandment (Exodus 32). Moses breaks the Tables written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18; 32:16-19).
Third, the second tables were made by Moses and the Law was again written by the hand of Jehovah (Exodus 34:1, 28, 29).
Scriptures to read: Romans 3:21-27; 6:14-15; Galatians 2:16; 3:10-14, 16-18, 24-26; 4:21-31; and Hebrews 10:11-17.
The Reason for the Tabernacle
Exodus 25:8. God desired to dwell with His Covenant People. He could not dwell in their hearts, because they had not yet received Eternal Life; His Presence must be manifested to their physical senses. Their worship of Him also must be on the same level. There must be a physical dwelling place in which He will dwell, and where they shall meet Him through a physical priesthood.
For the building of the Tabernacle He asked of them free-will offerings (Exodus 25:2).
Their hearts must be willing to have His Presence among them (Exodus 25:9).
The Tabernacle was to be made exactly as God revealed it to Moses. From the time that human had died spiritually, God had been working toward his redemption. Now this Tabernacle is to be a type of Christ and the Redemption He wrought for man. Natural type the spiritual . Shadow and type. Therefore, every detail must be according to His exact pattern.
First, let us notice something that is very suggestive. We saw as we studied creation that God gave the account to us in less than two chapters, and yet the instructions for the making of the Tabernacle take up eleven chapters. We would think that the work of Creation was far more important than the building of the Tabernacle; but, mighty though the work of Creation was, it was simply, as it were, the erection of a stage upon which was to be wrought a far mightier work, the work of our Redemption in Christ.
As in a theater, the actor is more than the stage, so the ore who performed that mighty work is infinitely more glorious than the stage on which He performed it.
The Tabernacle, As It Stood among Them
The Tabernacle proper was toward the western end of the court. It was fifty-two feet long, seventeen and one half feet wide, and seventeen and one half feet high.
It was divided into two compartments. The larger of the two was called the Holy Place. The smaller, the Most Holy Place. In the larger, or the Holy Place, there were the Golden Altar, the Golden Lampstand, and the Golden Table; in the smaller, or the Holiest, there were the Ark and the Mercy Seat.
When the Tabernacle had been erected, the only covering visible was the outer covering of badger skins, with a width of the goats' hair curtain above the door. The first set of curtains were fine twined linen; blue, purple, white, and scarlet. Over these were the goat skins, dyed red, and over all was a covering of badger skins.
While the Tabernacle was at rest, the Claud, the Symbol of the Divine Presence, rested on the rear end of the Tabernacle, and was like a vast umbrella overshadowing the camp.
This cloud was always with them. When they were to journey, it arose from the top of the Tabernacle, going in the direction that God wanted them to travel. When they came to their camping ground, the cloud stopped,
In this way it guided them, showing them the directions, just how far they should go, and when they should encamp.
God had to manifest Himself to their physical senses because they were spiritually dead.
The court was formed of sixty pillars of shittim wood supporting the linen curtain wall. The Tabernacle was a comparatively small building. It was designed to be a place where God could dwell with and meet Israel in the person of their High Priest, so it was not an auditorium as such a place for the assembling of God's people would be today.
The Curtain and Coverings of the Tabernacle
In studying the coverings and curtains we begin on the outside. As we view the Tabernacle from the outside there is nothing interesting in its appearance. It was a long, box-like building, without graceful lines or curves, as if to accentuate its lack of attractiveness.
The unattractive badger skins covered it on the outside; but, if we go inside, what a wonderful change.
On either side the gold-covered boards glint in the light of the seven-branched lampstand. Over our heads is the ceiling formed by the beautiful curtains of fine twined linen with the embroidered cherubims of blue, purple, and scarlet. Before us is the veil; behind us, the door with all the mingled tints of the rainbow. Then there is the gold altar of incense filling the Holy Place with its aroma, and the gold table with twelve loaves of shew bread which also emit a fragrant odor.
In these coverings we see a picture of Christ in His two different aspects. If we look at the outside of the Tabernacle, it has no form nor comeliness-the curtains of badgers' skins covering the beauty of the Tabernacle.
Isaiah 53:2. Christ had no form nor comeliness to the natural man. There was no beauty about Him that man should desire Him. He had nothing in common with man.
The badgers' skins are typical of the severity of His separation from man. To the natural eye there was a reserve and severity with Him. It was not within their compass, the compass of men, to understand or enjoy Him. Read John 4:44 and Matthew 16:17.
He was a root out of dry ground. The beauty of Christ was hidden. Only an inner few knew Him; and so the blue, the purple, the scarlet and linen.
Ezekiel 16:10 reads, "I shod thy feet with badger skins." It would suggest separation from evil; sandals protect the feet from the earth, keep them separate from it. Christ took up His place in the Father's will, and all the forces of men and devils in earth and hell could not overcome or hinder His doing the Father's will.
The ram's skin, dyed red, is typical of His mediatorial work, His shed blood.
The inner curtains were in two sets, five in a set. They were held together by fifty taches of gold which fastened into fifty loops of blue, forming, as we read, one Tabernacle. The loops of blue and the fifty taches of gold were typical of His Heavenly Grace and Divine Energy which enabled Christ to perfectly meet the claims of God and man.
These curtains were all of one measure. The blue, ethereal in color, marks the Heavenly character of Christ. Although He was a very man, He was a very God. He walked in the consciousness and dignity of His Divine Mission.
He never once forgot Who He was or where He was going. The purple is typical of His Royalty. He was king of the Jews. He was received into Heaven as a conqueror (Psalm 2 and Philippians 2:9-11).
The scarlet represents His death. A true scarlet color can only be produced by death.
His Incarnation, the union of God and man, were not sufficient for our Redemption. He must, on the cross, be made all that man was. By His death, He brought to naught him who had the power of death, and delivered man from his reign (Hebrews 2:14).
The fine twined linen is typical of His spotless purity as a man. There are great depths of spiritual truths in the humanity of Jesus Christ. In order for Him to meet the claims of Justice, and the needs of man, it was necessary that He be absolutely human, and yet at the same time as a man and tempted in every point as we are, and still please the Father as a perfect Son.
It was necessary for Christ to walk as the first Adam should have walked.
(The Study of the Tabernacle will be continued in the next lesson.)
Questions
Q1. What should the Israelites have done when they discovered their lack of food?
Q2. How did the Covenant God meet their need for food?
Q3. Why was the law given?
Q4. Why did God manifest Himself to the people through the smoke and fire, and the cloud?
Q5. What was the purpose of the Tabernacle?
Q6. How were the materials gathered? Why?
Q7. Why was it necessary for it to be according to the exact pattern given to Moses?
Q8. How did the badger skin covering represent Christ?
Q9. Of what in the Life of Christ were they typical?
Q10. Show how the inner curtains represent Christ.
