Exodus 31

Exodus 31:1

6. The Gifted Artisans (31:1-11)God appointed gifted artisans, Bezalel and Aholiab, to construct the tabernacle . . . and all its furniture. They supervised other workers in this holy task (v. 6b). The repetition of “I” in this paragraph shows that with the divine command there is divine enablement. The Lord appoints His workers, endows them with ability and talent, and gives them a work to do for His glory (v. 6). The work is all the Lord’s, but He accomplishes it through human instrumentality, then rewards His agents.

Exodus 31:12

7. The Sign of the Sabbath (31:12-18)31:12-17 Keeping the Sabbaths was to be a sign between God and Israel. No work was to be done on the seventh day, not even the building of the tabernacle. Disobedience was punishable by death. 31:18 At this point the Lord gave Moses two tablets of . . . stone inscribed with the Law of Godthat is, the Ten Commandments (cf. Deu_10:4).

THE TABERNACLE: GOD’S PICTURE OF CHRISTBasically the tabernacle speaks of Christ, the Word who became flesh and “tabernacled” among us (Joh_1:14 Greek). It can also be used as picturing God’s way of salvation and the subsequent life and ministry of the believer. But although it pictures the way of salvation, it was given to a people who were already in covenant relationship with God. Rather than providing a way of salvation, the tabernacle offered the means by which the people could be cleansed from outward, ritual defilement and thus be able to approach God in worship. The tabernacle and the services connected with it were copies of things in the heavens (Heb_8:5; Heb_9:23-24). This does not mean that there must be a structural or architectural likeness in heaven, but that the tabernacle pictures spiritual realities in heaven. Notice these correspondences:

The earthly sanctuary (Heb_9:1-5)The heavenly sanctuary (Heb_8:2; Heb_9:11-15)The Holiest of all (Heb_9:3 b)The Holiest, God’s presence (Heb_10:19)The veil (Heb_9:3 a)The veil, Christ’s body (Heb_10:20)The blood of animals (Heb_9:13)The blood of Christ (Heb_9:14)The altar (Heb_7:13; Exo_27:1-8)Christ, our altar (Heb_13:10)The high priest (Heb_5:1-4)Christ our Great High Priest (Heb_4:14-15; Heb_5:5-10; Heb_7:20-28; Heb_8:1; Heb_10:21)The sacrifices (Heb_10:1-4, Heb_10:11)Christ, our sacrifice (Heb_9:23-28; Heb_10:12)The ark (Heb_9:4)The throne of grace (Heb_4:16)The altar of incense (Heb_9:4, KJV)The altar of incense in heaven (Rev_8:3)The Linen Curtains Forming the Outer Court (150 ft. x 75 ft.)The curtains were made of white, fine-twined linen, symbolizing the perfect righteousness of God. They were 7bd feet high, forming a barrier that prevented man from seeing over them. This suggests man’s failure to reach God’s standard of righteousness (Rom_3:23) and the sinner’s inability to see or understand the things of God (1Co_2:14). The curtains were held upright by 56 pillars that stood in bronze sockets and had silver hooks and bands. The GateTo enter the court, a person had to go through the door or gate. There was only one way of entrance, just as Christ is the only way to God (Joh_14:6; Act_4:12). The gate was 30 feet wide, picturing the sufficiency of Christ for all mankind (Joh_6:37; Heb_7:25). The curtains forming the gate were made of white linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet. This typifies Christ as presented in the four Gospels:

PurpleMatthewThe King (Mat_2:2)ScarletMarkThe lowly Servant, suffering for sins, that are likened to scarlet in Isa_1:18WhiteLukeThe perfect Man (Luk_3:22)BlueJohnThe heavenly One (Joh_3:13)The Bronze Altar of Burnt Offering (7bd ft. sq., 4bd ft. high)The first object in the inner court was the altar. This was the place of sacrifice. It speaks of the cross of Christ at Calvary (Heb_9:14, Heb_9:22). This is where the sinner must begin in approaching God. The altar was made of bronze and acacia wood, the incorruptible wood of the wilderness. Bronze speaks of judgment and the wood pictures Christ’s sinless, incorruptible humanity. He who knew no sin bore God’s judgment against our sins (2Co_5:21). The altar was hollow, with a grating halfway down, on which the animal was placed. There were four horns overlaid with bronze, one at each corner (Exo_27:2). Apparently the sacrifice was tied to these horns (Psa_118:27 b). It was not cords or even nails that bound our Savior to the cross, but His everlasting love for us. When an Israelite brought a burnt offering, he laid his hand on the head of the victim, identifying himself with it, and saying in this way that the animal would die in his place. It would be a substitutionary sacrifice. The animal was slain and its blood poured out, pointing forward to the blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb_9:22). All except the skin was burned on the altar. Here, as so often, the type breaks down because Christ was totally devoted to the Father’s will at Calvary. It was a sweet aroma offering, reminding us of God’s complete satisfaction with the work of Christ. And it made atonement for the offerer. The LaverThe laver was made of bronze from the mirrors of the women (Exo_38:8). J. H. Brown remarks: “They handed over those things that were used for self-gratification, those things that in some measure ministered to the gratification of the flesh.” Self-judgment must precede worship (1Co_11:31). The laver was for the priests. It spoke of the necessity of cleansing for service (Isa_52:11). The priests were bathed once on entering their office (Lev_8:6). After that, they were required to wash their hands and feet regularly. One bathmany cleansings. Today all believers are priests (1Pe_2:5, 1Pe_2:9). We need the bath of regeneration only once (Joh_3:5; Joh_13:10; Tit_3:5). But we need to constantly wash our hands (for service) and our feet (for the godly walk) (Joh_13:10). We do this with the water of the Word (Psa_119:9-11; Joh_15:3; Eph_5:26). The laver may have had an upper basin for washing the hands and a lower one for washing the feet. The Bible does not describe the exact form or size of the laver. The Tabernacle Itself (15 ft. x 45 ft.)The structure itself was outwardly plain but inwardly beautiful. Everything inside was covered with gold or was embroidered work. It suggests Christ, who tabernacled among us (Joh_1:14); He had no beauty outwardly that we should desire Him (Isa_53:2 b), but inwardly He is altogether lovely. There were four coverings in the following order from the inside out:

Fine embroidered linenThe righteousness and beauty of Christ.Goat’s hairThe atonement of Christ, who became our Scapegoat (cf. Lev. 16).Ram’s skins, dyed redThe consecration of Christ (cf. the ram of consecration, Exo_29:19-22).Badger skinsThese are also translated porpoise skins, dolphin skins, and hides of sea cows. They protected the tabernacle from the elements, suggesting Christ’s guarding His people from outward evil.The BoardsSome think these were lattice frames rather than solid boards. In any case, they picture believers, forming a unified habitation of God in the Spirit (Eph_2:22). They were made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, representing our humanity and our position in Christ. God sees us in Him.

The boards were 15 feet high and were joined together by five horizontal bars covered with gold (Exo_26:26-28). The middle one went through the boards, perhaps a type of the Holy Spirit. Each board was held in place by tenons in two silver sockets. Silver speaks of redemption (cf. Exo_30:15 where the silver shekel was the atonement money). The believer’s foundation is the redemptive work of Christ (1Pe_1:18-19). The Holy PlaceThe veil leading to the holy place suggests Christ as the way to communion with God (Eph_2:18; Eph_3:12). There was no chair in the holy place because the priests’ work was never completed. Contrast the once-for-all work of Christ (Heb_10:12). The Table of Showbread (36 in. long, 18 in. wide, 27 in. high; on the north side)The table was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, picturing the humanity and deity of our Lord. There were twelve unleavened loaves on the table, symbolizing God’s people as they appear before God in association with Christ. The bread was surrounded by two crowns of gold, just as we are kept secure by the crowned, glorified Christ. The Lampstand (Weighed 75 lbs. No dimensions given; on the south side)Made of beaten gold, it had a base and a stem rising from it, out from which rose seven arms with an oil lamp on top of each. It was the only source of light in the tabernacle. It may picture the Holy Spirit in His ministry of glorifying Christ (Joh_16:14) or it may speak of Christ as the One who is the light of heaven (Rev_21:23) and the source of all spiritual light (Joh_8:12). The pure gold speaks of deity. The lamps burned from evening until morning (Exo_27:21; 1Sa_3:3). The Altar of Incense (18 in. sq. and 36 in. high; before the veil in the center)It was made of acacia wood and gold, typifying the humanity and deity of Christ. It pictures the glorified Christ interceding for His people (Heb_7:24-26; Rev_8:3-4). The incense speaks of the fragrance of His Person and work. The fire had to come from the altar of burnt offering, the fragrance of Christ’s offering of Himself without spot to God. The incense was made of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincenseall combining to make one fragrancethe sweet aroma of Christ (Eph_5:2). The Most Holy PlaceThe veil leading to the Most Holy Place speaks of the flesh of Christ (Heb_10:19-22), rent in death at Calvary (Luk_23:45). Whereas only the priests could enter the holy place, and only the high priest could enter the Holiest on only one day of the year, believers now have access to God’s presence at any and all times (Heb_10:19-22). The Ark (3be ft. long, 2bc ft. wide and high)This was a chest of acacia wood plated with gold. It spoke of the throne of God. There are two ways of thinking of its contents, one man-centered and somewhat negative, and one Christ-centered, and very positive: First, it contained three memorials of rebellion (manna, Exo_16:2-3; the law, Exo_32:19; Aaron’s rod, Num_17:1-13) and thus may picture Christ bearing the curse because of our rebellion. Or the manna may picture Christ as the Bread of God; the law as that expression of God’s holiness which the Lord magnified and made glorious; and Aaron’s rod as Christ in resurrection, a Priest of God’s own choosing. The Mercy SeatThe mercy seat was a lid for the ark. On top were two cherubim, made of beaten gold, guardians of God’s throne and defenders of His righteousness. They looked down on the blood that was sprinkled before the ark and on the mercy seat. The blood of Christ satisfies God’s righteousness and hides all our transgressions from view. Thus a judgment seat becomes a mercy seat. Christ is our Mercy Seat (same word as propitiation, 1Jo_2:2). God meets the sinner in Christ. The Glory CloudWhen the tabernacle was completed, the Lord appeared on the mercy seat in a glory cloud, also known as the Shekinah; from the Hebrew word for dwell. This was a visible symbol of His glory.