Central Truth: God wants to dwell among his people.
Scriptures: Exodus 25-30
When Moses was on Mount Sinai, God gave him many laws in addition to the Ten Commandments and instructions for building a Tabernacle (a place for worship). The Tabernacle was to be a temporary place for the Israelites to worship during their wanderings through the wilderness and the early years of their time in the Promised Land. The Tabernacle included a courtyard constructed with boards that could easily be taken apart for transportation. The boards were covered with animal skins and curtains. The furniture for the Tabernacle was also portable. Eventually, the Tabernacle was replaced by the magnificent Temple built by King Solomon many centuries later.
The Outer Court
The Outer Court was the area within the fenced courtyard and can only be accessed from one gate located at the eastern end. Anyone could enter the courtyard. It contained a bronze altar for sacrifices and a bronze laver where the priests washed their hands and feet before entering the tent of Tabernacle.
The Outer Court was the area within the fenced courtyard and can only be accessed from one gate located at the eastern end. Anyone could enter the courtyard. It contained a bronze altar for sacrifices and a bronze laver where the priests washed their hands and feet before entering the tent of Tabernacle.
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| The Outer Court with the Bronze Altar at the entrance followed by the Bronze Laver. |
The Holy Place
The tent of Tabernacle had two sections. The first section was the Holy Place where only the priests were allowed to enter. Inside the Holy Place was the Menorah, the Table of Shewbread, and the Altar of Incense.
The Menorah was lit from dusk to dawn with fire from the Brazen Altar and provided light for the priests in the Holy Place. It symbolized how the Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding of the things of God.
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| The High Priest before the Menorah in the Holy Place within the Tabernacle. |
The Table of Shewbread was a golden plated table with twelve loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The bread was left on the table for seven days and sprinkled with incense before eaten by the priest's family. The shewbread represented Jesus as the Bread of Life.
The Altar of Incense was located directly in front of the veil that divided the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. At morning and at twilight the priests burned incense with fire from the Brazen Altar. The priests would pray for the people before the altar.
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| The Holy Place with the Table of Shewbread and the High Priest before the Altar of Incense. |
Holy of Holies
The second of the tent of Tabernacle was the Holy of Holies and was the most sacred part of the Tabernacle. Within this room was only one piece of furniture, the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the tablets with the Ten Commandments, a golden pot filled with manna, and Aaron's Rod that budded - all items of rebellion and symbolizes God's delivering power.
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| Inside the Ark of the Covenant |
Interactive Display
To help the story to come alive for the children, I put together an interactive display for the story of Moses. Each week, something new is either revealed or added or taken away. Today the children got a thorough look at the Tabernacle and its furniture and how they all point to Jesus. When God gave Moses the plans for creating the Tabernacle with its sacred objects, the Israelites were still camped at Mount Sinai. A year to the day that they left Egypt, the Tabernacle was completed and the cloud of God rested in the Holy of Holies. When God wanted the Israelites to move their camp, the cloud withdrew and was a flaming fire that led them to their next destination. With the number 10, the children marked the location where the Tabernacle was created at Mount Sinai:
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| Interactive map of the Wandering of the Israelites in the Wilderness. |
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