The Tabernacle Timetable

Many Christians know of the Tabernacle, and of its typology which speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many books have been written, and many sermons preached on this subject. But how many of us have ever thought that the order in which the Tabernacle was described in Exodus chapters 25 to 30 speaks of the person and ministry of Christ just as much as any of the details of the Tabernacle and its contents.

This article is offered to share with you some of the wonderful prophetic pattern of the Tabernacle Timetable. For brevity, I have not gone into great detail regarding the construction of the Tabernacle and its contents, nor its typology. Books such as Made According to Pattern, and These are the Garments, by Charles Slemming do this far better than I could hope to. This article is primarily a Bible study. Readers will get more from it by a preparatory reading of Exodus chapters 25 to 30 and Hebrews chapters 5 to 10.

I was asked why some items of the furniture of the Tabernacle were made before the Tabernacle was built. The thought was that you would build the house before the furniture. My friend cited three items, the Ark, the Mercy Seat, and the Altar of Incense, and reported one explanation that they represented God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He was not happy with this, and we shall see that it was wrong in matters of fact.

Exodus 25 lists four items made before the Tabernacle was built. These are The Ark of the Covenant, The Mercy Seat, The Table for the Shew-Bread, and the Candlestick (Lampstand). Three others, the Altar of Burnt Offering, the golden Altar of Incense, and the Laver were made later.

The narrative begins with an offering, which was for this purpose, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." (Exod 25:8, 29:44-46 ; Rev. 2 1:3) God has always been interested in mankind, and seeks fellowship with us.

The Tabernacle in all its details speaks of the person and work of Christ. The present study is about timing. The four items made first all speak of the person of Christ in His pre-incarnate existence. They were made from, or covered with, gold, which speaks firstly of divinity and God-head, secondly of heaven and eternity,. The wooden base of some items speaks of the latent (hidden) humanity later to be revealed.

The Ark and the Mercy Seat

The Ark speaks of the presence of God. Twice in Exodus 25, Moses is instructed to put in the Ark "the Testimony which I shall give you." Initially, this was the tablets with the Ten Commandments, the words of the Covenant of God with the people He chose (Hebrews 9:4). Later were added Aaron's rod, a token of life (John 11:25), and a pot with Manna (John 6:3 1). The Ark was later placed in the Tabernacle, and "at the fullness of time" Christ "became flesh and tabernacled amongst us." (Gal 4:4, John 1:14) (Colossians 1:15, 19 ; 2:9.

The Mercy Seat, Hebrew Kepporeth, a Covering, speaks of the mercy of God in covering His divinity with a way of access. In the New Testament, the greek word 'ilasthrion, Hilasterion, is used (Hebrews 9:5), and it is said of Christ that He became a Hilasterion for us, Romans 3:25 (hilasterion); 1 John 2:2, 4:10 (hilasmos). The blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat every year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Blood of Christ gives us access to the presence of God.

We have spoken of the the Ark as containing the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments. These were the terms of the Covenant which God made with His people. Hebrews 8:5-13 speaks of the limitations of that covenant, and of the need for it to be replaced with a better covenant. In the first, the law was written on stone. In the second, God's law is written in people's hearts, and motivated by love.

The Ark also contained Aaron's rod and a golden jar of Manna. We have spoken of the Manna. The Rod was a confirmation of God's choice of High Priest. Hebrews 5:4 and Numbers 16:1-5 ; 17:1-11. But note in both that there was rebellion against God. Numbers 16 is the rebellion against God's choice of priesthood. Numbers 11:4-35 tells of the rebellion against the manna, God's provision of food.

But you can't see God and live! What on earth are you thinking of if you imagine that you can. We sing so blithely of coming into His presence. But what a wonderful mercy of God that he provided a covering! The Mercy Seat speaks of the covering of the severity of the Law with a place where the blood was sprinkled. God's perfect justice means that we deserve death for our sin and rebellion. God's love means that a way is found by which we can come to Him, and sins were covered until the perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 32:1 ; Hebrews 9:7-14; Romans 3:20.

The Table of the Bread and the Lampstand

The Table of the Bread speaks of Christ as the Bread of Life displayed to the world (John 6:26-63; Romans 3:25; Galatians 3:1).

The Lampstand speaks of Christ as the Light of the world (John 1:4,5,7,8,9, 9:5; Rev. 2 1:23). This was made of one single piece of gold, "of beaten work", hammered into the required shape. There is no division in our Lord. His perfection is that of the seamless robe. This metal-working technique was also known in ancient Britain. For example, the discovery of a gold cup made from a single piece of beaten gold around 1600 BC, about the same time as the Tabernacle, was reported in The Daily Telegraph on 5th April 2002.

The Tabernacle, the Altar for Sin Offering, and a High Priest

The four items we have just considered all portray Christ in his pre-incarnate essence and divinity, but also in his attributes seen in his earthly life. Exodus 26 records the making of the Tabernacle, which corresponds in our study to the incarnation (John 1:14). Then we read of another item, which relates to the Cross of Christ.

Exodus 27 describes the Altar of Burnt Offering. Here the sin offering was totally burnt away. This was covered with brass, which in typo1ogy speaks of judgement. Our sin has to be judged. There has to be a sacrifice, and all our old nature has to be consumed. Christ became our sin offering, so that we might be made righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:2 1).

The remainder of Exodus 27 describes the Court of the Tabernacle, about the size of a football pitch, within which the Tabernacle and other furniture was placed. Then comes the consecration of the High Priest, Exodus 28 and 29, which is worth a separate study . This is followed by the instructions for the Altar of Incense, which speaks of the prayer ministry of Christ at the right hand of the Father, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25.

An interesting interjection is the atonement or ransom money, to be paid for the soul of every one counted in a census. It was a set amount of silver, the same from rich and poor. Christ is our ransom. We cannot be valued for less than the price He paid, nor can we add anything.

This is one of those passages which gives a key to the typology materials. Bible students find these by looking at all the references to a particular thing or material. The price of a slave was reckoned in silver. Our Lord was sold for 30 pieces of silver. But Exodus 30:11-16 specifically connects silver with atonement and ransom, unlocking the typology for other references. Silver and brass were used in other places in the building of the Tabernacle. Judgement (brass) demands a penalty for sin, but God has provided an atonement.

Then there was the Laver, a large brass bowl with water for the daily washing of the priests. We come to God by the way of the cross, and are born again and made priests to God in Christ, who is our High Priest. But we need provision for continued cleansing. This again is through the blood of Christ. 1 John 1:7 to 2:2; John 13:10. Note that the Laver was made from brass, the mirrors used by the people. This is a type of the Word of God, in which we see ourselves reflected and which judges us. James 1:22-25, Psalm 19:7-14, Psalm 119.

The Anointing Oil

The last item described (Exodus 30:22-38) was the anointing oil. In the timetable, this speaks of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after Jesus was crucified, risen, ascended and glorified. Acts 2:33. This is a type of the Holy Spirit sent by our Lord and a sign of those who are His, marked out by holiness of life. (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30).

Notice that Pentecost was also the day of the giving of the Law, 40 days after Passover. Having begun with the Law carved on stone given on the Day of Pentecost in the Old Covenant, we finish with the Holy Spirit given on the Day of Pentecost in the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-35. Here is the wonderful full circle (in description, though not a circle in time but continuation and fulfillment) of the work of God.

Two other points concern us:-

The Anointing Oil was not to be copied;

The Anointing Oil was not to be used for any common, that is unholy, purpose. It was not to be used as ordinary perfume. The sole use was for the anointing of prophets, kings and priests to consecrate them to God.

This is a warning against any counterfeit spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3, 1 John 4:1-6. We need discernment to know whether something is truly of the Holy Spirit or not.

This is also a warning against seeking the power of the Holy Spirit for any purpose other than consecration to God. The English Baptists in 1660 included in a Confession of Faith that it was a believer's duty to seek laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit that they might live a holy life. The early Methodists, following the teaching of the Wesleys, sought the power of the Holy Spirit that they might live a holy life. These days, people seek the power of the Holy Spirit for anything but that they might live a holy life. We hear of "power praise", of "power evangelism", of power prayer", of power this and power that. But when did you last hear anyone speak of power holiness

Power may come for these other things. But it is the power of a God-centred consecration. For the story of a man who totally failed to understand this see Acts 8:9-24.

God does not annoint the flesh. Rather, He curses it. Many scriptures speak of this. and of the blessing upon those who trust in God not the flesh. (Psalm 37:22; 119:21; Jeremiah 11:3; 17:5-8; Psalm 1:1; 32:1; 34:8; 37:22; 40:4; 84:5,12; 112:1; 119:1; and many others.)

Conclusion

Thus we see that not only the Tabernacle and its contents are types of Christ, but the very time-table of these items is also a wonderful revelation from God of the glory of His Son. When God told Moses to make sure that all was built according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain, we tend to think of the "nuts and bolts". But the pattern was the prophetic order of events just as much as materials, sizes and colours. (It is unfortunate that modern translations often give metric equivalents of the measurements in cubits, thereby obscuring the typology in the numbers, including whole and broken measures.)

All the parts of the Tabernacle had to be consecrated with blood. Although it was made to show a heavenly pattern, it was made from earthly materials. Ever since the fall, creation has been corrupted and so not even the gold furniture of the Tabernacle could be left without the sprinkling of the blood of sacrifices. The animals offered under the old covenant were offered in obedience to God's pattern which was a type of the one perfect sacrifice of Christ. They were offered in faith, looking forward to the fulfilment of the types. Thus "the righteousness of God ... from faith to faith" (Romans 1:17)

"Without the shedding of blood there is no remisson." (Hebrews 9:22) The Tabernacle and all the items in it were sanctified with blood, which had to be sprinkled on EVERYTHING. We are acceptable to God only through the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not just a matter of sins we have done. It is what and who we are. We have nothing to offer to God to be acceptable to Him. "In my flesh dwells no good thing." (Romans 7:18) Our whole nature is a rotten, stinking corpse. It has to be totally consumed on the altar of burnt offering. There is no way to God except the way of the blood of Christ. Everything else, anything we try to offer God to be acceptable to Him is an insult. Trust in Christ, and Him alone, for salvation, for righteousness, for holiness, for service, and for heaven.