RETURN TO SYLLABUS
A STUDY OF THE TABERNACLE
LESSON #13
THE TABERNACLE BUILDING (THE HEART OF THE CHURCH—
THE PERSON OF CHRIST)
MEMORY VERSE: EPH 2:22
- REVIEW
- THE TABERNACLE IS A 3-FOLD TYPE:
- A PICTURE OF CHRIST,
- A PICTURE OF THE CHURCH
- A PICTURE OF THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER
- WE DISCUSSED THE MEANING OF ALL THE 14 ELEMENTS THAT MADE UP THE TABERNACLE.
- WE EXAMINED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OUTER COURT
- INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS THAT MAKE UP THE BODY OF CHRIST AND PRESENT A WITNESS TO THE
OUTSIDE WORLD
- GATE OF THE OUTER COURT
- READ EXO 27:16 EXO 38:18-20
- NOTICE THAT THE TABERNACLE HAS ONLY ONE ENTRANCE.
- THE REASON IS BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO GOD JOH 14:6
- IF MAN IS TO APPROACH GOD, HE MUST COME IN THE MANNER PRESECRIBED BY GOD.
- THE WAY PRESCRIBED BY GOD:
- MAN MUST COME WITH THE PROPER SACRIFICE.
- NOTICE IT IS A WIDE DOORWAY = THE SIGNIFICANCE IS THAT IT IS AN INVITATION FOR ALL TO
COME MAT 11:28
- THERE ARE NO GUARDS AT THE DOORWAY.
- THERE IS NO TEST TO PASS.
- THE 4 PILLARS OF THE OUTER DOORWAY = THE 4 WRITERS OF THE GOSPELS STANDING AT THE
ENTRANCE TO GOD’S KINGDOM PROCLAIMING THE MANNER AND WAY MAN MIGHT ENTER.
- DID YOU EVER WONDER WHY WE HAVE 4 GOSPELS?
- IT IS PRESCRIBED BY GOD AND PICTURED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TABERNACLE.
- EACH GOSPEL UNIQUELY PRESENTS CHRIST IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
- THE 4 COLORED CURTAIN OF THE OUTER DOORWAY = 4 GOSPEL MESSAGES
- THE 4 MESSAGES OF THE 4 GOSPELS PRESENTS CHRIST TO US IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
- MATTHEW = PRESENTS JESUS AS KING OF KINGS (PURPLE).
- MARK = PRESENTS JESUS AS THE SERVANT, OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH (SCARLET).
- LUKE = PRESENTS JESUS AS THE PERFECT HUMAN WITHOUT SIN, THE SON OF MAN (WHITE).
- JOHN = PRESENTS JESUS AS DIETY, THE SON OF GOD (BLUE).
- IN THE MULTI-COLORED CURTAIN AT THE OUTER ENTRANCE TO THE TABERNACLE, WE SEE THE BEAUTY
OF THE WELCOME. AT THE ENTRANCE GOD’S WELCOME PRESENTS THE BEAUTY AND GLORY OF JESUS
CHRIST. IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT ATTRACTS US TO GOD’S KINGDOM? IT IS THE BEAUTY OF JESUS
CHRIST.
- BLUE = THE HEAVENLY COLOR = JESUS, IN THE FORM OF GOD
- PURPLE = THE ROYAL COLOR’ THAT AT HIS NAME EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW. PHI 2:10
- SCARLET = THE COLOR OF SACRIFICE; JESUS TOOK UPON HIM THE FORM OF A SERVANT. PHI 2:7
- WHITE = SINLESS PERFECTION; JESUS WAS FOUND IN FASHION AS A MAN, YET WITHOUT SIN. PHIL
2:8
- THE OUTER COURTYARD REPRESENTS THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST. THEREFORE, THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AREA TELLS US WHAT SHOULD BE THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE KINGDOM OF
GOD:
- THE DOOR OF THE CHURCH SHOULD BE OPEN WIDE TO WHOSOEVER WILL COME AND WHOSOEVER DESIRES
TO KNOW GOD.
- THE MESSAGE THAT THE CHURCH PREACHES SHOULD BE THE BEAUTY OF JESUS CHRIST, WHO HE IS AND
WHAT HE DOES FOR MAN.
- THE SAME MESSAGE AND DOCTRINE PRESENTED IN THE 4 GOSPELS.
- THE CHURCH SHOULD PRESENT GOD’S PRESCRIBED WAY TO SALVATION BY THE SACRIFICE OF
JESUS CHRIST.
- IN THE OUTER COURTYARD THERE WERE 2 PIECES OF FURNITURE, WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS IN DETAIL
LATER.
- THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING WHERE ANIMAL SACRIFICES WERE OFFERED TO GOD FOR THE COVERING
OF SIN.
- THIS ALTAR WAS JUST INSIDE THE OUTER DOORWAY. IT WAS BIG, YOU COULDN’T MISS IT.
- HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE SPEND YEARS IN CHURCH AND NEVER HEAR ABOUT THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS
CHRIST FOR THEIR SINS! THE PATTERN OF THE TABERNACLE TELLS US THAT PEOPLE WHO ENTER INTO
CHURCHES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE THERE VERY LONG BEFORE THEY ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE HUGE
PRESENCE OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST TO TAKE AWAY SIN.
- THE SECOND PIECE OF FURNITURE A PERSON WOULD PASS ON HIS WAY TO GETTING CLOSE TO GOD WAS
THE LAVER FOR WASHING. THIS IS ANOTHER VERY LARGE PIECE OF FURNITURE, WHICH WE WILL
DISCUSS MORE IN DETAIL LATER.
- FOR RIGHT NOW, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS PIECE HAS TO DO WITH THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED. SIN MUST BE DEALT WITH BEFORE YOU CAN APPROACH A HOLY GOD.
- THE TABERNACLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
- READ EXO 26:15-30 ; 36:20-34
- THE TABERNACLE BUILDING IS A PICTURE OF THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
- 46 WOOD BOARDS WERE COVERED WITH GOLD = CHRIST'S HUMANITY WAS COVERED WITH DEITY
- THERE WERE 2 SILVER BASES FOR EACH BOARD. ROM 5:2
- REMEMBER SILVER MEANS REDEMPTION.
- READ EXO 30:12, 16
- SILVER WAS THE RANSOM PAYMENT OF THE NUMBERED ISRAELITES
- THE SIGNIFICANCE:
- READ MAT 20:28
- JESUS PURCHASED SALVATION FOR THE BODY. ROM 8:11, 23
- JESUS PURCHASED SALVATION FOR THE SOUL. HEB 6:19
- THE TABERNACLE CONSTRUCTION IS ALSO A PICTURE OF THE BELIEVER AND THE CHURCH . EPH
2:20-22 HEB 3:6 1CO 3:16 2CO 6:16
- THE WOOD BOARDS ARE COVERED WITH GOLD = HUMANITY OF THE BELIEVER IS COVERED OVER WITH A
NEW GODLY NATURE WHEN A PERSON IS BORN AGAIN.
- THERE ARE 2 SILVER BASES FOR EACH BOARD =
- THIS BASE SEPARATES THE BOARD FROM THE SANDY SOIL = REDEMPTION SEPARATES THE BELIEVER
FROM THE WORLD. GAL 1:4-5
- 12 OUTER WOOD POLES COVERED WITH GOLD = 12 DISCIPLES AS THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH
REPRESENTING GOD'S NEW TESTAMENT PEOPLE. THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST IS HELD TOGETHER
OUTWARDLY BY THE WORK BEGUN IN THE 12 DISCIPLES.
- THERE ARE 4 POLES ON EACH OF THE 3 SIDES = APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS,
PASTOR/TEACHER THAT STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH EPH 4:11-13
- THERE ARE 3 INNER POLES THAT GO THROUGH THE CENTER OF EACH BOARD UNITING THEM TOGETHER =
CHRIST INDWELLING THE BELIEVER COL 1:27
- WHEN CHRIST IS THE CENTER OF THE BELIEVER AND THE CHURCH, THERE IS A BOND OF UNITY.
- THE 3-FOLD PERSON OF GOD INDWELLING THE CHURCH AND BINDING US ONE TO ANOTHER
- ONLY WHEN THE SOCKETS, BOARDS, AND POLES WERE IN PLACE DID THE BUILDING HAVE THE PROPER
STRENGTH AND STABILITY.
- ONLY WHEN BELIEVERS IN A CHURCH PERMIT THE INDWELLING CHRIST TO OPERATE AND MANIFEST
OUTWARDLY THE GIFTS GOD GAVE TO THE CHURCH IN THE FORM OF APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS,
AND PASTOR/TEACHERS WILL THE CHURCH STAND FIRM IN JESUS CHRIST.
- IMPLICATIONS FOR EACH BELIEVER IN THE CHURCH:
- ONLY WHEN EVERYTHING IS OPERATING AS IT SHOULD, IS THE CHURCH FULLY DEMONSTRATING ALL
THAT THE CHURCH CAN BE FOR CHRIST.
- WE NEED ALL BELIEVERS IN THE CHURCH TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THE CHURCH THE STRONG BODY
OF CHRIST IT SHOULD BE. YOU WILL NOTICE AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE WHITE LINEN ENCLOSURE OF THE
OUTER COURTYARD, THERE ARE NO LONE RANGER CHRISTIANS. THEY ARE ALL SEEN FUNCTIONING WITHIN
A CHURCH STRUCTURE.
- THE DOOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE BUILDING:
- READ EXO 26:36-37 EXO 36:37-38
- THERE WERE 5 GOLD PILLARS AT THE DOOR = 5 WRITERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT EPISTLES (PETER,
JOHN, JAMES, JUDE, PAUL. REV 3:12 GAL 2:9
- THE PILLARS WERE MADE OF WOOD OVERLAID WITH GOLD = HUMANITY OVERLAID WITH THE DEITY OF
CHRIST'S NEW NATURE.
- THE 5 PILLARS STOOD IN 5 BRASS BASES = THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS LIVED THROUGH TESTING
AND SUFFERING.
- THEY WERE ALL MARTYRED EXCEPT FOR JOHN.
- THE 5 PILLARS HAD 5 CAPITALS OF GOLD = THESE 5 SUFFERES AND MARTYRS FOR CHRIST WERE
CROWNED WITH A RIGHTEOUS CROWN OF LIFE (THE MARTYR’S CROWN). 2 TIM 4:8 JAM 1:12
- THE POSITION OF THE PILLARS:
- LOOKING FROM THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND GOD’S POSITION, THE PILLARS WERE HIDDEN BY THE
CURTAIN. IN SCRIPTURE, THE CURTAIN IS MENTIONED FIRST AS THOUGH YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE NEW
TESTAMENT WRITERS FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT.
- THE CURTAIN IS CHRIST WHO SHOULD HAVE PRE-EMINENCE IN WORSHIP JUST AS CHRIST HAD
PRE-EMINENCE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MESSAGE.
- THE ENTRANCE CURTAIN TO THE TABERNACLE BUILDING:
- THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TABERNACLE ENTRANCE CURTAIN IS THAT IT, TOO, DEPICTS CHRIST IN
RESURRECTION GLORY, A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE HEB 3:6
- BLUE = HEAVENLY; THE RISEN ASCENDED ONE 1CO 15:20 ACT 1:11
- PURPLE = KINGLY; THE CROWNED ONE REV 19:12
- SCARLET = SACRIFICE; THE SACRIFICED LAMB WHO IS WORTHY REV 5;6
- WHITE = SINLESS; THE PERFECT SON OF MAN COME TO JUDGE DAN 7:13 JOH 5:21-22
- THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES
- READ EXO 26:31-33 EXO 36:35-36
- THERE WERE 4 WOOD PILLARS COVERED WITH GOLD = 4 GOSPELS AND THEIR AUTHORS.
- THESE 4 PILLARS ARE OUTSIDE THE HOLY OF HOLIES LOCATED IN THE HOLY PLACE.
- THE 4 WOOD PILLARS HAD 4 SILVER BASES = FOUNDATION OF THE GOSPELS IS BASED ON THE GOOD
NEWS OF REDEMPTION THROUGH CHRIST. 1CO 3:11
- THERE WERE NO GOLD CAPITALS = ONCE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THE BELIEVER'S CROWN IS CAST
AT THE FEET OF CHRIST.
- THE INNER VEIL OR CURTAIN
- THIS, TOO, WAS A CURTAIN OF 4 COLORS WITH THE SAME MEANING AS THOSE CURTAINS DESCRIBED
BEFORE.
- CHERUBIM WERE EMBROIDERED ON THIS CURTAIN = ANGELS MINISTERED TO JESUS IN THE GARDEN
BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION.
- CHERUBIM ANGELS GUARD THE PRESENCE OF GOD. GEN 3:24
- THE SIGNIFICANCE:
- READ MAT 27:51 HEB 10:20
- THE TEARING OF CHRIST'S FLESH OPENED THE WAY TO GOD SO THAT ALL MEN COULD HAVE ACCESS TO
GOD WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A HIGH PRIEST OR A PRIEST.
HOMEWORK
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR
CORRECTION.
- READ EXO 26:1-14
- EXO 36:8-19
- EPH 2:11-19
- EPH 4:16
- EPH 1:18
- DEU 18:15-19
- ISA 53
- MEMORY VERSE: EPH 1:18