The Limitations of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1-27:19)

When I was growing up, I dreamed of having a big, strong oak tree to climb. I wanted to build a treehouse, a refuge from the world. But my family lived in a Los Angeles suburb where yards are small. The trees there were not much bigger than shrubs.

I could have planted an acorn, but it would have taken decades to grow to maturity. Plus, in those cramped conditions, it would havetorn apart our house! I had no other choice but to settle for a hiding spot between some bushes and a fence. It was pathetic!

When the Lord calls Moses to build the Tabernacle in Exodus 25, it is as if he is giving him an acorn. It is a seed planted in the harsh, cramped conditions of this fallen world. It does not look anything at all like what it will eventually become, but the DNA is there.

The Tabernacle is a pattern that will keep growing and expanding. It is designed to be far more than a refuge from the world. In fact, it will ultimately tear the world as we know it apart to remake it into something infinitely better.

As we have seen, the Lord reveals that his purpose is to dwell among his people, to restore the relationship that Adam and Eve lost because of their sin. The first three components of the Tabernacle that he instructs Moses to build demonstrate the blessings of his presence. The ark of the covenant shows that he has spoken and will continue to do so. The table of showbread speaks to the fellowship that he wants his people to enjoy with him. The golden lampstand signifies that his people will live forever in his light.

But those blessings have never been fully experienced. I pointed out some of the constraints as we considered those three objects, but they are displayed even more clearly as we continue. The description of the Tabernacle in Exodus 26:1-27:19 reveals five limitations that must be overcome to fully experience God’s presence.

What do we gain from understanding these limitations? If we do not understand them, we will not grasp how God overcomes them through Jesus Christ. They keep us from turning our faith into something pathetic. Rather than settling for the way things are, they show us that we must fix our hope on where God’s pattern is heading.

Seeing God

We rely heavily upon our vision. People say, “Seeing is believing,” and the modern secular worldview is based upon that premise. It scorns faith as nothing more than fantasy. It derides obedience to God as pointless restraint.

The people of Israel had a different problem at the time of Moses. Most of the world believed in the existence of spiritual beings. But they wanted to interact with physical representations of those gods. Of course, God prohibited the use of idols in the first two of the Ten Commandments.

The answer to both problems is that we need to see God. The Lord led Israel through the wilderness with a fiery cloud, but the Tabernacle would limit his visibility. He begins to describe it to Moses in Exodus 26:1-6, and we find an almost identical description of it being made in Exodus 36:813. The Lord says,

Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

These linen curtains are to be around 6 feet wide and 42 feet long. Representations of cherubim are to be embroidered upon them in colorful yarn. But as we have seen previously, Genesis 3:24 tells us that cherubim served to keep people away from the tree of life and from the presence of God. These embroidered designs serve the same purpose. These curtains are clipped together to make an enclosure.

Linen would obscure what was inside, but it would still allow light to escape. So, the Lord adds another layer. In verses 7-11, he says,

You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole.

This thick layer of goat’s hair would block any light. This description is repeated in Exodus 36:14-18, but the next passage is only here in chapter 26. Verses 12-13 tell us that the Lord explains,

And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.

The Tabernacle was designed to cover and conceal what was taking place inside. In addition to linen and goats’ hair, verse 14 calls for a more waterproof layer. The Lord says, “And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and a covering of goatskins on top.”

So, the Lord was present in the Tabernacle but not for the average person to see. We will learn later in Exodus 33, that Moses prays to see the Lord’s glory, and he says that even Moses cannot see his face and live (v. 20). But one day that will change. Somehow Job understood God’s plan, even though he lived before Moses and possibly even before Abraham. Job 19:25-27 tells us that he said,

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

One day our resurrected Redeemer will transform our bodies so that we can see the Lord. During his intense trials, Job found comfort in that thought, and we should too. One day we will see what the Tabernacle concealed.

Approaching God

From the world’s perspective, if God exists, then everyone should be able to find their own way to him. We should all be like rivers. Wherever we start and however we twist, we all eventually make our way to the sea, to some sort of union with God. It does not matter what you believe, as long as you do not judge anyone else.

The Tabernacle contradicts this false way of thinking. There was only one Tabernacle rather than many, and it was only given to the people of Israel. Even in its structure, the Tabernacle displays a practical limitation in how God is approached. We find its framework described in Exodus 26:15-29, and then again in Exodus 36:20-34. Here in chapter 26, verses 15-17 tell us that the Lord says,

You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle.

The layers of linen, goats’ hair, and animal skins are draped over these wooden frames. Each one is about 15 feet tall and 27 inches wide, and they are built to connect together to form walls. In verses 18-21 the Lord gives Moses the dimensions of the side walls.

You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons; and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame.

With twenty frames per side, each wall is around 45 feet long and 15 feet tall. The Lord continues in verses 22-25 by describing a back wall.

And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.

It is not entirely clear how the corners are assembled, but there is probably a bit of overlap for extra strength making the width of the structure around 15 feet to match its height. There are also extra reinforcements on the sides. In verses 26-29, the Lord says,

You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end. You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold.

Then in verse 30, the Lord reiterates the importance of this design, by saying, “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.”

Though the Tabernacle is portable, it is always to be set in the same orientation. The side walls are to the north and south. The back wall is to the west, and the entrance faces east. Why?

I think we find the answer in Genesis 3:24. The Lord sent Adam and Eve east out of the garden of Eden and stationed the cherubim there. To return to his presence, people must come from that same direction.

The New Testament places a similar limitation on approaching God. It is not a matter of physical direction, but John 14:6 tells us that Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Much more could be said about why Jesus is the only way, and we will consider some of those reasons in the next two limitations of the Tabernacle. But for the moment, we simply need to see the consistency of God’s plan. There have never been multiple ways to God. There has always been one way. Today we come to God through faith in Christ.

Closeness to God

If you attend a concert or some other theatrical performance, there are always divisions in the room. They may not be visible, but they are still there. The best seats go to those who pay the most money. The average ticket holders get the nosebleed seats. Others cannot even afford to get in the door.

The Tabernacle is similar in that it limits closeness to God, but the determining factor is not money but holiness. The Lord introduces these divisions to Moses in Exodus 26:3134. Verses 31 and 32 are repeated in Exodus 36:35-36, but verses 33-34 are unique. The Lord says,

And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place

The Lord would be present above the ark to speak, but that would only happen behind the veil in the Most Holy Place. Here again the cherubim of Genesis 3:24 mark this separation. Later in Leviticus 16 God reveals that entrance to this part of the Tabernacle is only allowed for the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement.

The other objects from Exodus 25 are kept outside the veil. In verses 35-37, the Lord explains,

And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side. You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

The table of God’s fellowship and the lampstand of his light are concealed behind this outer veil. But the average person will not have access to this area. Only the priests will enter it. We will learn about the area outside this curtain in a moment. But it becomes clear here that we see declining levels of holiness as we move farther away from the ark. This division is even reflected in the materials used, from gold to silver to bronze.

Does the average person ever have any hope of drawing near to the Lord? Not in the Tabernacle or the Temple. But the Gospels tell us that when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). It is not clear whether that happened to the inner veil or the outer curtain, but Hebrews 10:19-22 explains the implications of this miraculous sign.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Jesus overcame the barriers of holiness so that we can draw near. Everyone who believes in him is cleansed by his blood. He makes us holy so that we can draw near spiritually now. When we reach glory his sanctification process in our lives will be complete so that all barriers between us and the Lord will be removed.

Pleasing God

What comes to mind when you smell meat roasting over a fire? It might just make you hungry, but there can be more to it. Perhaps it triggers memories of gatherings with family and friends. It is a pleasant smell for most of us.

That smell carries even greater significance in the Old Testament because it relates to pleasing God. He does not become hungry like us, but he does become angry over sin. One of the limitations of the Tabernacle is that God is never fully pleased. Sacrifices must continually be offered to him, so the next component of the Tabernacle is an altar.

The first mention of an altar in the Bible is found in Genesis 8:20. Noah built it after the Lord rescued him and his family from the flood. It tells us that he took some of every clean animal and offered burnt offerings. Then verse 21 tells us,

And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.”

Along with the flood itself, these sacrifices played a part in satisfying God’s wrath over the evil in the world. So, as God saves the people of Israel from Egypt and gives them his Law, he knows that they will violate it. They need an altar to offer up sacrifices. The Lord begins to describe it in Exodus 27:1-2.

You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

The altar is a 7-and-a-half-foot square wooden box that is 4 and a half feet tall. It has some sort of horns on the corners and it is all covered in bronze. The Lord continues in verses 3-5 by saying,

You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar.

We do not know exactly how the altar looked. With its tools and grating it seems similar to a large barbecue grill. But it is to be transported in the same respectful way as the ark and the table. In verses 6-8, the Lord says,

And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

Exodus 38:1-7 tells how the workmen followed these instructions, but the end of verse 8 here in chapter 27 is unique. The Lord again emphasizes that Moses needs to copy what he is seeing on the mountain. Yet animal sacrifices never truly please God. Hebrews 10:11-14 tells us,

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

We will talk more about the priests and their relation to Christ in Exodus 28. For now, the main point is that Jesus offered his life as the perfect sacrifice. Through the cross he accomplished what the altar of the Tabernacle never could. He satisfied the wrath of God against our sins. His sacrifice is one of the reasons that he is the only way to the Father. Nothing else can save us from God’s wrath. We must trust in Christ alone.

Availability of God

When I was growing up in California, the freeways were lined with call boxes. If you broke down or had some kind of accident, you were never more than a mile away from a phone. Of course, with the mobile phones that we have today, help is more readily available.

Since the Lord is all-knowing and omnipresent, he is even more available when we need his help. But that reality is not reflected in the Tabernacle. We have already considered the barrier of the Tabernacle’s layers, frames, and veils, but the Lord adds one more division: a fenced court. He describes the side walls in Exodus 27:9-11.

You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

These dividers run around 150 feet on either side of the Tabernacle. The Lord describes the front and back in verses 12-13.

And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits.

So, the court is seventy five feet wide, and here again the entrance is on the east. In verses 14-16, the Lord describes the gateway.

The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases.

The Lord then sums up the court in verses 17-19 by saying,

All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

So, this fence around the court stands 7 and a half feet tall, blocking people’s view. The court is only a little bigger than our small church building. The Tabernacle itself is small enough to fit inside our auditorium. But the twelve tribes of Israel included hundreds of thousands of people. As they traveled and set up camp, the people would be scattered all around this one tiny courtyard. What did it communicate to them about the availability of God?

The priests could approach him. But what if your heart was burdened to give him an offering? With that many people, it would probably be a very long wait.

All through the Old Testament worship is tied to a location. John 4 tells us that a Samaritan woman asked Jesus about this, because the Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim rather than in Jerusalem. Verse 23 tells us that Jesus told her, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”

When Jesus sends the Spirit to indwell believers, our hearts become places of worship. The Lord is always available to us, and his availability will only increase. In Revelation 21, John describes the new Jerusalem. It is massive, a far cry from the tiny Tabernacle. It is golden yet crystal clear. Its gates are never closed, and in verse 22 John says, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.”

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One day every limitation portrayed in the Tabernacle will be completely stripped away. We will see the Lord. We will draw near in Christ. We will have unhindered access and will be fully pleasing to him, and he will be fully available to us. But we are not there yet. Don’t be deceived into thinking that this life is how it will always be. The pattern we see in the Tabernacle shows that the Lord has much more in store for us.

Jesus is the key that unlocks this future. If you have never done so, I encourage you to accept him as the way, the truth, and the life. If you want to learn more about the part he plays in this pattern, Hebrews 10 would be a good place to read. If you believe in Christ, are you taking full advantage of the access that he gives us to God. Are you drawing near to him? Make that your focus and testify to this great salvation that we have in Christ.

May we keep drawing closer to the Lord!