Table of Showbread - E25:23 “...make a table...”

E25:30 "...You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times...”

New loaves replaced the previous 12 each Sabbath. (Lev.24:5,8).

Is our fellowship/communion with God always available?

Golden Lampstand - E25:31 “...make a lampstand of pure gold...”

E25:37 "...Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it...”

Provided light for the priestly functions before God.

John 8:12 “...Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life..." .

Are we walking in the light that has been provided?

E26 Curtains, Boards, Sockets, Veil and Screen.

E27 Bronze Altar, Court of the Tabernacle.

E28 Priestly Garments - Ephod, Breastplate, Robe, Turban

Whose idea? Whose provision? Whose responsibility?

Why was God specific about how things should be constructed and arranged?

Did He pay attention to detail when He created the universe and all that’s in it?

Can God be specific about Old Testament details and not care about the details of your life?

Do you understand all the details He gave them? Do you understand all the things He gives you?

Why is apathy not an option?

You can’t be obedient and faithful unless you care!

E29 Consecration, Sacrifices

E29:1 “...Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them to minister as priests to Me...”

Wash them with water (v.4), Garments (v.5), Anointing oil (v.7),

Blood - on horns of altar, base of altar (v.12)

Sin offering (v.14), Burnt offering “...soothing aroma (v.18) Like G8:21

Blood on right ear, thumbs, big toes (v.20)

Wave offering (v.24), Heave offering (v.27), Peace offering (v.28)

Grain/Drink offerings (v.41)

What need’s covering by Christ’s blood?

What we hear, handle, and where we go.

Why all this?

E29:42 "...It shall be a continual burnt offering ...where I will meet with you, to speak to you there...”

E29:45 "...I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God...”

Sacrifices, are in general, one of two types:

1. Offerings of thanks - firstfruits, incense.

2. Offerings of appeasement - burnt offerings.

W hy were sacrifices discontinued?

The Temple was destroyed in 70AD.

Jesus was the perfect appeasing sacrifice.

Before Christ’s atoning work, there were hints of God’s preferences:

1 Sam.15:22 “...Samuel said, "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams...”

Offerings for atonement were replaced by Christ’s perfect atonement.

Have offerings of thanksgiving and loyalty been eliminated or replaced?

E30 The Altar of Incense

E30:8 “...When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations...”

E30:9 “...You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar...”

What problem exists when we ignore God’s words?

Psalms 116:17 “...To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the Lord...”

Psalms 50:13-15 “...Shall I eat the flesh of bulls Or drink the blood of male goats? "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me..."

Psalms 50:16-17 “...But to the wicked God says, "What right have you to tell of My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth? "For you hate discipline, And you cast My words behind you...”

Romans 12:1 “...Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship...”

Rev.5:8 “...When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints....”

Rev.8:2-3 “...And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne…”

Are our prayers a sweet aroma rising to heaven?

Ephesians 5:2 “...and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma...”

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 “...But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?...”

E31 Skilled Craftsmen

Where does skill come from?

E31:3,6 “...I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship ... I Myself have appointed ...and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you...”

Why observe the Sabbath?

E31:13-17 “...’You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. 'So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.. It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed..."

A sign of remembrance? Remembering Creation, the God of Creation, and His ways.

Even during your busiest times?

Ex.34:21 “...You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest...”

E32 - Rebellious Idolatry

Why do people make their own gods?

E32:1 “...Come, make us a god who will go before us...”

E32:4 “...a molten calf...This is your god...”

Why can giving people what they want be disastrous!

E32:7 “...people ...have corrupted themselves...”

How did God respond?

E32:10 “...let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them ...”

How did Moses respond?

E32:13 "...Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever...'"

To what did he appeal?

The purposes and promises of God.

What kind of a leader was Aaron?

E32:25 “...the people were out of control - for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies...”

Was God’s reputation at stake? Is it now?

E33, E34 Intercession

What change did the “out of control” behavior cause?

E33:2-3 "...I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. "Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way..."

Were they still God’s people?

Do we desire His promises or His presence?

What was Moses asking?

E33:13 "...Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people..."

E33:16 "...For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?..."

Is God’s presence the distinguishing feature of His people?

E33:14 “...And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest..."

Moses continues his quest to know God.

Ex.33:18 “...Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!..."

Ex.33:19 “...And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion..."

How does the glory of God differ from the glory of man?

E34:6-7 “...Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations..."

In spite of their failure, this “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth” God made a covenant with Israel.

E34:10 “...Then God said, "Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you...”

Talking with the Lord absolutely changes a person.

E34:29 “...It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses' hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him...”

Covenants, sealed and signed.

Noah - Rainbow (Gen.9:9-13)

Abraham - Circumcision (Gen.17:1-10)

Moses - The Law (Ex.34:10,27,28)

New Covenant? Law in Minds, on Hearts - (Jer.31:31,Heb.8)

God interacting on man’s behalf.

Gal.3:23-25 “...But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor...”

Garden - expectation that heart was one with God’s holiness

Sinai - corrupt heart needed law to lead to God’s holiness

Calvary - new heart can again be one with God’s holiness

Do we still need the law?

E35

Just before the tabernacle, what’s the topic?

E35:1-2 “...Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things the LORD has commanded you to do: For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death...”

How important is the Sabbath?

Sabbath: 89 references in OT, 69 references in NT

Adultery: 20 in OT, 23 in NT

Idolatry: 12 in OT, 3 in NT

Murder: 8 in OT, 14 in NT

Are we asking ‘what works for me’, or are we asking ‘what works for God’?

What was the source of the materials for the tabernacle?

E35:5 “...Take from among you a contribution to the LORD; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD'S contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,...”

Egypt - to Israelites - to God. God’s people have the World’s goods - for God’s purposes. Where God guides, God provides?

What was the source of their skill?

E35:35 "...He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs...”

God’s people have God given abilities - for God’s purposes.

E36,37,38 The Tabernacle

Why did the people have to be restrained?

Ex.36:3-7 “...They received from Moses all the contributions which the sons of Israel had brought to perform the work in the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. And all the skillful men who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work which he was performing, and they said to Moses, "The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the Lord commanded us to perform." So Moses issued a command, and a proclamation was circulated throughout the camp, saying, "Let no man or woman any longer perform work for the contributions of the sanctuary." Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more. For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it...”

God’s people eagerly following God’s intentions.

Should clearly seeing God’s purposes improve offerings?

The Tabernacle

Measurements in cubits:

Standard Cubit: elbow to end of middle finger (~20”)

Lower forearm cubit: elbow to base of hand (~12”)

Strong’s (~18”)

Deu.3:11 Og’s bed was 9 cubits (15’, 9’, 13.5’)

1 Sam.17:4 Goliath was 6 cubits and a span (finger spread)

(10’, 6’, 9’)

Symbolism of Tabernacle fixtures:

Ark of the Testimony - God’s covenant with His people.

Mercy Seat - Presence of God among His people.

Veil - Separation from God because of sin.

Table with Bread of Presence - God provided nourishment.

Lampstands / Lamps - Light to find the way.

Altar of Incense - Acceptable prayer.

Anointing Oil - Sanctification, being set apart for God.

Altar of Burnt Offering - Sacrifice restores relationship.

Basin - Need to be clean.

E39 - Priestly Garments

How were the priestly garments made?

E39:42-43 “...So the sons of Israel did all the work according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses. And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the LORD had commanded, this they had done. So Moses blessed them...”

“...just as the Lord had commanded...” (39:1,5,7,21,26,29,31,43).

Should leaders be robed?

E40 - The Tabernacle Erected

E40:1-8 Set up.

E40:9-15 Set apart.

E40:33 Finished the work

What happened next?

Ex.40:34-38 “...Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel...”

What happened when Solomon built/dedicated the temple?

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 “...Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, "Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

God’s presence and God’s guidance are manifested after His people follow His commands.

Leviticus:

Hebrew (Vayikra) - “And He Called”.

English (Leviticus) - “Matters pertaining to the Levites”

God did His part:

Freeing Israel from Egyptian bondage.

Freeing His people from the slavery of the world.

Now He expects His people to do their part:

He calls them to holiness.

The purity of each individual is the foundation of the holiness of the entire covenant community.

Rescued From? Rescued For?

Saved From? Saved For?

Called From? Called For?

L1 Burnt Offerings

L1:3,9 “...without defect ... soothing aroma...”

To make payment for sins in general.

Showed a person’s devotion to God.

L2 Grain Offerings

L2:9,13 “... soothing aroma ...season with salt...”

To show honor and respect to God.

Showed that all we own belongs to God.

L3 Peace Offerings

L3:1,5,17 “...without defect ...soothing aroma ...perpetual statute...”

To express gratitude to God.

Shows that we desire fellowship with God.

L4 Sin Offerings

L4:21,22,27 “...for the assembly ...a leader ...the common people...”

Payment for neglect, uncleanness, thoughtlessness.

Restored fellowship.

L5 Guilt Offerings

L5:2,4,15 “...touching any unclean thing ...speak thoughtlessly ...sins ...against the Lord’s holy thing...”

Dealing with personal sin.

Ignorance of the Law is no excuse.

L6 Guilt against others.

L6:5 “...restititution ...in full ...add to it one-fifth more ...also guilt offering...”

Make it right with man.

Make it right with God.

L7 Not to eat Fat or Blood

L7:23 “...you shall not eat any fat...not to eat any blood of bird or animal...”

L1-L7

Why the emphasis of the offerings?

God was providing a way.

Old Testament: Under the covenant of Law, there was always a problem of becoming unclean because of what you did.

New Testament: Upon fulfillment of the Law, there is the always the privilege of being made clean by touching Christ.

Which is easier?

OT worked hard to stay clean, because restoring was difficult.

NT get careless, because restoring was accomplished through Christ.

What was God looking for, then and now?

< Atonement Video >

L8 - Consecrating the priests

L8:6-9 “...washed ...girded ...clothed ...with the robe ...breastplate ...crown...”

L8:10-15 “...sprinkled ...anointed ...blood ...on horns of altar...”

L8:16-17 “...fat ...offered it up in smoke on the altar...”

L8:18,22 “...ram of the burnt offering ...second ...ram of ordination...”

Why do things this way?

L8:34-35 “...The Lord has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf. At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the Lord, so that you will not die, for so I have been commanded...”

L9 - Aaron offers sacrifices

What happens when things are done as prescribed?

L9:22-23 “...Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people...”

How did the people respond to God receiving the offering?

L9:24 “...Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces...”

When was the last time you’ve seen people on their faces?

L10-L13 God has requirements

What happens when things are NOT done as prescribed?

L10:1-2 “...Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord...”

Why?

L10:3 “...It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored...”

Many want to see the glory of God. Not many want to do as He says!

L10:10 “...a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean...”

L11:47 “...a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten...”

L12:2-5 Distinction between males and females.