THE TABERNACLE (9), Dr. Samuel Lee
MAKE A SANCTUARY FOR ME
Passage: Exodus 25:1~40  
Key verse: 8
Offerings for the Tabernacle(A)
25 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts(B) them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn(C) and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a];(D) acacia wood;(E) 6 olive oil(F) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;(G) 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod(H) and breastpiece.(I)
8 “Then have them make a sanctuary(J) for me, and I will dwell(K) among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern(L) I will show you.
The Ark(M)
10 “Have them make an ark[b](N) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Overlay(O) it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings(P) on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.(Q) 14 Insert the poles(R) into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.(S) 16 Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law,(T) which I will give you.
17 “Make an atonement cover(U) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim(V) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim(W) are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing(X) the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark(Y) and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law(Z) that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim(AA) that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet(AB) with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.(AC)
The Table(AD)
23 “Make a table(AE) of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[d] 24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. 25 Also make around it a rim a handbreadth[e] wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 26 Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. 27 The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 28 Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold(AF) and carry the table with them. 29 And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings.(AG) 30 Put the bread of the Presence(AH) on this table to be before me at all times.
The Lampstand(AI)
31 “Make a lampstand(AJ) of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.(AK)
37 “Then make its seven lamps(AL) and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38 Its wick trimmers and trays(AM) are to be of pure gold. 39 A talent[f] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40 See that you make them according to the pattern(AN) shown you on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Exodus 25:5 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals
- Exodus 25:10 That is, a chest
- Exodus 25:10 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 17
- Exodus 25:23 That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high
- Exodus 25:25 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
- Exodus 25:39 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
Cross references
- Exodus 25:1 : 25:1-7pp — Ex 35:4-9
- Exodus 25:2 : Ex 35:21, 22, 26, 27, 29; 36:2; 2Ki 12:4; 1Ch 29:5, 7, 9; 2Ch 24:10; 29:31; Ezr 2:68; Ne 7:70-72; 2Co 8:11-12; 9:7
- Exodus 25:4 : Ex 28:4-8
- Exodus 25:5 : Nu 4:6, 10
- Exodus 25:5 : Dt 10:3
- Exodus 25:6 : Ex 27:20; 30:22-32; 35:28; 39:37; Nu 4:16
- Exodus 25:6 : Ex 30:1, 7, 35; 31:11; 35:28; Lev 16:12; Nu 4:16; 7:14; 2Ch 13:11
- Exodus 25:7 : Ex 28:4, 6-14; 29:5; Jdg 8:27; Hos 3:4
- Exodus 25:7 : Lev 8:8
- Exodus 25:8 : Ex 36:1-5; Lev 4:6; 10:4, 7; 21:12, 23; Nu 3:28; Heb 9:1-2
- Exodus 25:8 : Ex 29:45; Lev 26:11-12; Nu 5:3; Dt 12:11; 1Ki 6:13; Zec 2:10; 2Co 6:16
- Exodus 25:9 : ver 40; Ex 26:30; 27:8; 31:11; 39:32, 42, 43; Nu 8:4; 1Ch 28:11, 19; Ac 7:44; Heb 8:5
- Exodus 25:10 : 25:10-20pp — Ex 37:1-9
- Exodus 25:10 : Dt 10:1-5; 1Ki 6:19; Heb 9:4
- Exodus 25:11 : ver 24; Ex 30:3
- Exodus 25:12 : ver 26; Ex 30:4
- Exodus 25:13 : ver 28; Ex 27:6; 30:5; 37:28
- Exodus 25:14 : Ex 27:7; 40:20; 1Ch 15:15
- Exodus 25:15 : 1Ki 8:8
- Exodus 25:16 : S Ex 16:34; Heb 9:4
- Exodus 25:17 : ver 21; Lev 16:13; Ro 3:25
- Exodus 25:18 : Ex 26:1, 31; 36:35; 1Ki 6:23, 27; 8:6; 2Ch 3:10-13; Heb 9:5
- Exodus 25:20 : S Ge 3:24
- Exodus 25:20 : Ex 37:9; 1Ki 8:7; 1Ch 28:18; Heb 9:5
- Exodus 25:21 : ver 10-15; Ex 26:34; 40:20; Dt 10:5
- Exodus 25:21 : S Ex 16:34; Heb 9:4
- Exodus 25:22 : Nu 7:89; 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2; 22:11; 2Ki 19:15; 1Ch 13:6; 28:18; Ps 18:10; 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16
- Exodus 25:22 : S Ex 19:3; 29:42; 30:6, 36; Lev 1:1; 16:2; Nu 17:4
- Exodus 25:22 : Jer 3:16
- Exodus 25:23 : 25:23-29pp — Ex 37:10-16
- Exodus 25:23 : ver 30; Ex 26:35; 40:4, 22; Lev 24:6; Nu 3:31; 1Ki 7:48; 1Ch 28:16; 2Ch 4:8, 19; Eze 41:22; 44:16; Heb 9:2
- Exodus 25:28 : S ver 13
- Exodus 25:29 : Nu 4:7
- Exodus 25:30 : Ex 35:13; 39:36; 40:4, 23; Lev 24:5-9; Nu 4:7; 1Sa 21:4-6; 1Ki 7:48; 1Ch 23:29
- Exodus 25:31 : 25:31-39pp — Ex 37:17-24
- Exodus 25:31 : Ex 26:35; 31:8; 35:14; 39:37; 40:4, 24; Lev 24:4; Nu 3:31; 1Ki 7:49; 2Ch 4:7; Zec 4:2; Heb 9:2; Rev 1:12
- Exodus 25:36 : ver 18; Nu 8:4
- Exodus 25:37 : Ex 27:21; 30:8; Lev 24:3-4; Nu 8:2; 1Sa 3:3; 2Ch 13:11
- Exodus 25:38 : S ver 37; Nu 4:9
- Exodus 25:40 : S ver 9; Ac 7:44; Heb 8:5*
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. I will dwell among them (1-8)
God wanted to dwell with his people, but God is holy and man is sinful. So God gave Moses instructions to build a sanctuary. First, the people must make an offering. They must welcome God. God had given Moses the moral laws; the covenant relationship was sealed in blood. Now, the sacrificial system provided a way for sinful man to be forgiven and live in God's presence.
2. The ark, the table and the lampstand (9-40)
At the heart of the sanctuary was the ark, and in the ark was the Bible--the Book of the Covenant. The law teaches men God's righteous requirements; it exposes the sinfulness of mankind. The atonement cover covered God's justice with God's mercy. Blood was sprinkled there. This was the place where the Holy God met the forgiven man (22). The Bread of the Presence on the table represented God's life-giving presence. The lampstand also represented God's living presence as the light of the world.
Prayer: Lord, cleanse us of sin and come and dwell among us, your people.
One Word: I will dwell among them