"God tells Moses to take up an offering from the Israelites in order to build the sanctuary tabernacle and all its furnishings. God tells Moses to build a sanctuary for Him, and gives him precise details of how it is to be built. The design of the tabernacle as well as all its furnishings include: The Ark of the Covenant, Mercy Seat on top of the Ark, a table which holds the bread of the Presence of God at all times, a single lampstand made of 75 pounds of pure gold with seven branched out lampstands with seven lamps, and in Chapter 26 God tells Moses to build the Tabernacle with ten curtains and directions for how everything is to be laid out within the tabernacle."
Exodus 25 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Offerings for the Sanctuary25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell the children of Israel to take an offering for Me. From every man whose heart moves him [to give willingly] you shall take My offering. 3 This is the offering you are to receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue, purple, and scarlet fabric, fine twisted linen, goats’ hair, 5 rams’ [a]skins dyed red, [b]porpoise skins, [c]acacia wood, 6 [olive] oil for lighting, [d]balsam for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 [e]onyx stones and setting stones for the [priest’s] ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 Have them build a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them. 9 You shall construct it in accordance with everything that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture.
- PREPARING FOR HIS EXCELLENCE. The Israelites were commanded by God to take and bring an offering to Him, and the offerings were excellent things that shall be used for God's glory-- for the priests, and for the building of God's sanctuary. Still, the Israelites were to give according to their hearts, what they were willing to give and offer. The Lord is an excellent God who is worthy of all the best, most excellent and outstanding things-- still, He does not force us and He has given us free will or freedom to choose. Since God is the source of everything, and He is our ultimate provider, let us strive to bring our best to God, knowing that He will sustain and continue to provide for us. Here, I feel like God is teaching the Israelites a new lifestyle, a new way of living with a fear of the Lord, and faith in Him (for He is the God who has rescued them from the slavery and oppression of Egypt.)
Exodus 25:5 The meaning of the Hebrew word is not certain; some scholars have suggested that the material is instead a fine leather of unspecified origin.
Exodus 25:5 The acacia tree grows wild in the Sinai region. The organic compounds in its wood, which is harder than oak, repel insects and grazing animals.
Exodus 25:6 Various pleasantly scented plant products.
Exodus 25:7 There is usually uncertainty about the identification of precious stones mentioned in the Bible.
"Acacia growing in Wadi el-Tor in the Sinai Peninsula. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins."
Ark of the Covenant
10 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood two and a half [f]cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11 You shall overlay the ark with pure gold, overlay it inside and out, and you shall make a gold border (frame) around its top. 12 You shall cast four gold rings for it and attach them to the four feet, two rings on either side. 13 You shall make [carrying] poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, 14 and put the poles through the rings on the sides of the ark, by which to carry it. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it [so that the ark itself need not be touched]. 16 You shall put into the ark the Testimony (Ten Commandments) which I will give you.
17 “You shall make a [g]mercy seat (cover) of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18 You shall make two cherubim (winged angelic figures) of [solid] hammered gold at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub at each end, making the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing each other. The faces of the cherubim are to be looking downward toward the mercy seat. 21 You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony which I will give you. 22 There I will meet with you; from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, I will speak [intimately] with you regarding every commandment that I will give you for the Israelites.
- EXQUISITE AND DETAILED DESIGN. The 'Ark of the Covenant' somehow reminds me of the time God commanded Noah to build an ark, with complete details, exact measurements, specific materials to be used, and the purpose of why it should be built. I wonder if there's a significant symbolism or meaning to that. Anyway, a lot of pure gold will be used in building it, so that's how important it is. The purpose is it will house the ark of testimony or Ten Commandments. The Lord was very serious about it, because He was very serious is saving us--through His Son, Jesus. 'Gold', to me, represents God's riches here on earth. I tried to read about how it is usually formed, but I couldn't comprehend much of the scientific explanations and theories about its origins. All I know is it's rare, and it is God who made and formed it. There were also many verses in the Bible wherein 'gold' was used as a symbolism:
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:6-9
"Therefore I love Your commandments. More than gold, yes, than fine gold!" Psalm 119:127
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Footnotes: Exodus 25:10 Ancient measurements like the cubit were intended to be practical in that they usually were equivalent to something that was handy and readily available. The cubit was the distance from the elbow to the outstretched fingers, and the hand width (v 25)—as its name implies—was the width of the four fingers.
Exodus 25:17 This was a special cover serving as the place of atonement for sin, where the high priest would sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice to reconcile the Israelites to God.
The Table of Bread
23 “You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. 24 You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a border of gold around the top of it. 25 You shall make a rim of a hand width around it; you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. 26 You shall make four gold rings for it and fasten them at the four corners that are on the table’s four legs. 27 The rings shall be close against the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them. 29 You shall make its plates [for the showbread] and its cups [for incense] and its pitchers and bowls for sacrificial drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 You shall set the bread of the [h]Presence (showbread) on the table before Me at all times.
- JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. The Table for Showbread was also given great importance, like the Ark of Covenant-- a lot of gold will be used as well. Everytime the Bible mentions or talks about bread, I always think of our Lord and Savior Jesus. He is the Bread of Life.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes." 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Golden Lampstand
31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The [i]lampstand and its base and its shaft shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its [j]calyxes and its flowers shall be all of one piece with it. 32 Six branches shall come out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand out of the one side and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side [the shaft being the seventh branch]. 33 Three cups shall be made like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and a flower on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms on the other branch with a calyx and a flower—so for the six branches coming out of the lampstand; 34 and in the [center shaft of the] lampstand [you shall make] four cups shaped like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and their flowers. 35 A calyx shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 Then you shall make the lamps [of the lampstand] [k]seven in number [with one lamp at the top of the shaft]. The priests shall set up its seven lamps so that they will light the space in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made from a talent (50-80 lbs.) of pure gold, including all these utensils. 40 See that you make them [exactly] after their pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.
Exodus 25:31 In Hebrew, menorah.
Exodus 25:31 Leaf-like outer part of the flower.
Exodus 25:37 The first objective evidence of the sevenfold lamp was found during an excavation of Tel Beit Mirsim, south of Jerusalem, where seven-armed lamps dated about 1200 b.c. were found. The seventh season at the Dothan excavation uncovered three sevenfold lamps from the period 1400-1200 b.c.
- JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. The golden lampstand that will be used as a light has 7 lamps, and many details that I'm sure has a lot of meaning and symbolism to it. All in all I just thought of who Lord Jesus is, He is the Light of the world. Wow. Everything points to the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ, it's amazing!
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8
"The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world." John 1:9
"For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6
"I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." John 12:46
* Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik:
i. Our giving should not be primarily because of need. We should primarily give because our willing heart compels us.
b. Bring Me an offering: God is a rich God and can use any method of providing He wants. Yet He usually uses the willing hearts of His people as the way to support His work.
ii. This is because God wants to develop giving hearts within us. When we become givers we become more like God, who is the greatest giver: For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16).
iii. Therefore we must be givers, not so much because God or the church needs our money, but because we must be conformed into the image of God’s Son (Romans 8:29).
a. Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them: The purpose of the tabernacle was to be the dwelling place of God. The idea was not that God exclusively lived in that place, but that it was the specific place where men could come and meet God.
i. Sanctuary: “Means ‘holy’ place or ‘the place set apart.’ Everything about the tabernacle was holy. The same word in 1 and 2 Chronicles refers to the temple.” (Kaiser)
c. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings: It is evident that God not only described the tabernacle and its furnishings to Moses, but also did show him something of its structure and arrangement. There was a vision that accompanied the giving of these words.
i. The pattern of the tabernacle was according to a heavenly reality. It was a copy and shadow of the heavenly things (Hebrews 8:5). Therefore, it had to be made according to exact dimensions, being somewhat of a “scale model” of the area around God’s throne in heaven.
a. They shall make an ark: The first item God told Moses to build was the ark, later called the Ark of the Covenant. This was the most important single item associated with the tabernacle, modeled after the throne of God in heaven.
c. I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim: It was as if God, looking down from His dwelling place between the cherubim, saw the law in the Ark – and knew we were guilty of breaking His law. But atoning blood of sacrifice was sprinkled on the mercy seat, so that God saw the blood covering the breaking of His law – and forgiveness could be offered.
i. It is remarkable that even before God gave Moses the tablets of the Ten Commandments, God made provision for Israel’s failure under the law.
a. And you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always: On the table of showbread were set twelve loaves of showbread – literally, “bread of faces.” This was bread associated with, and to be eaten before, the face of God.
i. “In the East a table was always the symbol of fellowship. Thus the people were reminded of the possibility created of constant communion with God.” (Morgan)
ii. Meyer calls the showbread “presence-bread.” Bread is necessary for survival, and the link was a reminder that fellowship with God was just as necessary for man.
b. Three bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch: The repetition of the almond blossom motif was important because it was the first tree to blossom in the springtime. It reminded everyone of new life and the fresh nature of God’s ongoing work.
a. You shall make seven lamps for it: The tabernacle represented the court of God’s throne, and Revelation 4:5 describes Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. The seven lamps represent the presence of the Holy Spirit in heaven.
i. “The symbolism might be that of the light which God’s presence brings to His people (Numbers 6:25), remembering that light, in the Old Testament, is also a symbol of life and victory (Psalm 27:1).” (Cole)
Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-25.cfm ©2013 David Guzik
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