September Week 1

Theme: The Tabernacle

Picture: Tabernacle

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• Today we will learn what a tabernacle is/was. 

• The tabernacle was a movable "tent of meeting" that God commanded Moses to build.  God wanted to dwell among His people, the Israelites.  he wanted to have fellowship with them and be able to communicate with them. See Picture: Link above!

• Homework:

  • Younger: I want you to draw a picture of the tabernacle.

  • Older: Look up theses chapters and read more about the tabernacle: Exodus 25-40; Hebrews 9-13.  This will be your assignment for the week.

• Let's Pray!  Dear Lord, thank you for wanting to dwell among your people as we get into the study of the temple/tabernacle bless my understanding! In Jesus name, Amen.

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From here on out we will just get into the lesson!

• The tabernacle and its courtyard were constructed according to a pattern set by God, not Moses.  Do you know what a pattern is?  I'm sure you learned about it in school.  But the pattern we are talking about here means a model or design used as a guide in needlework and other crafts.  So, God designed the tabernacle, and he used men to build it.  We study the tabernacle to understand the steps the Lord laid out for a sinful people to approach a holy God.  The tabernacle was built approximately 1440 BC, and was the place where God dwelt with his people for 400 years.  It was used from the time of the exodus until the time of King Solomon, when the temple was built.  The tabernacle was the center of the Israelites camp.  The twelve tribes of Israel camped around the tabernacle in a special arrangement.  

• The new religious observances taught by Moses in the desert centered on rituals connected with the tabernacle, and amplified Israel's sense of separateness, purity, and oneness under the Lordship of God.

• What do you think some of those rituals were? Here's one: Leviticus 1:1-17 

• Let's Pray! Thank you, Lord, for such a wonderful plan of salvation, please bless me to understand your word as I read.  In Jesus name, Amen.

The general appearance of the tabernacle was that of a rectangular box.  It was divided into two sections---the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. (Holy of Holies)

• The Holy Place- The priest entered into the Holy Place daily to minister to the Lord.  The table of showbread (bread of the presence) stood on the right.  The seven branched golden lampstand stood on the left.  The altar of incense stood in the Holy Place right in front of the veiled Most Holy Place. Example here.

• The Most Holy Place-Also called the Holy of Holies, here resides the ark of the covenant.  It was exactly one-half the length of the Holy Place.  The shekinah glory of God rested upon the lid of the ark (mercy seat).  The high priest entered the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to atone for his sins and the people's sins. Example here.

• God had Moses to put these things in place, but it was all for a reason the Bible says it was a shadow of better things to come and oh did better things come! Jesus our Saviour!

• Let's Pray!  Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to see another day!  Please help me to live each day as if it was my last!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Today we will do some reading and look at the pattern of worship!

1. The Broze Altar: Exodus 27:1-8

   1. God wanted to dwell among his people.  How does a holy God dwell among sinful people?  First, God required the people to sacrifice a perfect animal for their sins.  The blood of the animal was important to justify the people before God.  Only the finest animal-a perfect one-was good enough.  The person bringing the offering would put his hand on the head of the lamb while it was killed.  This symbolically put the person's sins onto the animal, and the animal died in his place.

   2. The Bronze Lavar: Exodus 30:18; 38:8

      1. The next step was for the priests only.  In fact, the rest of the work was performed by the priests on behalf of the people.  After making the sacrifice, the priest washed himself at the bronze laver.  The washing purified the priest and prepared him to enter the tabernacle.  In Exodus 30:20, God says they must wash so that they do not die when they enter the tabernacle.​​

   3. The Golden Lampstand: Exodus 25:31-40; 26:35

      1. From the laver, the priest passed through a veil into the Holy Place.  The room he entered had three objects: a golden lampstand on the south, a table on the north, and an altar of incense to the west just before the veil to the most holy place, the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies).  ​

   4. The Table of Showbread: Exodus 25:23-30

      1. On the table of showbread, Aaron and his sons placed twelve loaves of bread (bread of the presence) made from fine flour.  These twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel.  The table with the loaves was a continual reminder of the everlasting promises, the covenant between God and the children of Israel, and a memorial of God's provision of food.  The bread was eaten by Aaron and his sons and was replaced every week on the Sabbath. ​

   5. We will continue this lesson next week!

   6. Let's Pray! Thank you, Lord, for the pattern of worship being a shadow of things to come! Help us to worship you aright!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Today we will have a video!  Have a blessed weekend!

Video: Here

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Next Week-------->