The Tabernacle in the Wilderness # 2
The History Of The Tabernacle
By Pastor Jim May
Exodus 40:17 - And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
God’s established His plan of salvation before He created all things. Everyone who approaches God must follow those principles, beginning with Abel, way back in the Book of Genesis who l offered his “excellent sacrifice” of a lamb from his flock, or the Israelites offering their sacrifices upon the Brazen Altar at the tabernacle in the wilderness. Since the coming of the Son of God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, every Christian has obtained salvation through God’s perfect plan as we place our trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin upon the cross.
The tabernacle in the wilderness was a major part of God’s plan to reveal His principles and plan of Salvation to the human race, beginning with the Children of Israel. We owe so much to the nation of Israel. Jesus was born into the Jewish people and all of the prophets of the Old Testament were Jews, as were all but one of the writers of the New Testament.
Just a little note: Can anyone tell me who that Gentile New Testament writer was? Mark 3:14-19 gives us a list of the 12 disciples.
"And he ordained twelve…Simon he surnamed Peter; And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him..."
The only writer of the New Testament who was not a Jew, nor a disciple of Jesus during His earthly ministry, was Luke. Luke did have some great opportunities to acquire all the first hand information necessary for the two books of the New Testament that he wrote (Luke & Acts) because he was an intimate friend and traveling companion of the Apostle Paul. Luke was a Greek Medical Doctor. He stayed with Paul several years while Paul was in Rome, staying there until Paul’s execution. He wrote his books around 60 – 90 AD.
Even thought there are great differences between how God was worshipped in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, and the way that we worship God today, under the New Testament Covenant, the principles that govern our worship are the same. They had to build and altar where the sacrifice was laid, and where blood was sprinkled, to have their sins pushed away. Today, we look to the sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus to wash our sin away.
Hebrews 9:8-15, "The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."
The conditions under the Law of Moses and the Old Covenant were the same as they are today in many ways but very DIFFERENT too. The most important difference is that the observance of rituals NEVER saved one soul. All of the sacrifices and rituals performed in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness only pointed ahead to the time that God would reconcile His people to himself. Everything that went on in the Tabernacle served as a tangible way that they could express their faith in the coming sacrifice that God would provide. They still had to walk in FAITH that God would make a way for them through the sacrifice of the Perfect Lamb of God, just as we do today.
Every part of the tabernacle was designed to present a type and shadow of the nature of God, the coming redemption, the sinfulness of man, the means of pardon through grace, and the full reconciliation of man to God
For 647 years Israel continued to worship God in the Tabernacle of Moses, that same portable structure that was built as they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. It ceased to be used only after Solomon had built the first temple in Jerusalem. In Solomon’s Temple, all of the same furniture and the same manner of sacrifices and cleansing were still observed, exactly as they were in the Wilderness Tabernacle. The nation of Israel, from its birth to the death of Christ, nearly 1,700 years, approached God with the same system of worship that began in the TABERNACLE of the wilderness.
Another factor that emphasized the tabernacle’s importance was its location at the center of the camp and the position of the Levites, who camped nearby to guard against unlawful approach. The other tribes also camped around the tabernacle but at a distance. The tabernacle was also at the center of the nation during marches.
The “church in the wilderness” was built upon a FIVE-FOLD foundation laid down in God’s directions to Moses. This five-fold foundation is as follows:
1. The Tabernacle of Moses
2. The Law of Moses
3. The Aaronic and Levitical Priesthood
4. The Five Offerings and different Sacrifices
5. The Feasts of Celebration established by God – Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. (Leviticus 23)
Israel was chosen to be the nation through which the world would be divinely blessed, and the tabernacle was chosen to represent how this blessing would be accomplished.
After leaving Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites traveled 45 days before they came to the base of Mt. Sinai. It was upon this mountain that God gave the Law to Moses. While they camped at Mount Sinai, during the first three months, Moses ascended Mt. Sinai eight times, each time receiving more of God’s Law and God’s direction for the Children of Israel. On two of these occasions, Moses was on top of the mountain for 40 days.
It was on Moses’ 6th time to climb Mt. Sinai that God gave him the pattern for the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.
Can you imagine what it must have been like to be in the very presence of God for 40 days, talking directly and getting detailed instructions from Almighty God firsthand? I can imagine that Moses was beyond excited. He was a man on fire, a man with a purpose and a man consumed by God’s power and anointing to do a work for the Lord. I can imagine that as he came down from that mountain, with his face glowing with the power of God upon him, that Moses was moving in great anticipation to get on with what God had told him to do.
But what happened? When he came down, from the very presence of God, Moses’ was hit with a major crisis situation in the camp. The Israelites had begun to worship idols, even while God was giving them his perfect plan. Had it not been for Moses’ intervention and intercession, God would have consumed Israel in His anger.
Exodus 32:7-14, "And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people."
The work of building the Tabernacle was delayed for another 42 days; 4 months and 11 days after they had left Egypt. During the next seven months, anointed workers constructed it from freewill offerings of the congregation and according to the pattern God gave Moses. Approximately 11-1/2 months after their departure from Egypt, the tabernacle was completed and assembled.
When it was finally completed and dedicated the pillar of cloud, which had guided them from Egypt, centered over the tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled it. The cloud over the tabernacle signified the guiding presence of the Lord. When it rested over the tabernacle, they were to rest, and when it was taken up, they were to follow.
50 days later, the pillar of cloud was taken up for the first time and the Israelites began their journey to the Promised Land. They had been at Mt. Sinai for 11 months and 20 days. While they were there, God had revealed to them everything necessary for them to be victorious and blessed people, but victory and the blessings were conditional. If Israel wanted God’s best that had to be obedient to God’s Law and continue in true worship to Him.
In Deuteronomy 1:2 we will discover that their journey from Horeb, where Mr. Sinai was located, to Kadesh-Barnea, in the southern part of the Promised Land, took only 11 days.
Yet, it took Israel almost 40 years to complete the trip! Why? In the Book of Numbers, chapters 11-26, dealing with this period of Israel’s history, we witness complaining and grumbling, lust of the flesh taking control, the rebellion of Miriam and Aaron against Moses’ leadership, the nation’s rebellion against both God and Moses’ leadership at Kadesh-barnea, the rebellion of Korah in seeking to usurp the position of the priesthood in defiance of God’s Law, and finally, Israel’s sin through the teaching of Balaam and becoming more and more idolatrous.
For 38 years of that 40-year period, there is complete silence of what was going on. The events of these chapters in Numbers only deal with the first year and the last year of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. Those 40 years were literally wasted years for Israel. They are a testimony to what happens when a people fall into rebellion, disobedience, idolatry and rejection of God as their leader. When Israel was numbered the second time, after wandering for 40 years, the able bodied men who could go to war had decreased by nearly 2000 men. This is a testimony to how complaining and disobedience will hold back the blessings and promises of God from being fulfilled in us.
In Numbers 33:19-49 we find a summary of Israel’s journey during the wilderness. These verses locate the various places where Israel camped after they left Mt. Sinai and on their way to Shittim, in the plain of Moab on the south border of the Promised Land. There were no more permanent camps on their journey. They had to keep moving, keep running, if you will, from the will of God, until they finally decided to turn back to Him in repentance and do what God told them to do in the first place.
I won’t read those scriptures simply because the reading of it would not impress upon you exactly what is going on in Israel. But I will comment on what is happening to them spiritually.
I have done some research on why they camped at certain places. Other than the natural reasons such as water, trees and the environment that would make those places habitable for the people, there is a deeper, behind the scenes, set of events that are happening. By looking at the names of most of these camps you can get a picture of what happens, not only to Israel, but to all of us to some degree, as we try to walk the fence between the desires of the flesh and the will of God.
First, they left the land of Egypt, leaving behind their bondage under the hand of man and the god of this world.
They came to Rephidim meaning a place, or bed of rest. God gave them freedom and a time of rest and refreshing as He began, once again to walk with Israel after 400 years of silence.
The next place where they camped was interpreted to mean “the grave of lusts” signifying that the old Israel, the ways of the flesh had been overcome and that they had finally buried their dreams and taken hold of God’s hand to walk toward God’s dream for them.
From there they camped in a place interpreted to mean “palaces”. This is a picture of their place in God’s family as his royal priesthood, his chosen people.
The next camp was interpreted to mean “noise”. The voices of the nation could be heard rising into the heavens as they thanked and praised God at the beginning of their journey. The song of their deliverance was on their lips.
The next camp was interpreted to mean “exalted” and “pomegranate”. They had reached a high point in their worship where they would exalt the name of God, and they would feast upon the riches of God’s blessing for them all signified by the pomegranate.
The next camp was interpreted as “whiteness” to signify that they now saw God’s glory and His power and their worship of Him was true.
Their next camp was interpreted as “watering”. Is that not a symbol of God’s great provision and protection of His people? God is a loving God who is constantly caring for and “watering” His people.
The next camp meant “whole” or “congregation”. God had jelled this rabble, a bunch of slaves, into a new nation; a “whole” nation, giving them new life, and a new identity and called them a “congregation” of God’s own People.
The next camp meant “brightness” and this was at the pinnacle of Israel’s Exodus as they seemed to be walking with the Lord in fullness.
But Israel did not stay there. They removed their camp from that place of “brightness” and the next camp they came to was interpreted as “the well of great fear”.
How many of you have had one of the darkest times of your walk with the Lord to come on the heels of some of your greatest moments while living for Jesus? That’s what happened to Israel.
Satan began to bring doubts and fear into the camp and the brightness of God began to dim more and more as Israel’s complaining and grumbling became more pronounced.
A few camps later they are in a place called “fear, or going down” as they sink ever lower into idolatry and rebellion.
As Israel continued to go down, they came to a camp called “banished” or “a wretch”. I thank God that He saved a wretch like me. I don’t want to go there again. But that’s where Israel was heading fast. From a pinnacle of blessings into the place of fear and now into a wretched state of sin once again. Their roller-coaster ride through the wilderness of Sin had only just begun.
The rest of their journeys, until they finally come to the place where they turned back toward God and started obeying His call, Israel was in and out, up and down, going from places whose names meant “sweetness” to “shady”; “fatness” to “children of the twisted; “holy” to “stopping”; and “mountain” to “bonds”. All of those names give us a picture of a nation that is walking the line between obedience and disobedience. Isn’t that the way that most people walk with Jesus? In one day and out the next; never making up their mind to be faithful in spite of what comes their way.
When they entered the Promised Land they camped at Gilgal between the Jordan River and Jericho. More than likely the tabernacle was set up here for the five years it took them to conquer the land from the Canaanites. At the end of the five years, the whole congregation assembled at Shiloh. It was there that the seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance, had the land divided to them by lots. Here the tabernacle was set up and used for 470 years.
The arrival of the tabernacle at Shiloh marked the beginning of a bright future, but its departure from Shiloh began a dark period in the history of Israel.
In 1 Samuel 4 we see the Israelites defeated the Philistines who had captured the ark, destroyed Shiloh and possibly the tabernacle. That’s when God revealed that Israel was to build a permanent temple in Jerusalem. With the permanent separation of the Ark of the Covenant from the Wilderness Tabernacle it becomes necessary to follow their histories separately.
There is no scriptural mention of the tabernacle for the next 70 years. This may indicate its destruction.
David gives us a glimpse of what may have happened to the original tabernacle in Psalms 78:58-61, "For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand."
The next mention of the tabernacle is at a place called NOB in 1 Samuel 21:1-9. When and why it was taken there is not clear. At this place, David was found eating the Shewbread and receiving the sword of Goliath. Jesus refers to this event in Mark 2:26 and Matthew 12:2-6. Saul, the king of Israel, on hearing that David had been at Nob, became jealous, destroyed the city, and killed 85 priests. It is not known as to whether the tabernacle was destroyed at this time, but if so, it was rebuilt and transferred to Gibeon; for it is mentioned there about 10 to 15 years later during David’s reign as king. We know it was already at Gibeon at that time (1 Chronicles 16:39).
During this same period we need to keep in mind that David built a tabernacle in Jerusalem to house the ark, which is the only holy vessel ever mentioned in use at the tabernacle of David.
Apparently, the other vessels remained with the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon. Even with the separation of the ark from the tabernacle, the nation continued to go to Gibeon to make their animal sacrifices. The two places of worship, the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple in Jerusalem explain why there were two High Priests during David’s reign.
The original tabernacle was moved from Gibeon to Jerusalem when Solomon dedicated the temple there. Along with the original tabernacle, all the holy vessels were brought. The rest of the original tabernacle, along with its furniture, was probably put into storage, some say under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, but nevertheless have faded into obscurity.
God’s plan was marching on. The Tabernacle in the Wilderness no longer was the center of Jewish worship. Everything was now centered upon the Temple of Solomon that was built according to the plans that God had given to David and passed on to Solomon, David’s son.
God would have a permanent dwelling place in the center of His capitol city, at the center of the earth, where all the people could come and worship Him. The days of wandering were over. Israel was established as a nation.
There have been only 2 temples in Jerusalem since that day.
The Temple of Solomon or David – destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians
The Temple of Herod – began during Nehemiah’s time and completed by King Herod only 20 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem – destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Plans for the 3rd Temple, to be built after the rapture of the church, are already drawn. The vessels and furniture are already built, and the day will soon come that this temple will be rebuilt. In this 3rd Temple, the Antichrist will attempt to set himself up as God.
Some Bible scholars believe that a 4th Temple will also be built, even though most do not. They say that a 4th Temple will be built during the Millennial Reign of Christ not as a place of sacrifice, but as a place of teaching and instruction in how to serve and worship God as men are born during that time. Whether this is true or not doesn’t really matter. It really wouldn’t be called a temple in the same sense as the others.
This I do know; there will be no temple in the New Jerusalem. According to Revelation 21:22-23 John says, "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."
