Verses 1-3 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
All of these curtains were hand made by the artisans in the Hebrew camp. “Cunning work” pertains to the planning or thinking process that would be required to imagine and produce such magnificent curtains. These were big curtains, 42 feet long and 6 feet wide if my calculations are somewhat correct. They would have been very difficult to work with and handle. The colors of the fabric to be used were the colors of royalty, colors that are seen today in castles and big houses in Europe and in many church settings.
Notice the repetition of the number 5, the number of death.
Verses 4-5 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
To join together the curtain groupings of five curtains each, 50 loops were made on the edges of two end curtains into which were placed “taches” or hooks of gold that would fasten to each other. When erected, these curtains were the interior of the tabernacle.
Verses 7-13 And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
The next layer of the tabernacle was to be made from goats hair. This material would be somewhat water resistant and provide some protection for the inner curtains and furniture of the tabernacle. The design was basically the same with the exception that an extra curtain was made to cover the front entrance and the back seam where the curtains were hooked together to form one unit. Notice that the taches or hooks were no longer made of gold, but of brass, a lesser valuable metal.
Verse 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.
The whole tabernacle was to be covered with animal skins or leather, resulting in a very weather secure tent.
Application: Just as many curtains were joined together to make one tent or tabernacle, the place where the presence of God was during the Hebrew desert sojourn, today’s church is made up of many people joined together to make one place where the presence of God dwells through the Holy Ghost during the believers’ sojourn in this sinful world. Note also that, just as the tabernacle was composed of varying materials, some more costly than others but all necessary components, the church today is composed of varying people from all nations with varying talents, education and economic statuses, but all necessary and valuable parts of the Kingdom of God.
Verses 15-19 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. 17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
The boards that were to frame the tabernacle were approximately 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide. Tenons are wooden projections designed to go into a hole in a corresponding board in order to join two boards together. The entire pattern for the tabernacle was designed so that it could be assembled and disassembled as the Hebrew people traveled. It all had to be portable. The boards were to stand upright by being attached to the sockets of silver.
Verse 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
The two long sides of the tabernacle were to face north and south, with the entrance to the tabernacle on the east side and the most holy place housing the ark located at the far, west end of the tent.
Verses 22-25 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
The west and east sides of the tabernacle were smaller making the shape of the tent a rectangle.
Verses 26-29 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
Not sure, but think these bars formed the roof of the tent over which the various layers would be placed. These were all covered with gold. The reader can use his/her imagination as to how these golden bars shimmered in the light of the lamps that burned continuously in the tabernacle. It must have been a glorious place.
Verse 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
God is a god of order and detail. This can be seen in nature in all the plants and animals that He created. The tabernacle Moses was instructed to build was according to a Heavenly pattern that was ordered and detailed and it was to be raised and lowered in a specific way or manner.
Verse 31-33 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
The veil was another curtain hung at the west end of the tabernacle to separate the holy part from the very holy part where the Spirit of God would speak to Moses from between the two cherubims placed on top of the ark.
Application: Just as the vail physically separated man from God, believers are separated from God by the flesh and sometimes by sin. Believers live physically in the world, and spiritually in the holy place of the Kingdom of God. Believers are waiting to shed their physical bodies and to then be in the most holy place in Heaven where dwells the living God.
Verse 34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
The mercy seat was on the top of the ark and it demonstrated the character of God in that He is merciful to sinful man.
Verse 35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
The table was to be on the north side of the tabernacle and the candlestick on the south side opposite the table.
Verses 36-37 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
The entrance to the tabernacle was to demonstrate the beauty inside as it was made from the same three color material and hung with gold hooks on pillars covered with gold.