exodus 26-27 Study guide: The Tabernacle and the presence of God

Community Group Study Guide —The Tabernacle and the Presence of God 

Exodus 25:31-26:37 and selected scriptures 

Study Information:

What is at the center of your home? Many of us have some sort of living room right in the middle of our homes where people can easily access community, relationships and life together. Likewise, many cities have a downtown with shops, restaurants and parks to draw people into the community. Even places like Disneyland are built around the center with the castle, statues of Walt and Mickey and a number of paths radiating you out to various areas of the park. Finally, the ultimate example of the Oreo cookie, the best part is in the middle. What we put at the center is usually what we value and treasure above everything else.

As the people of Israel lived in the wilderness they would set up camp around the tabernacle because the tabernacle communicated God’s presence in the midst of his people. It was a daily reminder to them that God desired reconciliation and presence with them and would make it happen in his plan of redemption. This study guide will look a the imagery associated with the Tabernacle and how that carried forward to the rest of the Bible to highlight to us the dwelling place of God with his people and that ultimately in and through Christ our reconciliation to God is restored. 

The Tabernacle was Designed as God’s Dwelling Place with Israel

Exodus 40:34-38 and Leviticus 26:11-13

You may be tempted to breeze through the architectural details of the tabernacle because it can read kind of dry and is one of the more repetitive sections of the Bible in that we get the layout of the tabernacle, and then an almost word for word repetition as the place was constructed later on in Exodus. But let’s not miss the central point, God desired to make his presence available to his people. Being a place for sacrifice was an important function of the tabernacle, but it was more than that, the space communicated that God was present with his people. 

First, the tabernacle was located in the center of the camp of Israel. Each morning and evening the people of God would wake up and go to sleep seeing the place of worship. As they packed up and went out into the wilderness following the pillar of cloud and fire, they’d gather up their things and follow until a new resting place was determined by God and they’d build camp around that place. God was always at the center of their day to day lives in that way.

Second, we see the central theme of God’s presence in the structure of the instructions around the tabernacle’s creation. For the last few study guides we’ve learned about idolatry of Israel with the golden calf and Moses’s response when he asked God to show him God’s glory. God had threatened to remove his presence from them which led Moses to intercede on behalf of Israel. Those accounts come right in the middle of instruction around the design of the tabernacle (Exodus 25-31) and the construction of the tabernacle (Exodus 35-40). Hebrew writers would often put the main idea of something in the middle of their writing, rather than at the end or beginning and we have such an example in that story. At various times the tabernacle was called a holy place (sanctuary), a dwelling place and a meeting place all of which are central to the theme of God’s presence. We can think of the tabernacle as God’s mobile home where he would manifest his presence with his people and be the center of the religious life of Israel.

This theme of God’s presence in a sacred space carries forward in the Bible in the Land and the temple in the Old Testament. Notably in the New Testament, John described Jesus’s incarnation as “tabernacling” among us with the same Greek word that typically translates as “dwell” in english (John 1:14). Finally, the church is called the tabernacle or temple of God since we’re told the Holy Spirit dwells in the church (Ephesians 2:22). God has designed us for his presence and has made a way for that to happen throughout his plan of redemption. 

The Tabernacle Was Designed to Remind us Who God Is

Exodus 25:31-40, 26:31-37

The design of the tabernacle reminds us of God’s immanence and transcendence. That he is both close and high above us.

First the tabernacle was filled with echoes of Eden that pointed to the holiness and closeness of God. Eden’s design was a sacred space for Adam and Eve to be in God’s presence as they kept and guarded the garden. The tabernacle had multiple sections/courts and objects of worship like the ark of the covenant, the lamp stands, and altars. God designed these places and objects with imagery that called back the sacred space of the garden where Heaven and earth met before sin’s presence. 

For example:

• The priestly garments were overlaid with stones that were first mentioned in Genesis 2:12.

• There were large quantities of gold throughout the tabernacle on the various objects (Genesis 2:11).

• The language used for the work of the priest included the words “serve” and “keep” which were instructions first given to Adam in the garden.

• Instructions for the crafting of the lamp stand looked looked like a tree with branches extending out with almond blossoms, flowers and buds calling back the trees in the garden of Eden (Exodus 25:31-33).

• The ark and the curtains each had cherubim displayed which are the angels that God put at the entrance to the garden to guard against Adam and Eve reentering (Genesis 3:24)

• One had to enter the tabernacle from the east which was the direction Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden.

• The bread of presence included 12 loaves placed weekly. 12 pointed to the number of tribes and bread symbolized fellowship with God, which was at the heart of the garden of Eden. 

Second, at the heart of the tabernacle was the holy of holies which especially highlighted God’s transcendence, glory and power. This place was the most important part of the tabernacle and was separated by thick veiled curtains which contained the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat in what was called “the most holy place” or the “holy of holies.” This place could only be accessed by the priest for atonement after they had been consecrated, communicating the magnitude of God. 

Taken together the tabernacle was built in such a way that everyone was reminded God is the creator, he is glorious and he made a way to for sinners to be in his presence. The tabernacle’s designed gets fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God the Son dwelt among us in the person of Jesus Christ who became the atoning sacrifice for us and our salvation. Today we have access to God through the work of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who makes us into a temple for his presence today. 

At your community group:

Take 15-20 minutes to share about how God has been at work in your life, prayer concerns and pray for one another.

How did God speak to you through the scripture and the sermon this week? 

Discussion Questions:

Read Exodus 25:31-40, 26:31-37

What are some of the unique features of the tabernacle and what do they communicate to us?

How did the tabernacle remind the people of God’s presence with them and why is it important that instructions of the tabernacle sandwiched the stories of the golden calf and Moses asking to see the glory of God?

Read John 1:14 and Ephesians 2:22, what are some things these passages teach us about God’s dwelling place in the New Testament and today?

Do you have reminders in your life of the presence of God day to day? What are some ways you can keep this truth in your mind as you live for Christ this week?