Have you ever imagined what it would be like to step inside the Tabernacle? In the book of Exodus, we are given a fascinating, detailed look at this beautifully designed, portable dwelling place created for God’s presence among His people. As the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness, God not only gave them His laws but also very specific instructions for building His Tabernacle. Every detail, from the materials and measurements to the purpose of each furnishing, was carefully described. Everything was intentional; each element had meaning and purpose in creating a dwelling place for the Lord.
Let’s take a closer look at what Scripture tells us about this remarkable place. Here are a few examples:
“Have them make an ark of acacia wood – two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it”. Exodus 25:10-11 NIV
“Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same size – twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.” Exodus 26:1-2 NIV
A cubit is defined as the distance from a man’s elbow to the tip of his middle finger.
BEZALEL
Before work began on the Tabernacle, a man named Bezalel was chosen by God to perform and oversee its construction. He was to build it in accordance with the pattern shown to Moses at Mount Sinai (Ex. 25:9). And Bezalel is known as the very first person in the Bible to be ‘filled with the Spirit of God’ (Ex. 31:3). Through this anointing, Bezalel was given: wisdom, understanding, work knowledge, artistic design capability, stone craftsmanship and the ability to engage in all kids of work. Can you imagine being given all these gifts by God to make a house for Him?
Bezalel’s name means the shadow of protection of God.
Bezalel likely already possessed certain skills, but it was only through the Lord’s anointing that he became capable of carrying out such an extraordinary task. He also had a good understanding of what the Israelites had experienced up to that point, having witnessed much of their journey through the wilderness. Although Bezalel came from an impressive family line, he was neither a king nor a prophet, but simply an ordinary man whom the Lord chose and equipped for an extraordinary purpose.
Interestingly, many biblical scholars believe the Tabernacle reflects the Garden of Eden, a picture of God restoring His presence among His people. Just as God once walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, the Tabernacle provided a sacred place where He could dwell among the Israelites. What makes this connection so beautiful is the way God uses beauty, order and intentional design to reestablish His dwelling place. Every detail of the Tabernacle was meaningful, revealing a divine pattern that pointed back to God’s original desire to dwell with His people.
THE TABERNACLE
In Exodus 40, the Lord gives Moses instructions on setting up the entire Tabernacle, how to anoint it, purify Aaron and his sons as priests and align everything according to God’s instruction. Moses obeys and then the Lord covered the completed Tabernacle with a cloud.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34-35 NIV
This cloud was known to cover the tent during the day and appeared as fire at night. The Israelites knew when to travel to a new area when the cloud would lift and move. They stayed with the glory cloud of the Lord throughout their wanderings in the desert.
Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. Numbers 9:17 NIV
THE TEMPLE
Later, in the book of Chronicles, the Tabernacle is upgraded to a more permanent dwelling place for God. This magnificent Temple was built by King Solomon, the son of King David. As we know, David was filled with the Spirit of God from the time of his youth (1 Sam. 16:13). He loved the Lord deeply and longed to build a house for Him. However, God revealed that this great task would be given to his son, Solomon.
After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” 1 Chronicles 17:1 NIV
Although David would not build the Temple himself, he played an important role in its preparation, gathering an abundance of materials and providing his son with significant support for its construction. The result was nothing short of magnificent. The Temple was an elaborate and elegant structure, built with cedar and adorned with gold. It was grand in design, rich in materials and costly in every sense, a beautiful and awe-inspiring dwelling place dedicated to the Lord.
David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death. 1 Chronicles 22:5 NIV
Soloman partnered with Hiram, King of Tyre, to assist in the temple construction and he requested of him a skilled man, to which the king responded:
I am sending you Huram-Abi, a man of great skill, whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father. 2 Chronicles 2:13-14
Huram-Abi’s name means his father’s nobility.
THE ARK
Solomon recruited thousands of workers to build the extravagant temple. The temple was completed and a massive sacrifice was offered.
…and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted. 2 Chronicles 5:6 NIV
The ark was then placed inside the inner sanctuary called the Most Holy Place, and all the other items were brought that were dedicated by King David. The Levites and priests were outside playing instruments while singers raised their voices in praise. Then the temple was filled with the glory cloud.
The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
“He is good; his love endures forever.”
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 NIV
Then, Solomon praises God, does a long prayer of dedication and then the fire of God fell.
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,
“He is good; his love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 7:1-3
NEW TESTAMENT GLORY – PENTECOST
In the New Testament, we see the fire of God fall once again, but this time, it looks a little different. Through Jesus, a new covenant is established, revealing a significant shift in the dwelling place of God. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus gave His disciples specific instructions to wait for the promised gift that God would send. This would mark the beginning of something extraordinary and a new way for God to dwell among His people.
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with a water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5 NIV
This covenantal change occurred because the revelation of God’s glory was now through Christ Jesus. When Jesus left, He gave us the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can now be housed within us, individually.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 NIV
A pillar cloud and fire were seen at the Tabernacle and Temple dedication. However, at Pentecost, those who were waiting for the gift, heard a mighty wind and were filled with the Spirit of God and saw divided tongues of fire that rested upon each of them! It gave them the ability to speak other languages and bring people together like was never seen before. There was a restoration among the people and this is the great mystery to be understood, Christ in us!
…the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26-27 NIV
GOD’S HOUSES
God’s houses were all beautiful and creative. They had specific aspects requested by God Himself. However, we know that these houses were only a shadow of how it may look in heaven.
For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. Hebrews 3:4-6
THE BODY – THE TEMPLE
Isn’t it interesting that when Jesus died, the Temple curtain was torn in two? The separation between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was now open. We now all have access to God because of Jesus. Was the Tabernacle and the Temple a spiritual shadow of us – body, soul and spirit?
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If our bodies represent a temple, it makes me wonder about the different aspects of the literal temple and how they may correspond to us. The alter of incense could represent prayer. The bread in the temple may represent our daily need for God. The light may represent the Holy Spirit. The ark housed the law, God’s words to His people and was protected in the Most Holy Place. God’s Word should dwell deep inside our hearts. These are things to meditate on.
This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10 NIV
FROM BEGINNING TO END
What I discovered in this study is that the first man which was filled with the Holy Spirit was inspired to build the Tabernacle and the items within it. The Tabernacle was later upgraded (a couple times) to a solid-structured temple, which then was torn down after Jesus (in 70 A.D.), who sent us the Holy Spirit who now dwells in our hearts of which we are told is the temple (inside of us)!
When God establishes His kingdom on earth, I imagine it will be beyond breathtaking. The book of Revelation says that in the New Jerusalem there will not be a temple because Jesus and God are the temple.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:22-23 NIV
PATTERN
The glory fell in each house with a similar pattern of obedience, praise and prayer. There was a process of setting up the structure and having certain aspects within. This could be something we need reminded of since we now house the Holy Spirit and want to honor being a temple for the Lord. Could revival actually be when we as individuals turn away from sin and toward the pattern of glory. And when enough people do that, it encourages others to do the same and sparks revival?
But the more important question may be – are we stewarding this gift well? Let us not neglect the temple that lies within our hearts. Let’s keep it full of gold and continue to seek God in order that His glory cloud can fill us all.
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 ESV
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