And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,
The verse names four finished parts of the wilderness sanctuary brought to Moses for inspection, the gold-covered altar of incense for the holy place, the holy anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the embroidered hanging for the east entrance of the tabernacle. They were made exactly after the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, and he confirmed that all had been done as God commanded. When the work was complete the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year from the Exodus, anointed for its appointed service, and filled with God's glory in token of His acceptance. It was the dwelling place God asked Israel to make so He could dwell among them and center their worship around His presence and His law beneath the mercy seat. Made as a correct model of the heavenly tabernacle with its two holy places, it served as a great object-lesson of the plan of salvation, pointing to Christ's priestly work and forgiveness of sin until its typical service ended at His death.
Tabernacle Construction and Contents
Exodus 39:38 stands in the last six chapters of Exodus, which relate the preparation, fitting, building and setting up of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year from the Exodus. That record in Exodus 33-40 stands in chronological order after the events of Exodus 19-32 and immediately carries out the instructions for the sanctuary given in Exodus 25-31. It belongs more particularly to the record in Exodus 35-40 of carrying out the instructions given in Exodus 25-31 for the sanctuary and every part of it, telling how the ark was built with all its furniture and equipments just as God directed.
The sanctuary built in the days of Moses, described very minutely in Exodus 25 to 40, was to be made exactly according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount. Exodus 39 records its furnishings and materials made according to God's instructions, including the golden altar, anointing oil, sweet incense, and the hanging at the tabernacle entrance, for a sacred place where God's glory was to dwell among Israel and where their worship centered. The completed work was presented to Moses, who confirmed that it followed God's command and the pattern shown to him.
The verse lists among the completed furnishings and materials the golden altar of incense, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door or entrance. The entrance was at the east end and was enclosed by a richly embroidered curtain suspended from five gold-trimmed pillars. The golden altar of incense stood in the holy place, where the priests carried out their regular ministry.
The structure had sides and one end formed of upright boards closely joined and set in silver sockets fixed in the ground, held in position by bars crossing on the outside through rings placed at uniform distances in the boards. It was roofed with curtains reaching to the ground on both sides, with the east end closed by hangings of fine-twined linen brushed aside for passage into the building, and divided by another curtain into two apartments with the outer apartment twice as large as the inner. The inner walls were overlaid with fine gold shining with the greatest brilliancy, representing the reflected light of God's glory in the New Jerusalem. The ceiling was of the finest and purest linen wrought with many angels in beautiful needlework, representing the angels of heaven waiting upon the bidding of Jehovah.
When the work was completed blessing and glory came down upon the congregation and the building. The tabernacle finished in Exodus 39:32-43 was erected and anointed with oil preparatory to the appointed priestly service. The completed sanctuary was later dedicated and filled with God's glory, showing His acceptance of the people's repentance.
The detailed description of the tabernacle and its furnishings of gold and linen is historically credible because ancient peoples had the skill to work those materials.
Dwelling Place and Heavenly Pattern
The wilderness tabernacle was the sacred building where worship of God on earth centered, made with its golden altar, anointing oil, sweet incense, and hanging for the entrance exactly according to God's instructions and the pattern He gave. It was the dwelling place God asked Israel to make so that He could dwell among them, let His glory dwell there, and reveal His love. That worship revolved around the most holy place, where the law of God rested beneath the mercy seat.
After Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage the marvelously beautiful sanctuary was given as a great, multiple object-lesson by various forms and rites comprehending the great plan of salvation for a people unfitted by long slavery to comprehend God's salvation and required character. It was made from the free-will offerings of the children of Israel so God could dwell among them, and it was built by workmen specially endowed by God according to the divine pattern given to Moses in the mount.
The sanctuary had priests, Levites, and Nethinim, with the high priest alone entering the most holy place once a year to make atonement, overseeing the other priests, and serving as the nation's chief man and final judge. When finished the tabernacle was erected and anointed with oil preparatory to the appointed priestly service. That service was carried forward from day to day by the priests throughout the year in the court and in the first apartment, with one year allotted to this ministration always closing on the tenth day of the seventh month with a special service.
The completed tabernacle of Exodus 39:32-43, erected by Moses after inspection of the heavenly tabernacle shown to him in the mount through forty days, was finished as a correct pattern or model of that heavenly building. Joined with its division into two holy places, this likeness proves the heavenly original also consists of two holy places corresponding to the earthly two, for if the original had only one there would be perfect dissimilarity instead of likeness between copy and original. The two holy places do not represent the Mosaic and Christian dispensations, but corresponding holy places in the heavenly sanctuary.
The sanctuary and its service were an earthly pattern and lesson about God's way and Christ's priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary. They belong to the ceremonial laws and types whose old-dispensation shadows reveal the substance of the new dispensation. Its rites pointed to Christ and His power to forgive sin and transform character, and its typical service ended at Christ's death.
The verse names four finished parts of the wilderness sanctuary brought to Moses for inspection, the gold-covered altar of incense for the holy place, the holy anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the embroidered hanging for the east entrance of the tabernacle. They were made exactly after the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, and he confirmed that all had been done as God commanded. When the work was complete the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year from the Exodus, anointed for its appointed service, and filled with God's glory in token of His acceptance. It was the dwelling place God asked Israel to make so He could dwell among them and center their worship around His presence and His law beneath the mercy seat. Made as a correct model of the heavenly tabernacle with its two holy places, it served as a great object-lesson of the plan of salvation, pointing to Christ's priestly work and forgiveness of sin until its typical service ended at His death.
Tabernacle Construction and Contents
Exodus 39:38 stands in the last six chapters of Exodus, which relate the preparation, fitting, building and setting up of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year from the Exodus. That record in Exodus 33-40 stands in chronological order after the events of Exodus 19-32 and immediately carries out the instructions for the sanctuary given in Exodus 25-31. It belongs more particularly to the record in Exodus 35-40 of carrying out the instructions given in Exodus 25-31 for the sanctuary and every part of it, telling how the ark was built with all its furniture and equipments just as God directed.
The sanctuary built in the days of Moses, described very minutely in Exodus 25 to 40, was to be made exactly according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount. Exodus 39 records its furnishings and materials made according to God's instructions, including the golden altar, anointing oil, sweet incense, and the hanging at the tabernacle entrance, for a sacred place where God's glory was to dwell among Israel and where their worship centered. The completed work was presented to Moses, who confirmed that it followed God's command and the pattern shown to him.
The verse lists among the completed furnishings and materials the golden altar of incense, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door or entrance. The entrance was at the east end and was enclosed by a richly embroidered curtain suspended from five gold-trimmed pillars. The golden altar of incense stood in the holy place, where the priests carried out their regular ministry.
The structure had sides and one end formed of upright boards closely joined and set in silver sockets fixed in the ground, held in position by bars crossing on the outside through rings placed at uniform distances in the boards. It was roofed with curtains reaching to the ground on both sides, with the east end closed by hangings of fine-twined linen brushed aside for passage into the building, and divided by another curtain into two apartments with the outer apartment twice as large as the inner. The inner walls were overlaid with fine gold shining with the greatest brilliancy, representing the reflected light of God's glory in the New Jerusalem. The ceiling was of the finest and purest linen wrought with many angels in beautiful needlework, representing the angels of heaven waiting upon the bidding of Jehovah.
When the work was completed blessing and glory came down upon the congregation and the building. The tabernacle finished in Exodus 39:32-43 was erected and anointed with oil preparatory to the appointed priestly service. The completed sanctuary was later dedicated and filled with God's glory, showing His acceptance of the people's repentance.
The detailed description of the tabernacle and its furnishings of gold and linen is historically credible because ancient peoples had the skill to work those materials.
Dwelling Place and Heavenly Pattern
The wilderness tabernacle was the sacred building where worship of God on earth centered, made with its golden altar, anointing oil, sweet incense, and hanging for the entrance exactly according to God's instructions and the pattern He gave. It was the dwelling place God asked Israel to make so that He could dwell among them, let His glory dwell there, and reveal His love. That worship revolved around the most holy place, where the law of God rested beneath the mercy seat.
After Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage the marvelously beautiful sanctuary was given as a great, multiple object-lesson by various forms and rites comprehending the great plan of salvation for a people unfitted by long slavery to comprehend God's salvation and required character. It was made from the free-will offerings of the children of Israel so God could dwell among them, and it was built by workmen specially endowed by God according to the divine pattern given to Moses in the mount.
The sanctuary had priests, Levites, and Nethinim, with the high priest alone entering the most holy place once a year to make atonement, overseeing the other priests, and serving as the nation's chief man and final judge. When finished the tabernacle was erected and anointed with oil preparatory to the appointed priestly service. That service was carried forward from day to day by the priests throughout the year in the court and in the first apartment, with one year allotted to this ministration always closing on the tenth day of the seventh month with a special service.
The completed tabernacle of Exodus 39:32-43, erected by Moses after inspection of the heavenly tabernacle shown to him in the mount through forty days, was finished as a correct pattern or model of that heavenly building. Joined with its division into two holy places, this likeness proves the heavenly original also consists of two holy places corresponding to the earthly two, for if the original had only one there would be perfect dissimilarity instead of likeness between copy and original. The two holy places do not represent the Mosaic and Christian dispensations, but corresponding holy places in the heavenly sanctuary.
The sanctuary and its service were an earthly pattern and lesson about God's way and Christ's priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary. They belong to the ceremonial laws and types whose old-dispensation shadows reveal the substance of the new dispensation. Its rites pointed to Christ and His power to forgive sin and transform character, and its typical service ended at Christ's death.