This document provides information from a sermon given at First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi about how the Tabernacle is a model of Jesus. It discusses the various elements of the Tabernacle based on descriptions in Exodus 39-40, including the courtyard with gate, altar and laver, and the inner tent containing items like the lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense, veil and ark of the covenant. It explains how each of these elements point to and prefigure aspects of Jesus and his role as the ultimate sacrifice, light, bread of life, and intercessor for believers.

1. Exodus 39:42-43; 40:1-38
His Presence
“The Tabernacle is a Model of Jesus”
October 29, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
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The Glory of God!
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1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
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2. October Memory Verse
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
References
• Levy, David M. The Tabernacle: Shadows of the Messiah (Bellmawr, NJ: The
Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1993).
• Rose Guide To The Tabernacle (Carson, CA: Rose Publishing, 2008).
• Symbolism in the Tabernacle, The Tabernacle PowerPoint by Rose
Publishing, 2006.
Lesson Today
1. The setting up of the Tabernacle by Moses.
2. The worship elements of the Tabernacle.
3. How the Tabernacle and its worship elements are a model of Jesus.
November Lessons - The Book of Leviticus
• The offering of sacrifices in the Tabernacle (Lev. 1-3).
• The Priesthood and the Tabernacle (Lev. 9-10).
• The celebration of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16).
• The promises for obedience and holy living (Lev. 26).
Introduction to Exodus 39 & 40
• After the exodus out of Egypt the Israelites are camped at the foot of Mt.
Sinai.
• God has given them the 10 Commandments and specific instructions for
building the Tabernacle.
• They have been camped here for over one year.
• All pieces and elements fabricated for the Tabernacle are finished and
brought to Moses.
The Tabernacle of Moses

3. The Tabernacle
• The tabernacle was in the center of the Israelite camp.
• The 12 tribes of Israel were encamped around it.
• It was Israel’s spiritual center for 500 years, until Solomon’s temple.
• Fifty chapters in the Bible discuss the tabernacle.
• The tabernacle was built using valuable materials such as gold, silver,
bronze, precious woods, and rare cloth.
• The gold in the tabernacle totaled over one metric ton.
• In modern terms, the cost would exceed $1 million.
• Offerings from the Israelites paid for all the materials (Exodus 35:22–36:7).
The Purposes of the Tabernacle
• A place for God to dwell among His people.
• A place where His people could commune with Him.
• It served as a visual reminder to Israel that they served the true and living
God.
• The structure and service of the Tabernacle showed a sinful people how
they could come before a Holy God in worship and offer sacrifice for sin.
Exodus 39:42-43 NIV
42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had
commanded. So Moses blessed them.
Exodus 40:1-8 NIV
1 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 "Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on
the first day of the first month. 3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield
the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then
bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar of incense in
front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the
tabernacle.
6 "Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the
tent of meeting; 7 place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and
put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the
entrance to the courtyard.
Exodus 40:17-19 NIV
17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second
year. 18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected
the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the
tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the Lord
commanded him.

4. Exodus 40:33 NIV
33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up
the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.
The Outer Court of the Tabernacle
The Courtyard
• The Courtyard Fence –Linen curtains 150 x 75 x 7½ feet.
• The Courtyard Gate – Blue, purple & scarlet curtains.
• The Bronze Altar – Acacia wood covered with bronze with horns on each
corner 7½ x 7½ x 3½ feet.
• The Bronze Laver – Bronze with mirrors (dimensions unknown).

5. The Courtyard Gate
The Colors of the Gate
• Purple – The color of royalty – Jesus is King of Kings.
• Scarlet – Color of Blood – Jesus is our sacrifice & redeemer.
• Blue – Color of heaven & divinity – Jesus is the Son of God.
The Courtyard Gate
• The gate was the only entrance into the Courtyard of the Tabernacle.
• The single gate signifies that Jesus is the only way to God.
• John 10:9a
9a “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
The Bronze Altar – Sacrificial Offerings
The Bronze Altar for Sacrificial Offerings
• Several kinds of offerings were made on the bronze altar:
‐ Burnt offering (bull, sheep, goats without blemish, or birds) (Leviticus
1:1–17).
‐ Grain offering (Leviticus 2:1–16).
‐ Peace offering (goat or lamb) (Leviticus 3:1–17).
‐ Sin offering (bull, goat, or lamb) (Leviticus 4:1–35).
‐ Trespass offering (female of the flock, lamb, goat kid, bird or grain)
(Leviticus 5–6).

6. The Bronze Altar
• The Sacrifice was necessary for forgiveness.
‐ The blood of the animal was important to justify the people before
God.
‐ A proper sacrifice was an animal that was valuable and perfect, not
flawed.
‐ Sin was serious.
‐ Only shed blood which stands for life, could pay for sin.
‐ By laying his hand on it, the person identified with the animal
sacrificed.
• Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice.
‐ The blood of animals made the people of Israel clean and forgiven
temporarily (Hebrews 9:13).
‐ The Bible says that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice and his death
makes believers clean forever, before God (Hebrews 9:11–14).
Hebrews 9:14 NIV
14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that
lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
The Bronze Laver
• The bronze laver and its bronze stand were made from the mirrors of the
women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 38:8).
• The exact size of the bronze laver is not described in Scripture.
• The bronze laver was located between the bronze altar and the
tabernacle.
• Priests washed hands and feet before entering Tabernacle.
• James 4:8 NIV
8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you double- minded.
• 1 John 1:9 NIV
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.

7. The Tabernacle Tent (Holy Place and Holy of Holies)
The Tabernacle
The Tabernacle Tent (The Holy Place and The Holy of Holies)
The Holy Place Contents
• Golden Lampstand (menorah).
• Altar of Incense.
• Table of Showbread.
• Veil curtain separating the Holy of Holies.
• Holy of Holies containing the Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat lid.

8. The Tabernacle Tent
The Tabernacle Covering
• The coverings for the Tabernacle included:
‐ The inner covering was linen and the 2nd layer made of goats’ hair
(Exodus 25:4; 26:7).
‐ The third covering was made of ram skin dyed red (Exodus 25:5;
26:14).
‐ The top covering was made of badger, porpoise, or sea cow skin
(Exodus 25:5).

9. The Golden Lampstand
• The lampstand (Exodus 25:31–40) was made of one talent of pure
hammered gold, one solid piece.
• It had a central shaft with six branches, three on each side, making it a
seven-branched lampstand.
• Each branch had knobs, flowers, and an almond-shaped bowl to hold
pure olive oil.
• The priest’s duty was to trim the wicks and keep the lamps lit.
• The lampstand was designed to provide light for the tabernacle.
• The lampstand was the first item seen upon entering the tabernacle as a
reminder to his people that God is light.
Jesus is the Light of the World
• John 8:12 NIV
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the
world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the
light of life."
• John 9:5 NIV
5 "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
The Table of Showbread
• On the table of showbread, the priests placed twelve loaves of bread (six
loaves in two stacks) made from fine flour (Leviticus 24:5–9).
• Wine was placed on the altar with the bread.
• These loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel and God’s provisions
for them.

10. Jesus is the Bread of Life (Table of Showbread)
• John 6:35 NIV
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will
never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
• John 6:51 NIV
51 "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this
bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of
the world."
Jesus as the Table of Showbread
• Luke 22:19 NIV
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them,
saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
The Altar of Incense
• The high priest burned incense upon it every morning and evening.
• The fire for the incense came from the Bronze Altar in the outer court.
• The Lord required a special sweet incense, a mixture of spices, used only
for the tabernacle (Exodus 30:35–37), to be burned on the altar of incense.
• The priest was in danger of death if any other incense was burned
(Leviticus 10:1–2).
• The incense rising with smoke is a picture of our prayers rising to heaven.
• Psalm 141:1-2
1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. 2 May
my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands
be like the evening sacrifice.

11. Jesus as The Altar of Incense
• Romans 8:34 NIV
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—
more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is
also interceding for us.
The Veil Separating The Most Holy Place
The Veil
• The veil was a divider between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place
(Holy of Holies).
• The veil was a barrier between the Holy God and sinful man.
• Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the
Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) through this veil (Leviticus 23:26–32).
The Veil - No Longer Needed with Jesus
• When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the Temple was torn from top to
bottom (Matthew 27:51).
• The torn veil symbolizes the ability of every believer, not just a high priest,
to approach God through the death of Jesus.
• Because of Jesus, sin no longer separates believers from God.
The Veil is Gone
• Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the
Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened
for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great
priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere
heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts
sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies
washed with pure water.

12. The Most Holy Place
• The Most Holy Place is also called the Holy of Holies.
• The Ark of the Covenant resided in the Most Holy Place.
• The shekinah glory of God rested upon the lid of the Ark (Mercy Seat).
• The high priest entered the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of
Atonement, to sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat (the lid of the Ark) to
atone for his sins and the people’s sins.
The Ark of the Covenant
• The contents of the Ark are listed in Hebrews 9:4 and they show God’s
desire to protect, provide, and bring life to his people. The contents
included:
‐ The stone tablets with the Ten Commandments (God protects).
‐ A jar of manna (God provides).
‐ Aaron’s rod (which budded and bore fruit showing God’s power to
bring life out of death).

13. The Contents of the Ark of the Covenant
The Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant
• The Mercy Seat was made of pure gold.
• It had a winged cherub on each side, facing each other with wings
outstretched above them, towards each other.
• The Mercy Seat was beaten or hammered from one solid piece of gold.
• It was placed on top of the Ark.
Jesus as The Mercy Seat
• Hebrews 4:14, 16 NIV
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into
heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
16 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Exodus 40:34-35 NIV
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had
settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

14. Exodus 40:36-38 NIV
36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the
tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set
out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by
day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all
their travels.

15. Imagine Jesus Christ is giving you a tour of the Tabernacle
As you come to the gate Jesus says:
• John 10:9a NIV
9a “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
As He brings you into the Tabernacle and you approach the bronze altar Jesus
reminds you that He sacrificed Himself for you:
• Hebrews 9:13-14 NIV
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those
who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly
clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our
consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living
God!

16. Imagine Jesus Christ is giving you a tour of the Tabernacle
As He leads you to the bronze laver Jesus tells you that His blood washes sins
away:
• James 4:8 NIV
8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• 1 John 1:9 NIV
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
As you enter the Holy Place you see the golden lamp stand on the left and Jesus
says:
• John 8:12 NIV
12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life."

17. Imagine Jesus Christ is giving you a tour of the Tabernacle
As you look to the right you see table of showbread and Jesus says:
• John 6:35 NIV
35 "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and
whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
Then as you approach the altar of incense Jesus reminds you the incense rising
with smoke is a picture of our prayers rising to heaven:
• Psalm 141:1-2
1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. 2 May
my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands
be like the evening sacrifice.

18. Imagine Jesus Christ is giving you a tour of the Tabernacle
As you approach the veil Jesus reminds you that, at His death, the veil of the
Temple was torn from top to bottom:
• Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the
Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened
for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great
priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere
heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts
sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies
washed with pure water.
Finally, at the Most Holy Place Jesus tells you He is High Priest and He grants
entrance to those who profess Him as Lord:
• Hebrews 4:14, 16 NIV
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into
heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
16 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

19. Next Sunday
Leviticus 1:3-9; 2:1-3; 3:1-5
Set Before
“Sacrificial Offerings”
November 5, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16 NIV
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 14:6 NIV
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.”
Romans 3:23 NIV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

20. Romans 6:23a NIV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the
penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NIV
8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually
immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be
consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Romans 5:8 NIV
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23b NIV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NIV
7 “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will
be my children.”
Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be victorious.
Romans 10:9-10 NIV
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that
you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith
and are saved.
Romans 10:13 NIV
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Have questions or would like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/