Pam Padgett ... teacher
God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and led them
through the wilderness to take them to the land HE had before promised
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. While still in the wilderness, God
instructed Moses to accept from those with willing hearts offerings of
materials that would be used to build a sanctuary for God. God did not
wait until they had inhabited the land for them to build the tabernacle
and all things needed with it. God instructed them to build it while
they were in the wilderness, choosing to dwell among them in this way (the Holy Spirit was not given to dwell in the children of Israel as we have today under the new covenant) ...
Exodus 25:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of
every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my
offering. 3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold,
and silver, and brass, 4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen, and goats 'hair, 5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers 'skins,
and shittim wood, 6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for
sweet incense, 7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in
the breastplate. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell
among them.
God gave Moses the pattern to be used in building the tabernacle and
everything pertaining to it. The pattern God gave allowed the children
of Israel to carry these things as they journeyed in the wilderness.
For example, they were to build an ark overlaid with pure gold which
would contain the testimony God would give. Two rings of gold would be
put on each side of the ark. Staves overlaid with gold would be put
into the rings, allowing the ark to be carried ...
Exodus 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of
the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so
shall ye make it. 10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two
cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half
the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11 And
thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou
overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. 12 And
thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four
corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two
rings in the other side of it. 13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim
wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 And thou shalt put the staves into
the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken
from it. 16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall
give thee.
God gave them a pattern to use in making each thing they were to make. They had what was needed to make each thing according to the pattern
given by God, and they were able to carry each thing with them as they
journeyed, according to the instruction of God ....
Numbers 4:5 And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall
come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and
cover the ark of testimony with it: 6 And shall put thereon the covering
of badgers 'skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and
shall put in the staves thereof. 7 And upon the table of shewbread they
shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the
spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual
bread shall be thereon: 8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of
scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall
put in the staves thereof. 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and
cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and
his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they
minister unto it: 10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof
within a covering of badgers 'skins, and shall put it upon a bar. 11 And
upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it
with a covering of badgers 'skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12 And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they
minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover
them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar: 13
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple
cloth thereon: 14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof,
wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and
the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they
shall spread upon it a covering of badgers 'skins, and put to the staves
of it. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end
of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the
camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to
bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest
they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the
tabernacle of the congregation.
Numbers 4:24 This is the service of the families of the
Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: 25 And they shall bear the
curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his
covering, and the covering of the badgers 'skins that is above upon it,
and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 26
And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate
of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about,
and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that
is made for them: so shall they serve. 27 At the appointment of Aaron
and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in
all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto
them in charge all their burdens.
Numbers 4:29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them
after their families, by the house of their fathers; 30 From thirty
years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them,
every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the
tabernacle of the congregation. 31 And this is the charge of their
burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the
congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and
the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, 32 And the pillars of the
court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords,
with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye
shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. 33 This is
the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all
their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of
Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Its amazing to consider that not only did God lead 600,000 men plus women and children through the wilderness, but it was the will and purpose of God to have the children of Israel build a
sanctuary for Him while in the wilderness so that He would dwell with them.
Although in a wilderness, the people had the materials needed to build
these things, and the pattern God gave allowed them to be carried
as they journeyed.