105 - A Tent Like No Other!

You pick up your Bible and wonder, is there more here than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper may look like just print on the page but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than one camping tent hello yeah Boy Scouts we have the dexterity and buggy and you sweep at the desk drag as well. Not lectures wanted to see God's tent in the midst of Israel know today my morning well wonderful, good morning to you on Jim and Dorothy and I were delighted were delighted to be ourselves as we are so we are we are reading through Exodus and people never think of Exodus is a book to actually just read it just amuses the story of them leaving Egypt, so I know that I know the plot is good. They get out the school depend on what they've seen in the movie yet that's right that's right, and when.

And once you're past the big action which as you know, crossing the Red Sea and stuff like that. It seems like his partner and right now were action. Chapter 26 is kind of boring but so is very intriguing it's it's really unusually unexpected well and I think that the idea that it's boring comes from the fact that you know I start into that actual theology part with the 10 Commandments and then there's the God said this and God said that God said this do this and doubt that. And that's what most people take away and they can wash out in their reading, their pets really only a few chapters if you press on the story develops kind of in between these long sections of talking about what God has said or what got us instructed.

But even this is quite fascinating and we made this we set this up last time is that since right now at the top of Mount Sinai and Moses with God is getting all the stuff from God do not remember the scene you see in the movie were Moses comes over still the top amount against giving him instructions but in a very short amount of time here working to move away from Mount Sinai to continue the trek toward the promised land. Everyone gets in their tents and moves their camels and their oxen were going on the road again for the Sinai for a year I don't, but what I'm getting to is that were going to break camp. Sinai eventually we do break camp. God was to travel with them as one of them in a tent like they are intense and so today were coming to this whole thing about setting up this tent in the tent is called the tabernacle is just a it's a portable temporary dwelling place and in God west of visibly be seen as living among some in this tabernacle and yet he's very specific about what his tent looks like that's kind of over the middle of right here. Tabernacle is is the central picture. In this part of Exodus right that the big picture is God delivering his people out of Egypt, but when he brought them out into the wilderness he gave them three things out there. The primary thing was the tabernacle that tent that would move with them and gave them man. He gave them bread every day and keep them his word, his law, what how to properly relate to him in everyday life and so those three things are really the central ideas in this part of the book of Exodus, but we don't want to miss the point that God's intention is to live with his people right. That's why this does with his hall happening God's intention is the one you want to live in their midst. In fact, coming to Google plus boiler not too long after we get on the road again for the promised land.

He actually spells out how they're going to do their encampments were trying to cheer tent discounts roam anywhere actually know you don't but will get to that.

But in the center of the encampment is God and each tribe had its assigned place in that camp so got one to be visibly in the center amongst his people and that's what the tabernacle is for and were gonna learn a lot about who God is.

Based on what his tent looks like a look at today. Okay so when we talked last week about those that the furnishing furnishings is a central part of God's tent that holy place really only a very few things in it right.

Hardly we talked about this last week the ark of the covenant, which was basically a container gold box in which was the testimony of God. The table of the brand of the presence and the lampstand which was lit all the time. And then there was 1/4 thing that was in that tent, but we don't get the details on that for several chapters in there there's probably a reason for that because it's the altar of incense and is related to the ministry.

The daily ministry of the priest said when and what we have talked yet about the actual priests were just talking about the furnishings in God's tent in that place where he dwells right in the middle. Okay so we've got the furnishings figured out super one. Do you know but we haven't talked about with the tent. Looks like at all. What is, and we we talked last time that God's tent got your house reflects who you are. Will God wants to reflect who he is and where he lives and what is in burns like my by making his tent look like an extraordinary amount of detail here. That question was ringing in my mind all the way, reading this to think about it.

Such careful detail so I hope will circle back to that question after we've read it so I guess as we read this and see attacks your attention. God wants to make sure his tent represents him.

And so here we go. In chapter 26 okay, I never really look at his tent and how it should be constructed. Chapter 2021 okay. Moreover, you shall make it tabernacle with 10 curtains a fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns.

You shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.

The length of each curtain shall be 28 cubits, and the breadth of each carton for qubits and all the curtains shall be the same size 5 curtains shall be coupled to one another and the other five cartons shall be coupled to one another and you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise, you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain. The second set 50 loops you shall make on the one carton and 50 loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that's in the second set. The loops shall be opposite one another and you shall make 50 clasps of and couple the curtains one together with the clasps said that the tabernacle may be a single whole. Okay so were talking tent. The primary covering structure but tent fabric so this particular case is not can be one layer, but this is the first layer and the first layer is made out of linen, which is a very expensive very high quality thing and it's it's it's colored blue and purple and red. So which were expensive in themselves, they are extravagant, but linen is a plant fiber that actually was used in Egypt flexes from flat to Seattle. I know that they grew flax in Egypt is a very fabric of way.

Before that, you can still buy linen today, but it's very strong it's very absorbent and it dries very fast in the dry heat so it it makes a really excellent wallcovering. That's right next to where you're going to be in this would be you know this is not your standard tent.

This would be a very artistic wallcovering meeting were talking about saturated colors and pictures of cherubim cherubim woven in this skillfully worked to weaving of the of the wall fabric talk about that skillfully worked skillful work. I guess you later on in the book when God says now he's going to invest gifts in particular people in order to execute all of this detail busy.

I would expect is for design of a tender member camping a Boy Scout canvas tents. They were just can account some bugs us keep the bugs that keep the water up with this is what extravagant you to stick it is interesting that these curtains have such specific dimensions. Remember it's portable, so every piece of you couldn't just roll up a massive 15' x 40 5 ft.² tent and carry it.

It had to break down into pieces that were portable by an individual or a couple of evangelists so that's probably the significance of the size and shape of the panel so we have these panels that are right. I turned into feet that are 6 feet 142 feet long. Got 10 of those so you know if you if you laid those on the ground side-by-side just to make the biggest square you could it would come out to be 42 feet wide by 60 feet long. It would be a big thing you can tell they're not quite that way I know, but I will say that that is such an unwieldy size piece of that right that's right strip so they can take them back together and instead of stitching it all together. They put together with loops does interesting loops and gold class holes clasps. Yes, I'll get even the even the hardware is made of a precious metal so will this move on. This is layer 1. Okay that's right because there are several layers and this is a layer that would inside of the tent so when you come in you'll see these blue, purple, red, and cherubim all over and we talked about the cherubim last week that they are. They represent guardians of God's holiness or guardians of his throne is where we see them occurring in Scripture. Okay let's arena seven chapters ever said you shall also make curtains of goat's hair tent over the tabernacle. Okay, so we first had the curtains that were the walls of the tabernacle. Now were making a tent that goes over the tabernacle. 11. Curtains shall you make, and these are going here right okay verse eight, the length of each curtain shall be 30 qubits in the breadth of each curtain for qubits the 11 curtains shall be the same size you shall couple five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. You shall make 50 loops on the edge of the curtain that's outermost in one set and 50 loops on the edge of the curtain that's outermost in the second set.

You shall make 50 clasps of bronze and put the clasps into the loops and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. Okay so that's it. A repeated idea.

The tent is clasped together so that it functions as a single whole, but is made up of many part.

So instead of sowing these panels together, you're looping them together right with this class was the class this time not go but bronze but bronze we might come back to that and the part that remains of the curtains of the tent the half curtain that remains shall hang over the back of the tabernacle and the extra remains in the length of the curtains, the Cuban on one side and the Cuban on the other side shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and that side to cover it and you shall make for the tent covering another hand ram skins and a covering of goat skins on top so you got four layers poorly on the linen inside. Then when I got tent over the tabernacle goes here and then we got a covering over the tent of ram skins and a covering over and that goatskin two different kinds of skip right this is thick well. It also seems very watertight yes it would be protected against the elements.

It would be able to stand up in a fairly fierce onslaught of sandstorm or duster, whatever.

And also if you just do a slight mist over like you to cover up all the cracks in the wood lights giving that's true.

I had thought about that. That's a big deal to so this is this is a big structure can be can be assembled in layers in each layer can be disassembled as well which is which is to be a big deal because pretty soon a portion of the Levites's only job that drives down backup so you mentioned last time, but did you see that the goat skins may not should be goatskin but porpoise symptoms is translated purpose, but there's a lot of debate in ancient word, nobody knows exactly what it means.

But as some, it's clear that it's some kind of skin some kind of skin. So now we have you know it is interesting to note that the the size of the goat here layer is slightly larger than the size of the original linen layer but if it's only open because of the time. I want to go up and go larger so so that's what school do we have so you know when you do a tent usually have two basic component you have the fabric and then you have a frame right so far we don't have a frame well before we get to the frame. We talk about the effect of the four layers being it would be very quiet, yet it should be.

Normally, the tenant can hear a clear wall you can see where they go all right but with all of these layers then not just the permeable fabric, but the very firm goatskin and and the other kind asking whenever that is not only be dark. It would be very quiet insulated and have a sense of definitely separation from the outside elements in their I've come in contact with the goat hair tent once instinct is not all. Some time ago there was a display to display action was accountable hosting center going back in action have a reception for wedding and stuff like that one part of this area was they called Abraham's area and was basically a goatskin tent goat hair tent and I remember it was just a little bit a little bit higher than my head. My head brushed against it so your my head was right next to it stinky, but it's kinda like a really course felt it was really in texture you feeling what the world is that you could see the hairs but they were pushed together like filters and and it was really quite in there and it was also the top of that tent. That's got to go chair was in the direct sun but in the bottom of my head was, it wasn't that I would be insulting to insulate those is kind of an interesting deal, but it did stink so there you go you will go on to talk about about the bronze well studied goal. Well, as we move from the innermost very precious parts of the tabernacle more toward the outer parts that have to stand up against the elements. It makes sense that we would move toward bronze their symbolism also attached a bronze that unfolds in the Scripture, and bronze is often associated with judgment so and work in a scene that comes when we come to talk about the bronze altar in a couple of weeks but I is just interesting to me.

The guy was specific enough to say now all the hardware is not made out of the same thing right.

The precious stuff that you see inside the precious stuff that represents basically God himself to be the precious school right and in that unique we could talk for days about the symbolism about the progression of the layers because you have something very artistic, very chair like on the inside with gold clasps on and then you move move incrementally toward the outside world right and it gets more more fallen in the same time you go from gold to broadcast go to goat hair and then you go to the skins of animals have been killed. So there's this kind of progression from the holy to the very common and the kind of fallen so even this picture of the construction of the tabernacle is an it teaches us some things it says something that God it says something about how we come into that very innermost place to meet with him as he said to Moses on with you there between the wings of the cherubim and and it teaches us about ourselves right because it's a three-part building and will get into this as we as we go on in the next two weeks, but there's that innermost place where the ark and the precious things are and then outermost place the bread of the presence of our outer place right the holy place, instead of the holy of holies and then later on will come to the outer court, which was open to the sky wasn't covered over you all just put out before we leave the fabric Boy Scouts was enough just to have a single layer because that would that would effectively shield you from rain really needed but here there's more about sense that this is a separation from rain itself completely separate yeah like set apart although it's in the world is not really of the rows separated by this fabric is more than just a protection from rain and the claimant is actually a separation and that's an important theological and it was get to the frame what you say okay figure how to support this. Okay so verse 15 you shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood 10 cubits shall be the length of the frame, and a cubit and 1/2. The breadth of each frame.

There shall be two tannins in each frame for fitting together so you shall do for all the friends of the tabernacle.

You shall make the frames for the tabernacle. 20 frames for the south side and 40 bases of silver.

You shall make under the 20 frames two bases under one frame for its two tannins and two bases under the next frame for its two tannins and for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side 20 frames and their 40 bases of silver, two bases under one frame and two bases under the next frame and for the rear of the tabernacle westward. You shall make six frames and you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear. They shall be separate beneath the joint at the top. At the first ring. That's it shall be with both of them. They shall form the two corners and there shall be eight frames with their bases of silver, 16 bases, two bases, one underwent two bases under one frame into bases under another frame. You should make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side, the tabernacle and five bars for the frames and the other side of the tabernacle and five bars for the frames and the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward in the middle the middle bar halfway up the frames shall run from end to end. You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their gold, their rings of gold for holders for the bars and you shall overlay the bars with gold, then you shall erect the tabernacle. According to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain so let me summarize what we have here from an engineering perspective as we get some things to say were only got a raise up supporting frames on three of the four side on the north side, south side, which are both 2020 frames wide and then the west side which is which is where the holy voice is so so we have on the order of about almost 50 or 60.

These frames and these frames are very skinny there just a little over 2 feet wide and 15 feet tall so there there. These push-up frames. Some people think that the planks of wood. I don't think the I think they're open frames. I got a good reason for whites was like a rectangle to construct this tabernacle to take 20 of them side-by-side and you push them up in the years we have a 15 foot high wall that's 20 frames long and then you do that on the north side and the south side and then you do that. Also on the left on the west side, but use fewer their use six or eight depending on how you count it so it's skinnier side. So now you pushed up all of these frames into the air and the intention and is going to take the fabric. We just had just thrown over the top of the spring, then you have these bars that run through the mail that stabilize the horizontal right to keep them from wiggling in and out and there held in by rings as well so you have you have a nice structure of these polls, occasional poles, but the premeeting frame, but think of having almost 66. These are more like 50s my 50 of these frames your tote around with you all the time and the frames are just 2 feet wide and 15 feet total push them up into the air and attachable to give bars some 15 feet is pretty.

That's really tall. I mean an instant.

Our standard construction today.

That's two stories. If you have a two-story building usually measure around eight, 18 feet to store so it's safe to say that the tabernacle would be the tallest building in the camp very much so that no matter where you were in the camp you would be able to see the top of it yet very much so so now we have these push-up frames tied together with bars through the cloth over the top of but what's disturbing is we don't have anything on one whole side of this force, let's get that instruction later. That's coming exactly at this point the instructions the Eastside is open and he knows about the veil of the temple, but we don't get that instruction just yet. Right right still missing some fat when addressing some important things is at this point we just been told about the ark. The table of the bread of the presence in the lampstand and there just in there to be in this room right but we know that later on this coming veil that will separate the ark from the rest of the importance of the structures not done, but we do have the outer structure done right here in terms of how you put up this tabernacle, the kindness summarizes though since we just got a couple minutes left. If someone in the village and you're a priest because you're a priest going here and other people don't. If you're presupposing and you see that the construction at this stage and some of the village says when you going there.

What is it look like what would you describe to them as you walked in this stage of things with this much put together. It's huge. It's huge perplexed for really tall yeller than anybody rationally what erect feet tall, about how deep is about 45 and 45 feet from the front of the then what would you see around the walls and on the ceiling goals gold rings and then it says fine linen, with beautiful colors, deep saturated colors in it and artistic workings of cherubim, all is not like anything anybody else has in there tend to this is this place set apart. In fact, you could say to the village you could say I walk in and you're surrounded by colors chair everywhere you look to the left to the right rear overhead you're surrounded by numerous chair and is very quiet and it's very quiet because it's insulated from the outside and in. So far we have enclosed up the entry but it you know it would be dark and therefore wasn't for lampstand minutes and it's a big vacuous space but is not done yet because were stilling to separate into two rooms and we also still need to figure out how to separate the two rooms and we need to figure out something new about the entrance to talk nothing about you that everyone walks in through but would be really a stunning thing.

I think almost it would be awe-inspiring to walk in the middle of this gigantic very light room surrounded by numerous Angels and cherubim and these deeply, deeply saturated colors of royalty and expense.

I mean, it would it would just take your breath away. And on top of that the counterweight at the base of all these panels to hold them down. The ground is solid bars of soap. It's crazy. I mean it would be just awe-inspiring.

As you walk and say this is this is unlike anything I have ever seen on your management to do that it's meant to tell you that this is this is not the earth. This is God. God's tent among you, and this looks more like his real home than anything you ever walked into before which should give you pause to walk very far into it as well.

Indeed, nobody goes in there except the priests into the holy place to take care of the bread and in the lighting of the lamps, so this point they could see it but you could see what is not built yet were still not getting instructions. I know I'm just gonna just envisioning his inking about what this looks like at this stage of construction. That's why think the frames actually were just polls in a rectangle so you can actually see through them and see the linen on the other side so you see these poles holding up soon. Anyway, we got one minute left any going to next time, and when we haven't finished the tabernacle. So your dimension. I think were going to the veil.

We are to separate the holy place from them is to big room right and and embroider something about the entry. Yes, but this is kind of the end of the part of what's right inside the tent right right now. Start talking about about the outer stuff the altar and other things coming veil to the veil is kind of finish that part. Yeah, it's not you. Now just bear in mind that when you entered God's tent wedding find bread presents the place where he nourishes find the lampstand God himself giving you nation and you find our container that contains his word. Very precious place where he needs and you're surrounded this is what is next. Temperament complete filling out the tabernacle God's tent more about where you come from is all about come back with us next time on more than mainstream church is solely responsible to contact us with your questions or comments. We