God gave Moses detailed instructions for building and furnishing the tabernacle. Its main function was to serve as a sanctuary where sacrifices and incense were offered on altars. The tabernacle was equipped with various other containers and furniture, including a wooden chest, to contain the two tablets of the Covenant: the famous Ark of the Covenant.
Here we teach you what the tabernacle is, what its measurements are, each of the elements that are part of its construction, and what each of these represents. In addition, we show you the archaeological evidence that this construction did exist in ancient times.
What was the tabernacle?
The tabernacle (mishkan), first mentioned in the Torah in Exodus 25, was the portable sanctuary that the Israelites carried with them into the desert. Mishkan comes from the Hebrew root meaning “to dwell”; The tabernacle was considered to be the earthly dwelling place of God.
In Exodus 25:8-9, God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to build a mikdash (sanctuary) where God can dwell, specifying exactly how the tabernacle is to be designed.
What the tabernacle looked like
The Book of Exodus goes into elaborate detail to describe the design and construction of the tabernacle.
The tabernacle was surrounded by a rectangular fence with a gate, which surrounded an outer court. In the courtyard there was an altar for holocausts (sacrifices). Deeper in the courtyard, a screen sectioned off the “Holy Place” from the rest of the area. Deeper still, a curtain created a barrier to the Holy of Holies.
tabernacle measurements
This most intimate and most holy area of the tabernacle was designated to house the ark of the covenant, the place where the tables of the law would be kept. The ark was to be made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold.
The Torah provides precise measurements to build the ark: “two cubits and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high” (Exodus 25:10).
Gold-plated acacia poles were used to transport the ark through the desert. A cover was required for the ark, with decorations of two golden cherubs (angels), one on each side, facing each other with outstretched wings.
Additional instructions include the production of ritual items: a table, “bowls, ladles, and jars,” and an intricately designed six-branched chandelier (Exodus 25: 29-38).
exodus 26 details the construction of the tabernacle, which was a tent-like structure covered with 10 strips of linen cloth. The cloth was to be made of blue, purple, and crimson thread, with the motif of the cherubs from the ark cover repeated here.
The text continues to detail the exact number of gold loops and clasps by which each cloth must be tied to the next. He adds that 11 goat-hair cloths should cover the tabernacle, connected by copper ties and clasps. Also, ram skins and dolphin skins would be used as additional covering for the tabernacle.
The meaning of the tabernacle
The tabernacle was considered to be the place where the presence of God dwelt among the Israelites, where the divine and earthly realms met. The design of the tabernacle physically represented a gradual increase in the gradations of holiness, from the outer court (intended to create a barrier from the profane realm) to the Holy of Holies.
Various commentaries interpreted the meaning of the tabernacle in different ways. Maimonides saw the tabernacle as an image of a royal palace. The Zohar, a mystical text believed to have been written in the 13th century, saw the tabernacle as a reflection of the creation process of the universe.
In fact, the Zohar points out, the language used to describe how God created the universe in the Book of Genesis is identical to the language used to describe the construction of the tabernacle in the Book of Exodus.
tabernacle model
The 19th century Russian Jewish commentator known as Malbim provided a symbolic explanation for the relevance of the tabernacle. It was not that God needed a physical sanctuary on earth, but rather that each of us is called to build a tabernacle for God in our hearts, preparing ourselves to become a sanctuary for God.
The portability of the tabernacle heralds future movements of the Jewish people in exile, where they built synagogues and houses of study wherever they emigrated. The tabernacle also stands as a symbol of the paradox of the divine presence in the world:
On the one hand, God is believed to be everywhere, or perhaps, as Malbim argues, in human hearts, but on the other hand, the tabernacle (and later the Temple in Jerusalem and synagogues throughout the world) represents a physical location where humans can experience a connection with God.
The tabernacle vs. the temple
The Holy Temple in Jerusalem, first built in 957 B.C. C. by King Solomon, it became the permanent sanctuary for the Israelites, in order to worship God (until it was destroyed and then rebuilt, and demolished again). The tabernacle was the portable sanctuary they used while wandering in the wilderness.
Archaeological evidence of the tabernacle
In 2013, it was reported that possible evidence of the tabernacle had been found in the ancient West Bank city of Shiloh. They discovered holes cut into the rock that could have been used to buttress the wooden beams of the tabernacle.
Previous investigations at the site had also found remains of possibly slaughtered animals and evidence of pools where the High Priest may have cleaned himself in preparation for entering the tabernacle.
Importance and function of the tabernacle
Part of the importance of the tabernacle is seen through the placement of the block of material in the Book of Exodus. The book contains three segments: chapters 1-15, the account of the liberation from Egypt, culminating in the crossing of the Red Sea; chapters 16-24, the account of the trip to Sinai, which culminates in the sealing of the covenant; and chapters 25-40, the account of the construction of the tabernacle, which culminates in its fullness with the glory of God.
This literary structure shows that the ultimate need of the people was not freedom from physical oppression or theological darkness, but from alienation from God. Liberation from slavery and spiritual darkness are not ends, but means to the end of communion with God. This is the meaning of the title “tabernacle.”
“Apparently first applied to the temporary tent where Moses met God before the tabernacle was completed (33:7), the phrase aptly sums up the function of the tabernacle. Not only the structure symbolizes God’s presence with his people; it also shows how sinful people can enter and live in the presence of a holy God.
The incident of the golden calf, reported among the instructions for the tabernacle and its construction, highlights both the meaning and the function of the tabernacle. The people recognized that they needed divine protection and guidance, especially in light of Moses’ inexplicable failure to return from the mountain (32:1).
The tragedy of the story is that, at the very moment that they were demanding that Aaron meet their needs, God was giving Moses the instructions to meet those needs in a much more complete way than Aaron’s feeble efforts.
When human needs are met God’s way, the results far exceed anything we can conceive of on our own. The golden calf could hardly be compared to the tabernacle. In the tabernacle there was beauty of design, color, texture, and form.
There was a satisfying diversity in objects and spaces. There was a sense of movement through separate stages from the profane to the sacred. There was deep symbolism, but evidently, it was capable of conveying multiple truths to different people.
What was the tabernacle intended to show, and what do its components represent?
Beyond a tangible representation of God’s presence, the tabernacle is also intended to teach through visual means the theological principles by which that presence is possible. Care needs to be taken at this point because the Bible does not explain all of the visual symbolism, and too much energy can be spent on speculation.
However, the main lines are clear enough. The color white, which was especially prominent in court linen draperies, draws attention to the purity of God and the necessary purity of those who would live in his presence.
The color blue, purple, red, and the gold and silver accents
Blue speaks of the transcendence of God; purple, of his royalty; and red, from the blood that must be shed so that a holy God can live with a sinful human. The gold and silver accents that occurred throughout the structure speak of the riches of the divine realm and its blessings.
The most significant symbolism is surely the one found in the arrangement of spaces and objects. The court itself speaks of the separation between God and the sinner. It is impossible for us to come into the presence of God in our normal state.
This chasm is reinforced by the veil at the door of the Holy Place, and by the one that closed the Holy of Holies. It is impossible that good intentions and honest effort can lead us to God. We come in the way he has dictated, or not at all.
The altar and the fountain
How is it possible that we reach the presence of God who is life itself? The tabernacle shows the way. The first object found is the altar. Here, in the starkest visual terms, is the representation of the truth that “without bloodshed there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).
Behind the altar is the fountain. Here we are reminded that God is clean. “Clean” describes the essential character of God, who is faithful, upright, merciful, and true. To be impure is not to share that character, and what does not share God’s character cannot exist in his burning presence (Isaiah 6:5).
Therefore, it is necessary that those who enter his presence be washed and cleansed (Psalm 51:7), and the source represents both that need and that possibility.
The table and the loaves of bread
Inside the Holy Place, three objects demand attention. To the right is a table with twelve loaves of bread. Pagan temples are where the gods were believed to sit and eat. But in the tabernacle of Israel is where it was understood that God fed his people (Psalm 23:5). He didn’t need foodPsalm 50: 12-13), but Israel was hungry for him (Psalm 107:9; Isaiah 65:13).
The candelabrum
To the left was the chandelier where the light was never let out. This represented the light that God was to his people in the dark world of sin (Psalm 27:1). Directly in front of the worshiper at the far end of the space was the incense altar.
Here the incense burned day and night,…