The Tabernacle of Moses - Mount Sinai | Exodus Bible Study
The Tabernacle — God Dwelling Among His People
The Tabernacle was the portable sanctuary God commanded Moses and the children of Israel to construct after their deliverance from Egypt. God gave Moses the pattern at Mount Sinai, with the principal instructions recorded in Exodus 25–31 and the construction in Exodus 35–40. It was designed to travel with Israel through the wilderness.
God told Moses:
“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.” — Exodus 25:9 KJV
The Tabernacle was therefore not Moses' invention. Its arrangement, furnishings, priesthood, sacrifices, and worship were established according to God's instructions.
When the work was completed, Moses erected it, and the glory of the LORD filled it:
“Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” — Exodus 40:34 KJV
The cloud and fire also accompanied Israel's journeys, visibly demonstrating God's presence and guidance among His covenant people.
The Hebrew word commonly translated tabernacle, mishkan, comes from a root associated with dwelling or settling.
God had delivered Israel from Egypt, brought them into covenant with Himself, and now established His sanctuary among them.
God dwelling in the midst of His redeemed people.
The Structure of the Tabernacle
The Outer Court
The Tabernacle complex included an outer court.
Within the court stood the brazen altar, where sacrifices were offered, and the laver, associated with priestly washing.
The arrangement emphasized an important truth: sinful humanity could not casually approach a holy God.
Sacrifice, cleansing, priesthood, and God's prescribed order were central to Israel's worship.
The Holy Place
Inside the tent, the first chamber was the Holy Place.
It contained the golden candlestick, the table of shewbread, and the altar of incense.
These objects belonged to Israel's appointed worship and priestly service.
The priests regularly entered this portion of the sanctuary to perform their duties.
The Most Holy Place
Beyond the veil was the innermost chamber—the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies.
There stood the ark of the covenant, with the mercy seat associated with it.
The veil marked a boundary.
Under the Mosaic covenant, entrance into the Most Holy Place was highly restricted. Hebrews explains that the high priest entered the second portion alone, and only at the appointed time with sacrificial blood.
God desired to dwell among His people, yet God is holy and must be approached according to His appointed way.
The Tabernacle and God's Presence
The Tabernacle itself was not meant to imply that the infinite God could be contained within a tent.
Rather, it was the place where God chose to manifest His presence among Israel according to His covenant.
The climax of Exodus makes this unmistakable.
The same God who had revealed Himself to Moses, judged Egypt, divided the Red Sea, and brought Israel to Sinai now placed His glory in their midst.
Israel was not traveling through the wilderness alone.
God was among them.
The Tabernacle Was Made According to a Pattern
God repeatedly emphasized that Moses must follow the pattern he had been shown.
“And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.” — Exodus 25:40 KJV
The New Testament returns to this point in Hebrews 8:5, describing the earthly sanctuary as an “example and shadow of heavenly things.”
Therefore, the Tabernacle should not be studied merely as ancient architecture.
It belonged to God's unfolding revelation of holiness, sacrifice, priesthood, covenant, worship, and access to His presence.
The Tabernacle Points Us Toward Christ
The book of Hebrews gives Christians the clearest inspired framework for understanding the Tabernacle in relation to Jesus Christ.
The earthly priesthood, sacrifices, sanctuary, and repeated ceremonies were not the final reality.
Hebrews presents Jesus as the greater High Priest and His sacrifice as the once-for-all sacrifice accomplishing what animal sacrifices could never finally accomplish.
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands…” — Hebrews 9:11 KJV
The Tabernacle helps us understand why the New Testament speaks so powerfully about blood, sacrifice, cleansing, priesthood, holiness, mercy, covenant, and access to God.
From the Tabernacle to God's Greater Redemptive Purpose
There is a beautiful biblical progression.
In Exodus, God says:
“that I may dwell among them.”
Then John describes the coming of Jesus:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” — John 1:14 KJV
And Revelation ultimately declares:
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them…” — Revelation 21:3 KJV
From Exodus to Revelation, one great theme continues:
God dwelling with His redeemed people.
Personal Application
The Tabernacle teaches us not to approach God carelessly.
God is loving, but He is also holy. Israel could not invent its own way into His presence. God established the way of approach.
For the Christian, our confidence is not in an earthly tent, an animal sacrifice, or an earthly high priest.
Our confidence is in Jesus Christ.
The Tabernacle therefore teaches us to appreciate more deeply what Christ has accomplished. What was pictured through sacrifice, priesthood, blood, cleansing, and sanctuary finds its greater New Covenant reality in Him.
The Tabernacle begins with God's remarkable desire:
“that I may dwell among them.”
That is the heart of the sanctuary. God redeemed a people, established His covenant, and placed His
presence among them. And through Christ, the biblical story moves toward its glorious conclusion:
God dwelling with His redeemed people forever.
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