What is the meaning of Exodus 36:22? Two tenons were connected - The frames of the tabernacle were solid planks of acacia wood, “each frame had two tenons connected to one another” (Exodus 36:22). - A tenon is a projecting peg; the presence of two pegs ensured perfect stability when inserted into the matching silver bases described earlier (Exodus 26:19). - God’s design shows that His dwelling place must be secure and unmoving. The same theme recurs when the Apostle Paul calls believers “God’s building” and insists that “each one must be careful how he builds” (1 Colossians 3:9–10). - Just as the tenons anchored every board, so Christ anchors His people: “The firm foundation of God stands” (2 Titus 2:19). to each other for each frame - The two tenons on every board were “connected to one another,” highlighting perfect alignment. No frame was allowed to jut out or stand aloof. - Together they formed a seamless wall, prefiguring the unity of the redeemed: “we, though many, are one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5) and are “fitted together” into a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21). - Because every frame shared the same design, no single piece drew attention to itself. Likewise, mature believers “do nothing out of selfish ambition” (Philippians 2:3) but serve in harmony. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way - Moses’ craftsmen did not improvise; they followed the heavenly pattern shown on the mountain (Exodus 25:9, 40). Uniform obedience produced a structure worthy of God’s glory. - The repetition—“all the frames… in this way”—underscores consistency. God’s people today are to build with the same consistency: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Colossians 14:40). - Every board, every socket, every tenon testified to the faithfulness of the workers and, above all, to the faithfulness of the God who gave the blueprint (Hebrews 3:5–6). summary Exodus 36:22 records more than carpentry; it reveals God’s insistence on a stable, unified, and consistently constructed dwelling. Two matching tenons secured each frame, portraying the firmness that Christ provides. Their perfect alignment prefigured the unity of His people. And the fact that every board was made “in this way” shows that God’s work must follow God’s pattern. The verse calls us to build our lives and our churches with the same stability, unity, and steadfast obedience. |
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