Topical Bible: Tabernacle: The One Instituted by Moses Was Called: Temple of the Lord

◄ Tabernacle: The One Instituted by Moses Was Called: Temple of the Lord ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The Tabernacle, as instituted by Moses, holds a significant place in the religious and cultural history of the Israelites. It is often referred to as the "Temple of the Lord," serving as the central place of worship and the dwelling place of God's presence among His people during their journey through the wilderness.

Biblical Foundation and Construction

The instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle were given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, as recorded in the Book of Exodus. The detailed plans are outlined in Exodus 25-31, where God commands Moses to build a sanctuary so that He may dwell among the Israelites: "And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). The Tabernacle was to be a portable structure, allowing the Israelites to carry it with them as they traveled.

The materials used for the Tabernacle were contributed by the people, including gold, silver, bronze, fine linen, and various precious stones. The construction was overseen by Bezalel and Oholiab, who were filled with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship (Exodus 31:1-6).

Structure and Components

The Tabernacle was composed of several key components, each with symbolic significance. The outer court contained the bronze altar for burnt offerings and the bronze basin for ceremonial washing. The Tabernacle itself was divided into two main sections: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies).

In the Holy Place stood the table of showbread, the golden lampstand (menorah), and the altar of incense. The Most Holy Place housed the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded, and a jar of manna. The Ark was covered by the mercy seat, where God's presence was said to dwell between the cherubim.

Function and Significance

The Tabernacle served as the focal point of Israelite worship and the center of their religious life. It was here that the priests performed sacrifices and rituals to atone for the sins of the people and to maintain the covenant relationship with God. The Tabernacle was a constant reminder of God's holiness and His desire to dwell among His chosen people.

The term "Temple of the Lord" underscores the Tabernacle's role as a sacred space where heaven and earth met, and where the divine presence was manifest. It was a precursor to the more permanent Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem, which continued the legacy of being the "house of the Lord."

Theological Implications

The Tabernacle's design and function foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ, who is seen as the ultimate fulfillment of God's desire to dwell with humanity. In the New Testament, the Gospel of John refers to Jesus as the Word who "became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John 1:14), using the Greek word "σκηνόω" (skenoo), which means "to tabernacle" or "to pitch a tent."

The Tabernacle, therefore, is not only a historical and religious artifact but also a profound theological symbol pointing to the incarnation of Christ and the establishment of a new covenant through His sacrificial death and resurrection.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 1:9
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat on a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 3:3
And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies ...
... Law, as observed above [2116](A[2]; Q[100] , A[12]; Q[101], A[2]), was instituted
that it ... Now the tabernacle was divided into two parts: one was called ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sufficient reason can be.htm

In his Temple
... from the original purpose of the service instituted by God ... The burden was so heavy,
one said; but I have ... Heb.8:2. Men reared the Jewish tabernacle; men builded ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 16 in his temple.htm

The New Covenant.
... of all the arrangements and ordinances instituted by Moses ... be better than the sacrifices
that purified the tabernacle. ... Himself to God in one eternally unbroken ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm

On the Sacrifice of the Mass
... 3) It was instituted by Our ... when we receive it and when it is reserved in the tabernacle. ...
The object offered is Our Lord's body and blood, the one suffering is ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 24 on the sacrifice.htm

Were Christ and the Apostles Mistaken?
... you to the Father; there is one that accuseth ... of Christ, when under divine direction
he instituted the passover ... the system of types, for the tabernacle and the ...
/.../concerning the assumptions of destructive criticism/iv were christ and the.htm

Scriptural Types.
... cannot be clearly announced when the type is instituted. ... 11. In the court before
the tabernacle stood the brazen ... In the one hundred and tenth psalm, which the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

At the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple.
... not of Biblical origin, but had been instituted by Judas ... to which the making of the
Tabernacle had been ... Let one example suffice: Blessed be the Merciful Who ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiv at the feast.htm

The Blood of the Testament
... what was needed even when God instituted them, for ... 4. See Metropolitan Tabernacle
Pulpit, No.759, "Jesus Putting ... Sin;" and No.2283, "Christ's One Sacrifice for ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 58 1912/the blood of the testament.htm

The Typical Significance of the Scriptures Declare their Divine ...
... and wisdom of God by suggesting that He instituted the carnal ... of a Law, the builder
of a Tabernacle, and the ... of the Temple, Solomon was the one who offered ...
/.../the divine inspiration of the bible/chapter six the typical significance.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... as also to this day the true gospel-instituted worship of ... be two rows of thess
pomegranates for one net-work ... I say, the alluring bait, with which Moses drew six ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm