EXODUS LESSON 44

    We will continue this lesson in Exodus 25:22 "And there I will
meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy
seat, from between the two cherubims which [are] upon the ark of the
testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto
the children of Israel."

    God did not want Israel to have an earthly king.  God's plan was
that He would rule the people Himself.  Moses would come to the Holy
of Holies, and God would tell Moses what to tell the people.  God's
presence would be directly above the mercy seat, which covered the ark
that contained the testimony. The Lord's desire was to fellowship with
His people. The fact that the law was inside the ark, and the mercy
seat covered it, and the blood of the Lamb was spread on the mercy
seat shows us that God wanted to have mercy on man, instead of
judgement. When God looks down, He sees the shed blood of the Lamb and
has mercy.

    Exodus 25:23  "Thou shalt also make a table [of] shittim wood: two
cubits [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof,
and a cubit and a half the height thereof."

    This "table" is 3 feet long, 18 inches wide and 27 inches high
made, again, with shittim wood.  This table of wood was symbolic of
earthliness. It would have to be covered with gold.

    Exodus 25:24 "And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make
thereto a crown of gold round about."

    Here, again, in the presence of God, everything had to be gold, or
24 kt overlay.

    Exodus 25:25 "And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand
breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border
thereof round about."

    This was like a raised place about 6 inches wide of gold around the
table.

    Exodus 25:26 "And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and
put the rings in the four corners that [are] on the four feet
thereof."

    Here, again, the "four rings of gold" were so the people who
carried the table would not have to touch it.

    Exodus 25:27 "Over against the border shall the rings be for
places of the staves to bear the table." Exodus 25:28 "And thou shalt
make the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that
the table may be borne with them."

    These poles went through the rings, and the men carried them with
the poles.

    Exodus 25:29 "And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons
thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: [of]
pure gold shalt thou make them."

    These "dishes", like everything else that came in close contact
with God, had to be 24 kt gold, or 24 kt gold overlay.  These were,
probably, the vessels in which the bread was brought to the table.
These were, also, the incense holders. Some of these vessels were used
in the drink offerings.

    Exodus 25:30 "And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before
me alway."

    Jesus is the Bread of Life.  These loaves were to be a continuous
offering. We must eat of the Bread of Life every day to be able to
live victorious lives. Salvation is a daily walk.  The Bread (Bible)
must be consumed continuously to keep us on the right track.

    Exodus 25:31  "And thou shalt make a candlestick [of] pure gold:
[of] beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his
branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the
same."

    Here, again, the Light of the world is Jesus Christ.  This
"candlestick" symbolizes Him. This was all pure 24 kt gold. These
"flowers", "knops", etc. were decorations on the candlestick.

    Exodus 25:32 "And six branches shall come out of the sides of it;
three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three
branches of the candlestick out of the other side:"

    This was just saying that there were six stems, besides the main stem
which holds light. This made seven lights coming from this candlestick. In Revelation chapter 4, verse 5 we read, "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." Now, whether this was the same, or not, we have no way of knowing. If it was the same, the seven holders of burning light symbolized the seven Spirits of God, here, in the Holy place in the tabernacle.

    Exodus 25:33 "Three bowls made like unto almonds, [with] a knop
and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the
other branch, [with] a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that
come out of the candlestick."

    This was just saying, that each stem that cames out of the main
candlestick stand, had three decorations for the light stem.  The
shape of the light container was like an almond. Each was decorated
with three knops and three flowers. This "knop" meant a wreath-like
button. A decoration is the explanation of the knop.

    Exodus 25:34 "And in the candlestick [shall be] four bowls made
like unto almonds, [with] their knops and their flowers."

    Each stem had three decorations on the light stem, but the center
had four places decorated one after the other.

    Exodus 25:35 "And [there shall be] a knop under two branches of
the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under
two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed
out of the candlestick."

    This was just explaining how this was put together.  The buttons were
on the bottom side of the bowls.

    Exodus 25:36 "Their knops and their branches shall be of the same:
all it [shall be] one beaten work [of] pure gold."

    This was to have no other metals, or no alloy at all.  This hadto be
24 kt gold, also.

    Exodus 25:37 "And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and
they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over
against it."

    These lights were never to go out. They were to burn continuously.
This was symbolic of the fact that the power of Jesus in our lives
shall never be diminished. He is a continuous light in our lives.

    Exodus 25:38 "And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof,
[shall be of] pure gold."

    This "snuffdish" was something with which to pick up the fragments
from the wicks. These tongs were used in trimming the wicks of the
lamps. They, too, were to be made of pure gold.

    Exodus 25:39 "[Of] a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with
all these vessels."

    This "talent of pure gold" would have been worth over $25,000 in
U.S. money. This was speaking of the small vessels.

    Exodus 25:40 "And look that thou make [them] after their pattern,
which was shewed thee in the mount."

    He was not to vary in design, or raw material, or size, or even in
the most minute point; but was to make everything exactly as he had
seen, and by God's instruction.

    The tabernacle, and everything in it, was God caring for mankind.
This was a place where God met with man.







                          Exodus 44 Questions

1.  Where will God commune with Moses?
2.  Who was to rule Israel?
3.  How do we know that God wanted to have mercy on His people?
4.  What was the table to be made of?
5.  What were the dimensions of the table?
6.  What covered the ark?
7.  What was it made of?
8.  How wide was the border on the table to be?
9.  Where were the four gold rings to be mounted?
10. What were the rings used for?
11. What were all of the small vessels to be made of?
12. What were some of the things these vessels were used for?
13. Who is the Bread of Life?
14. Salvation is a --------- --------.
15. What metal was the candlestick to be made of?
16. Who is the Light of the world?
17. What were the flowers and knops?
18. How many light holders were on the candlestick?
19. What were they, perhaps, symbolic of?
20. What was different about the center stand and the six stems that
    branched off from it?
21. How often were the lights to burn?
22. What was the snuffdish for?
23. What was the use of the tongs?
24. About what was the worth of a talent of gold?
25. What did God warn Moses to do?
26. What was the tabernacle and everything in it, really?