20131022 Tuesday, October 22 2013
Exodus 40: The Glory Of The LORD In His Tabernacle

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ"

The Tabernacle was completed on "the first day of the first month" after the Exodus. The first Passover, outside of Egypt (see Exodus 12: The First Passover) was observed fourteen days later in the brand-new Tabernacle (see Exodus 26: The First Christian Tabernacle).

"40:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 40:2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 40:3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. 40:4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 40:5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.

40:6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 40:7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein. 40:8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.

40:9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. 40:10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy. 40:11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it." (Exodus 40:1-11 KJV)

The Levite priesthood was also then commissioned (see The Origin Of The Levite Priesthood; see also How Did The Messiah's Levite Priesthood Change? to understand how and when they fell away from Christianity to Judaism, and The Levites Of Christ for when they began to return to the Messiah).

"40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. 40:13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. 40:14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 40:15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 40:16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he." (Exodus 40:12-16 KJV)

So is was then, after all of the preparations and work (see Exodus 35: Offerings For The Tabernacle, Exodus 36: The Building Of The Tabernacle, Exodus 37: The Tabernacle Furnishings, Exodus 38: The Courtyard Of The Tabernacle and Exodus 39: The Needlework of Blue, Purple and Scarlet Linen), Christ's Tabernacle and Priesthood came into existence.

"40:17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. 40:18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. 40:19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 40:21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. 40:23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

40:24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 40:25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail: 40:27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses. 40:28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.

40:29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal. 40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: 40:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work." (Exodus 40:17-33 KJV)

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) then filled the Tabernacle with His Glory.

"40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys." (Exodus 40:34-38 KJV)

Fact Finder: The Tabernacle remained in use with the Ark of the Covenant though the forty years in the Sinai (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Sinai Journey), the entire time of Joshua (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Joshua), right through the era of the Judges (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Judges) until the time of Samuel (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Samuel). What incident caused the Ark of the Covenant to be removed from the Tabernacle, never to return to it?
See The Parting of The Ark and The Tabernacle