In The Word
Read: Exodus 26-27
Curtains of Linen
26 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and violet, purple, and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements. 3 Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. 4 You shall make loops of violet on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 5 You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. 6 You shall also make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.
Curtains of Goats’ Hair
7 “Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair as a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measurements. 9 You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.
11 “You shall also make fifty clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it will be a unit. 12 The overhanging part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other, to cover it. 14 And you shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of fine leather above.
Boards and Bases
15 “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17 There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; that is what you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19 You shall make forty bases of silver under the twenty boards, two bases under one board for its two tenons and two bases under another board for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21 and their forty bases of silver; two bases under one board and two bases under another board. 22 For the back of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23 You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the back. 24 They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; this is how it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25 And there shall be eight boards with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one board and two bases under another board.
26 “Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the back side to the west. 28 The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29 And you shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown on the mountain.
The Veil and Curtain
31 “You shall also make a veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 32 Then you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve as a partition for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. 34 You shall put the atoning cover on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
36 “You shall also make a curtain for the doorway of the tent of violet, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37 And you shall make five pillars of acacia for the curtain and overlay them with gold, their hooks also of gold; and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.
The Bronze Altar
27 “Now you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 And you shall make its pails for removing its ashes, and its shovels, its basins, its forks, and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall also make for it a grating, a netting of bronze, and on the netting you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 And you shall put it under the ledge of the altar, so that the netting will reach halfway up the altar. 6 You shall also make carrying poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood and overlay them with bronze. 7 Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so that the poles will be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8 You shall make it hollow with planks; as it was shown to you on the mountain, so they shall make it.
Courtyard of the Tabernacle
9 “Now you shall make the courtyard of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the courtyard of fine twisted linen, a hundred cubits long for one side; 10 and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty bases of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 11 Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty bases of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 12 For the width of the courtyard on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits, with their ten pillars and their ten bases. 13 The width of the courtyard on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bases. 15 And for the other side there shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bases. 16 And for the gate of the courtyard there shall be a curtain of twenty cubits, of violet, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, with their four pillars and their four bases. 17 All the pillars around the courtyard shall be joined together with silver, with their hooks of silver and their bases of bronze. 18 The length of the courtyard shall be a hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their bases of bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the courtyard, shall be of bronze.
20 “And you shall command the sons of Israel that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall be a permanent statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
We read today in Exodus 26 and 27 a conclusion of the tabernacle that God commanded Moses to build. One of the items God commanded to put on the altar was “Flesh hooks.” I don’t know about you, but when I read that word I cringed a little. I am not sure if you have ever seen a flesh hook before, but it looks like what you think it would. It is a rather large hook made to go through the flesh of an animal that was to be sacrificed. The flesh hook was utilized in order to stabilize the animal and be sure it did not crawl off the altar. Did you know the Bible says in Romans 12:1 that we too are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices? Wow, that is a scary thought!
I once heard a wise man say, “The only problem with a living sacrifice is it keeps trying to climb off the altar.” That statement was meant to be humorous, but how much truth it bears! When I look at Christians today, many are willing to follow Christ; however, once it cost them something, they want to climb off the altar. These are weak and unstable people, and they will not be able to stand under persecution, trials, or temptations. As loyal and committed Christians, God has called us to put our own flesh hooks in. They will cause us to stand firm no matter what the devil throws our way!