JUNIOR
AGE: 10 - 11
YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE:
V & VI
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LESSON – 11
THE TABERNACLE OF GOD
When the Israelites were in the Sinai desert, God
gave many specific instructions regarding worship to Moses. One of the
important instructions was regarding the Tabernacle of God. God asked
Moses to make a sanctuary or a specific place for worship that would serve as a
dwelling place for Jehovah. It was called the “Tabernacle of God”. The Tabernacle
was a special tent where the Israelites went to worship God and the supernatural
presence of God dwelt.
The full specifications for the construction of
the Tabernacle were given to Moses by God. They were a copy of the original
sanctuary in heaven which was shown to Moses. The tabernacle had two parts the outer
court and the inner court. The outer court was called the Courtyard. The inner
court consisted of two portions called the Holy place and the Most Holy Place. The walls of the Tabernacle were made of acacia or shittah
tree wood and covered with pure gold.
The Holy Place had three
important sacred items namely the Table of the bread of the presence, The
Lampstand or the seven-branch candlestick and the altar of incense. Freshly
made bread was arranged on the Table of the bread of the presence as offering. The
Lampstand or the seven-branch candlestick was also called as the Menorah. Clear
oil of pressed olives was used to light the lampstand. Incense was burned daily
on the altar of incense at the time of the morning and the evening sacrifices.
The incense used had to be made according to a specific formula mentioned in Exodus
30:34–35, and no other incense was permitted.
Inside the Ark of the Covenant, there was the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments (I Kings 8:9; II Chronicles 5:10). A golden jar filled with manna was kept alongside the Ark containing the covenant (Exodus 16:33,34). Aaron’s rod that miraculously budded was put in front of the Ark of the Covenant (Numbers 17:4, 10, 11). On top of the Ark of the Covenant there were two cherubims made of solid gold spreading their wings. Between these cherubims was the mercy seat where the supernatural presence of God dwelt. (Click this link to know more about the Ark of God, Sub-junior Lesson - 11, The Ark of God)
No ordinary person could enter the Most Holy Place.
Only the high priest could enter the most holy place, that too only once in a
year after undergoing a vigorous purification ritual and carrying the blood of
the animal that was sacrificed. A curtain (veil) separated the Most Holy place
from the Holy place. But when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, this
veil tore into two pieces signifying that, Christ has paved a way for everyone
to enter the Holy of holies through His blood.
Teacher’s Notes:
What was inside the Ark
of God?
When we read Hebrews 9:4,
it states that the Ark of God contained the stone tablets inscribed with the
ten commandments, the golden jar filled with manna and Aaron’s budded rod. But,
according to I Kings 8:9 & II Chronicles 5:10 the Ark of God contained only
the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten commandments. Some try to explain this
by saying that the golden jar filled with manna and Aaron’s budded rod were
removed later from the Ark. But there is no support for such a view in the Holy
Bible. In such a case, what is the reason for this discrepancy?
If we read the Holy Bible
carefully, the golden jar filled with manna was kept alongside Ark containing
the covenant law (Exodus 16:33,34). Aaron’s rod that miraculously budded was
put in front of the Ark of the Covenant (Numbers 17:4, 10, 11).
However, Hebrews 9:4 indicates
that the Ark of God contained “the golden jar that had the manna, Aaron’s rod
that budded, and the tablets of the covenant”. To understand this the Greek
preposition “en” that is used in this verse, Hebrews 9:4 has to be understood.
It has many meanings including: among, within the range of, near, before, in
the presence of, etc. Hence, we have to understand that Hebrew 9:4 means that
the Aaron’s rod, the jar of manna, and the tablets of stone were all in close
proximity to the Ark in the Most Holy Place. (1). The stone tablet was inside the
Ark of God. (2).
Reference:
(1) Lyons, E. (March, 2010), Contents of the
Ark of the Covenant, [On-line], URL: https://apologeticspress.org/contents-of-the-ark-of-the-covenant-2851/
(2) The Holy of Holies, [On-line], URL: https://templeinstitute.org/illustrated-tour-the-holy-of-holies/
Bible Reference: Exodus
25-30
Memory Verse: Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22 NIV)
ASSESSMENT
ACTIVITIES
Fill
in the blanks:
1. The walls of the
Tabernacle were made of ……………….. tree wood and covered with pure gold.
2. Moses’
Sanctuary was a copy of the original Sanctuary in ........................
3. The
............................ is the outer area around the sanctuary.
4. A ................... separated the most holy place from the holy place.
Give short answers:
1. What is meant by the “Tabernacle of God”?
2. What is a laver?
3. What did the Ark of the Covenant contain?
4. Where was the mercy seat located in the Tabernacle?
Answer in
brief:
1. Write in brief about the Most Holy Place.
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