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Sunday, April 18, 2021

The Tabernacle of God, Junior - I, Lesson - 11

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. 

A model of the Tabernacle of God, 
http://www.kotipetripaavola.com/

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 Courtyard was the outer area around the sanctuary. It was also called as the outer court. It had two important items called the altar of burnt offerings and a bronze basin / Laver. The altar of burnt offerings also called as the brazen altar is the place where the animals were sacrificed. The laver, was a large washbasin made of brass. Here priests washed their hands and feet before offering a sacrifice or entering the sanctuary.

Brazen Altar, favpng.com
Brazen Laver 

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.

A reconstruction of the Lampstand or the Menorah created by the Temple Institute, Jerusalem

A model of the Altar of Incense, Creative Commons License
Pictorial depiction of Hight Priest and other priests preparing the special incense

A model of the Table of the Showbread, Bibleplaces.com 

                

A model of the Inner Court - The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place separated by the veil

The Most Holy Place was the innermost part of the Tabernacle. It was also called as the Holy of holies. The Most Holy place contained the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy seat. The Ark of the Covenant, was a box or chest of acacia wood covered with gold.

                   A model of the Ark of God with Mercy Seat on the topJeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com

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)

The budded staff of Aaron and the jar of manna kept near the Ark of God. 
Illustration by templeinstitute.org

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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