Tag Archives: Exodus

Major themes and names of the Tabernacle of Moses

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Major Themes of the Tabernacle/Mishkan

  • Going from the profane/polluted to the kadosh/set-apart, from darkness to light, disobedience to obedience.
  • Progressive separation and refinement of the individual leading to purity and perfection.
  • Growing in progressive intimacy and fellowship with the Father.
  • The steps of the biblical wedding ceremony; the marriage of YHVH to his people.
  • The seven steps of spiritual growth and reconciliation to the Father as epitomized by the seven annual appointed times or festivals (moedim).

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The tabernacle/mishkan was constructed circa 1450 b.c. at the foot of Mount Sinai. It took about a year to build.

Hebrew Names for the Tabernacle

  • Mishkan is Strong’s H4908 meaning “tabernacle, dwelling or habitation.” mishkan is from the root word shakan/ifÑ (Strong’s H7391) meaning “to dwell, abide, settle down, reside, tabernacle.” The word shechinah derives from shakan and refers to the manifest light or presence of YHVH among his people (Exod 25:8–9).
  • Ohel (as in tent of the congregation/meeting) is Strong’s H166 meaning “a nomad’s tent, dwelling, home, habitation” (Exod 29:42).
  • Miqdash is Strong’s H4720 meaning “sacred place, sanctuary, holy place” and is from the primitive root qadash/Ñse (Strong’s H6942) meaning “to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed or set apart, be separate or holy” (Exod 25:8).
  • Kodesh or sanctuary because it was set-apart for a set-apart (kadosh) Elohim (Exod 30:13).
  • Ohel haeduth or the tabernacle/tent of the testimony or witness since it contained the ark of the covenant housing the Torah-law given to Moses, which was an abiding witness of Israel’s covenant with YHVH (Num 9:15).
  • Mishkan haeduth or tabernacle of the testimony (Num 10:11).

Examples of YHVH Tabernacling With His People

The children of Israel have just left Egypt and are now trekking through the wilderness. Within a couple of months, he gives them their first assignment. In Exodus 25, YHVH tells Continue reading →

 

There are more reasons to learn about the Tabernacle of Moses than you realize

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Why Study the Tabernacle (or Temple)?

  • Elohim commanded his people to study it. In Ezekiel 43:10–11, YHVH tells Ezekiel to explain to his people the layout of the temple “that they may be ashamed of their iniquities [Torahlessness]” and presumably repent or return to a spiritual relationship with him.

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  • Elohim commanded his people to build the tabernacle (and latter the temples, see Exod 25:8; 29:43; 1 Chron 17:11–15); therefore, it must be important, and we should study it to understand its significance. After all, one-half of the Torah and one-third of the 613 Torah commandments deal with the temple, so it behooves us to understand it’s spiritual significance.
  • Elohim’s name resided in the tabernacle (and temple, Deut 12:5–6), and it’s where his place of abiding on the earth (Exod 25:8).
  • Both the tabernacle and first and second temples in Jerusalem were the spiritual centers for the nation of Israel. Elohim’s manifest presence was found within these physical structures, and this phenomenon powerfully unified the 12 tribes of Israel making them feel as though they were one nation under YHVH’s divine protection and guidance (Exod 40:34–38). The temple became the focal point for all worship for the entire nation (Ps 5:7). For example, it was the place where YHVH chose to place Continue reading →
 

Welcome to the world of the Tabernacle of Moses

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Exodus 25:8–9, A sanctuary … tabernacle. 

If you were the Creator of the universe, what means would you use to communicate with those that you had created through love in your likeness and image? In a remote way, it’s like a human standing over an anthill trying to communicate with the ants. How do you do it? Similarly, how does an all powerful, Spirit Being, loving Father in heaven relate to his mortal children who are but mere specks of dust without vaporizing them with his raw power? The difficulty is compounded when fearful humans don’t want to hear the voice of Elohim, which is what happened when YHVH Elohim’s voice thundered from Mount Sinai. The children of Israel begged him not to talk to them, lest they die. They asked the Almighty One to speak to them instead through Moses (Exod 20:19).

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When man sinned at the tree of knowledge, and YHVH kicked them out of the Garden of Eden, direct communications between man and his Maker were hampered, if not all but cut off. However, Elohim had a plan to restore the loving relationship he had with man before the rebellion. But if men refuse to hear you when you speak, what are you do?

To be certain, the Almighty doesn’t lack for ways to communicate with men. Man is without excuse when it comes to hearing Elohim, for even the heaven’s declare the glory of the Creator and the plans he has for mankind. The visible things of this creation shout loudly about the spiritual mysteries heaven desires to reveal to its earthly subjects. Furthermore, from time to time over the millennia, Elohim has chosen to speak directly to some select servants through dreams, visions, signs, wonders, angels, and even once through a donkey! But how does he speak to a whole nation, if that nation is plugging its ears and refusing to hear its Master’s voice?

Enter into the picture the Tabernacle of Moses, which was literally a three-dimensional gospel message tract. It is the visual demonstration of the whole message of the Bible in a building — the blueprint of the plan of redemption of wayward man. Continue reading →

 

Three threes: the feasts, man, the tabernacle & the plan of salvation

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Exodus 23:14–19, Three times you shall keep a feast. Conventional Jewish wisdom teaches us that during the three pilgrimage festivals all the individuals of the nation are to appear out of all isolations personally in the presence of the one God of Israel in the festival circle (or chag) around the common sanctuary (where YHVH has chosen to place his name, Deut 16:2,11,15), thereby becoming conscious that each one is connected to all the other members of the nation, with YHVH Elohim, and with the Torah (The Pentateuch—Deuteronomy, p. 310, by S. R. Hirsch).

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But there is much more than this if we add Yeshua the Messiah of Israel into the picture. Each of the three feasts point directly to him. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles all point to Yeshua, since the first three spring feasts point to Yeshua’s first coming, while the last fall feast points to his second coming. Each of these feasts represent milestones in the spiritual walk of the redeemed believer.

But it gets better.

There were three sections in the Tabernacle of Moses: the outer courtyard, the holy place and the holy of holies. These correspond with the three parts of man: body, soul and spirit (1 Thess 5:23). The feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread are the first two feasts we celebrate in the spring and represent the first steps in a new believer’s spiritual walk. This corresponds with the outer courtyard and relates more to the spiritual cleansing of the outer parts or body of man. It is here that one begins their spiritual walk and relationship with Yeshua, who is the Word of Elohim.

The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost is the next step one takes in their spiritual walk. The holy place speaks of bring the soul (the mind, will and emotions) into submission to the will of YHVH as one advances in their spiritual walk and learns about the fruits and gifts of the Spirit of Elohim, who they are as redeemed Israelites, and about worship and praise.

Finally, the holy of holies corresponds to the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day and the spirit part of man. This part of the tabernacle speaks more of man’s ultimate spiritual relationship with Elohim. It is here that man relates to Elohim, who is a Spirit, on a spirit to Spirit level (John 4:24; 1 Cor 2:10–13). This points to man’s ultimate destiny as glorified beings in the New Jerusalem as adopted members into the family of Elohim (John 1:12; Rom 8:14–15, 23; 9:4; 2 Cor 6:18; Gal 4:5–6; Eph 1:5; 1 John 3:1; Rev 21:7).

 

On the anniversary of Roe V. Wade

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Exodus 21:22, Hurt a woman with child. This passage is one of the strongest pro-life, anti-abortion verses in the Scriptures. Clearly, this passage teaches that life begins in the womb. What was the penalty for a man who was responsible for the death of an unborn child? (See verse 23.) Could any clearer statement be made about how the Creator feels about the sanctity of life? Here are some statistics about abortion:

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  • 42 million abortions occur worldwide each year (that’s 115,000 per day).
  • In 2008, 1.21 million abortions occurred in the U.S.
  • From 1973 to 2008, 50 million legal abortions occurred in the U.S.
  • 22 percent of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion.
  • In 2007, 84% of all abortions were performed on unmarried women.
  • At current rates, nearly one-third of American women will have an abortion. (Sources of information: abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html; guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html; abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_statistics/ — this is now a dead link).

The murder of the innocent children is perhaps the greatest sin that a nation can commit. Abortion is a form of child sacrifice, which is something many ancient cultures practiced (the Aztecs, Incas, Phoenicians, pre-Islamic Arabs, and the biblical Canaanites). In the Bible, YHVH condemns the practice of heathens and apostate Israelites who made their children pass through the fire in worship of the demon-god Moloch (See Lev 18:21; 20:2–5; Deut 12:30–31; 18:10.) What judgment did YHVH place on the Jewish nation for sacrificing its children to Moloch? (See Jer 7:30–34; 32:35–36.)

Here are some current news articles on the subject:

I Am Overwhelmed by 55 Million Babies Killed Since Roe v. Wade Continue reading →

 

The Torah revisited

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Defining the Word Torah

A comprehensive grasp of Torah, both with the head and heart, is essential if one is to not only understand the heart of YHVH Elohim, but to understand the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith, for a love and comprehension of Torah is to grasp with the heart and mind the very fabric, foundation and bedrock of the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament). But what does the word Torah actually mean? Hebrew is a rich language. A single word can have a multiplicity of connotations at all levels of human comprehension, experience. Spiritual implications beyond the ken of human understanding can be found therein.

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For nearly 2000 years since the time the Christian church departed from its Hebrew roots (in the early to mid second-century of the common era) the Hebrew word Torah (Strong’s H8451, TWOT 910b) has been translated in the writings of Christian theologians and in all of the most common English Bible’s as law. Is this an accurate translation of the Hebrew word Torah? Does it capture the true essence, heart and meaning of the word? This is an important question to answer.

If we were to ask you to technically define any English word you could avail yourself of a dictionary which should give you the precise meaning of that word. In any college level dictionary a word will have a primary meaning, Continue reading →

 

Exodus 19–31: An O’view of YHVH’s Marriage to Torah-Obedient Saints

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Exodus 19–31 is and overview of YHVH’s marriage to Israel as fulfilled in the lives of redeemed believers.

Start by reading Ezekiel 16:1–14.

Redeemed believers are preparing to be the spiritual bride of Yeshua.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Messiah. (2 Cor 11:2)
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, “Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he saith unto me, “These are the true sayings of Elohim.” (Rev 19:7–9)

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What are the prophetic implications of and spiritual parallels between YHVH’s first marriage to ancient Israel and YHVH-Yeshua’s upcoming marriage to his bride—the saints who keep his (Torah) commandments and have faith in him (Rev 12:17; 14:12)? In his Parable of the Ten Virgins, Yeshua likens his bride to the five wise virgins who had oil in their lamps. Oil is a Hebraism for the Spirit of Elohim and the Torah. In other words, the prospective bride of Yeshua will walk in the Spirit of Elohim and the truth of Torah, which Yeshua tells us is a mandatory requirement if one is to have a relationship with YHVH (John 4:23–24; 1 John 2:3–6). We learn from the fact that since five foolish virgins who weren’t allowed into the wedding supper that not all redeemed believers will be the bride of Yeshua. Some believers will be the least in YHVH’s kingdom and some will be the greatest (Matt 5:19). According to Yeshua, how obedient one is to the Torah will determine one’s level of rewards in his eternal kingdom (Matt 5:19).

Between Exodus 19 and 24, we find recorded the steps Israel took to enter into a Continue reading →