Series: Victory in the Wilderness
Message # 5 "The Gift of God"
Exodus 26
INTRODUCTION: In our last lesson we saw that in our journey through the wilder-
ness of life we are not alone, -God dwells with His people to give us victory in the wilderness. The Israelites also had to be assured of the presence of God as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. The Tabernacle given to God by Moses was the Lord's dwelling place among the people. if ever they doubted the presence of God they only had to look at the Tabernacle to be reassured that God was in their midst. Last week we looked at the foundation of the Tabernacle and the
structure of the Tabernacle. The foundation made of silver symbolizes the blood
of Jesus Christ which buys our redemption. The silver from which the Tabernacle
foundation was constructed was a mandatory ransom offering - Exodus 30:11 and
following. The New Testament believers are redeemed not by gold and silver but
by the precious blood of Christ. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus'
blood and righteousness just as the Tabernacle was built. upon the atonement money
of a silver foundation. The structure of the Tabernacle was made of boards which
symbolizes humanity and covered with gold, which symbolizes deity. The boards
were connected with five bars symbolizing the five ministries in Ephesians 4:11
that God has given to the church to be a unifying force. God has given five bars
(apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) so that the church will
not be blown around by every wind of doctrine.
I. CHRIST OUR SECURITY - THE FIRST COVERING OF THE TABERNACLE - Ex. 26:
A. The symbolism of the colors - Christ in all of His glory
1. White linen or white which stands for the sinlessness of Christ
2. Blue which stands for the son ship of Christ (blue is the color of heaven)
3. Purple which stands for the sovereignty of Christ (purple is the color
that the sovereign wore in that day)
4. Scarlet (red earth) standing for the sacrifice of Christ
S. These colors correspond to the four gospels
a. Matthew is the- purple gospel picturing Jesus as King of the Jews
b. Mark is the scarlet gospel picturing Jesus as a suffering servant
c. Luke is the white gospel picturing Jesus as the virgin born, sinless
son of God
d. John is the blue gospel picturing Jesus as the Son of God
B. The significance of the cherubim
1. Cherubim are angelic creatures
2. Cherubim are always associated with the holiness of God - Is. 6
C. The security of the covering - Ps. 91:1 & 2 and 7-9
1-. The- whole Tabernacle is a description of deity
2. When a person was inside of the Tabernacle it pictured someone being
"in Christ" - II Cor. 5:14
3. It pictures the place of perfect security - the one who dwells under the
shadow of the most high -
II. CHRIST OUR SIN BEARER - THE SECOND PART OF THE COVERING OF THE TABERNACLE
- Ex. 26:7, Lev. 16:19-22
A. The scapegoat
1. One goat would be killed and his blood sprinkled as an atoning sacrif
2. A second goat would be brought before the high priest, he would lay
hands upon the head of that goat, confess his sins and the sins of tI
people, then that goat would be led into the. wilderness, never to be
again
B.- The sin bearer
1. Christ is pictured in the first goat in that His blood was shed as aton
ment for our sins
2. Christ is pictured in the second goat in that He removes our sins fror-
us as far as the east is from the west
III. CHRIST OUR SUBSTITUTE - THE RAMS' SKIN OR THE THIRD PART OF THE
INNERCOVE RlNG 0F THE TABERNACLE - Ex. 26:14
A. The ram was a sacrificial animal
B. The skin was dyed red symbolizing Christs' substitutionary sacrifice
IV. CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR - THE OUTERCOVERING OF THE TABERNACLE MADE OF BADGER SKIN
A. When Christ "tabernacled" or dwelt among us He had an outer covering of
humility - when someone looked at the outside of the Tabernacle it was not
impressive or beautiful
B. Inwardly Christ was deity, all the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelt in
him - on the inside of the Tabernacle the very Shekinah Glory of God
dwelt