40:1ffMoses was careful to obey God's instructions in the smallest detail. Notice that he didn’t make a reasonable facsimile of God’s description, but an exact copy. We should follow Moses’ example and be fastidious about our obedience. If God has told you to do something, do it, do it right, and do it completely.
Life Application Study BibleExodusChapter 40
Exodus 40
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 156, 157
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
40Exodus 40
The Tabernacle Completed
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“Set up the Tabernacle* on the first day of the new year.* 3Place the Ark of the Covenant* inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place. 4Then bring in the table, and arrange the utensils on it. And bring in the lampstand, and set up the lamps. 5“Place the gold incense altar in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the Tabernacle entrance. 7Set the washbasin between the Tabernacle* and the altar, and fill it with water. 8Then set up the courtyard around the outside of the tent, and hang the curtain for the courtyard entrance. 11Take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all its furnishings to consecrate them and make them holy.!°Anoint the altar of burnt offering and its utensils to consecrate them. Then the altar will become absolutely holy. ‘Next anoint the washbasin and its stand to consecrate them. 12”Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water. 13Dress Aaron with the sacred garments and anoint him, consecrating him to serve me asa priest. 4Then present his sons and dress them in their tunics. ‘SAnoint them as you did their father, so they may also serve me as priests. With their anointing, Aaron's descendants are set apart for the priesthood forever, from generation to generation.” 16Moses proceeded to do everything just as the LORD had commanded him. 17So the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year. 18Moses erected the Tabernacle by setting down its bases, inserting the frames, attaching the crossbars, and setting up the posts. 19Then he spread the coverings over the Tabernacle framework and put on the protective layers, just as the LORD had commanded him. 20He took the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant and placed them* inside the Ark. Then he attached the carrying poles to the Ark, and he set the Ark’s cover— the place of atonement—on top of it. 21Then he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle and hung the inner curtain to shield it from view, just as the LORD had commanded him. 22Next Moses placed the table in the Tabernacle, along the north side of the Holy Place, just outside the inner curtain. 23And he arranged the Bread of the Presence on the table before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. 24He set the lampstand in the Tabernacle across from the table on the south side of the Holy Place. 25Then he lit the lamps in the LORD’s presence, just as the LORD had commanded him. 2¢He also placed the gold incense altar in the Tabernacle, in the Holy Place in front of the inner curtain. 27On it he burned the fragrant incense, just as the LORD had commanded him. ?8He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle, 29and he placed the altar of burnt offering near the Tabernacle entrance. On it he offered a burnt offering and a grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him. 30Next Moses placed the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar. He filled it with water so the priests could wash themselves. 31Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons used water from it to wash their hands and feet. 32Whenever they approached the altar and entered the Tabernacle, they washed themselves, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 33Then he hung the curtains forming the courtyard around the Tabernacle and the altar. And he set up the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard. So at last Moses finished the work.
The LORD’s Glory Fills the Tabernacle
3434Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. *5Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. 36Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. 37But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. 9®The cloud of the LORD hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.
Textual footnotes
- This day of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in March or April.
- 40:5, 21.
- Testimony; see note on 25:16.
- 40:2a Hebrew the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting; also in 40:6, 29.
- 40:2b Hebrew the first day of the first month.
- 40:3 Or Ark of the Testimony; also in
- 40:7 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 40:12, 22, 24, 26, 30, 32, 34, 35.
- 40:20 Hebrew He placed the
Life Application Notes 7 notes
46:14-16Manna (16:31) appeared on the ground each day as thin flakes like frost. The people gathered it, ground it like grain, and made it into honey-tasting pancakes. For the Israelites the manna was a gift—it came every day and was just what they needed. It satisfied their temporary physical need. In John 6:48-51 Jesus compares himself to manna. Christ is our daily bread who satisfies our eternal, spiritual need.
40:16God told Moses how to build the Tabernacle, and Moses delegated jobs in order to do it. God allows people to participate with him in carrying out his will. Your task is not just to sit and watch God work, but to give your best effort when work needs to be done.
43:17,18God doesn't always work in the way that seems best to us. Instead of guiding the Israelites along the direct route from Egypt to the Promised Land, he took them by a longer route to avoid fighting with the Philistines. If God does not fead you along the shortest path to your goal, don’t complain or resist. Follow him willingly and trust him to lead you safely around unseen THE EXODUS The Israelites left Succoth and camped first at Etham before Mediterranean Sea going toward Baal-zephon to camp by the sea (14:2). God miraculously brought them across the sea, into the Desert of Shur (15:22). After stopping at the oasis of Elim, the people moved into the Wilderness of Sin (16:1). Provided reassurance, controlled their movements, and inspired the burning zeal that Israel should have for their God.
40:17-33The physical care of the Tabernacle required a long list of tasks, and each was important to the work of God’s house. This principle is important to remember today when God’s house is the church. There are many seemingly unimportant tasks that must be done to keep your church building maintained. Washing dishes, painting walls, or shoveling snow may not seem very spiritual. But they are vital to the ministry of the church and are an important part of our worship of God.
40:34The Tabernacle was God’s home on earth. He filled it with his glory—the overpowering sense of his presence. Almost 500 years fater, Solomon built the Temple, which replaced the Tabernacle as the central place of worship. God also fitled the Temple with his glory (2 Chronicles 5:13, 14). But when Israel turned from God, his glory and presence departed fram the Temple, and it was destroyed by invading armies (2 Kings 25). The Temple was rebuilt in 515 B.C. God’s glory returned in even greater splendor nearly five centuries later when Jesus Christ, God's Son, entered it and taught. When Jesus was crucified, God’s glory again left the Temple. However, God no longer needed a physical building after Jesus rose from the dead. God’s temple now is his church, the body of believers.
40:38The Israelites were once Egyptian slaves making bricks without straw. Here they were following the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, carrying the Tabernacle they had built for God. Exodus begins in gloom and ends in glory. This parallels our progress through the Christian life. We begin as staves to sin, are redeemed by God, and end our pilgrimage living with God forever. The lessons the Israelites tearned along the way are ones we also need to learn.