The Tabernacle of Moses - God's palace in the desert.
Tabernacle means 'dwelling' or 'tent'.
The Tabernacle of Moses was the dwelling for God himself until Jesus came. Jesus was the tabernacle personified and was the dwelling for God until the day of Pentecost where everyone could receive this same blessing. Although the Tabernacle of Moses was later replaced by the temples of Solomon and Herod, it still remains the type by which the others are measured. All references to tent or temple are therefore also applicable to the Tabernacle of Moses.
The Tabernacle of Moses was a two-room tent that was erected inside an enclosure, known as the Outer Court, where the sacrifices took place.
The Outer Court of the tabernacle of Moses was made up of bronze posts or pillars, connected by silver rods and hung with fine linen curtains. Each pillar was held secure by cords fastened to brass tent pins. The Outer court had a length of 50 yards and a width of 25 yards. In it stood the altar where the sacrifices were made and the wash basin where the priests could cleanse themselves ceremonially before entering the tent or tabernacle itself. There were ten pillars on the East and West sides and twenty pillars on the North and South sides. The gate was on the east side.
The silver parts of the enclosure and the tabernacle of Moses were made from silver that was obtained from ransom that was paid because the people were counted.
God had instructed that if the people of Israel be counted, a ransom of silver had to be paid for their souls.
In the New Testament, the ransom for our lives has already been paid.
The brass tent pins of the Tabernacle of Moses also speaks of Christ.
Brass is resistant to rust and corrosion, speaking of the incorruptible life of Christ. Brass normally speaks of suffering. The pins were buried in the ground but also emerged from the ground, speaking of his death and resurrection.
The Outer court served to preserve the sanctity of the tabernacle of Moses and to keep the wild animals a bay. It also drew a distinct line of demarcation between the camp on the outside and the tabernacle on the inside. God clearly draws a line between the church and the world and He calls for a life of separation.
The Tabernacle of Moses itself was also constructed out of bronze pillars and silver rods, but instead of using linen, was made from frames of acacia wood, overlaid with gold.
Note that the frames had to be upright, that is, standing up. This relates closely with the armor of God.
Both the frames and the crossbars were covered with gold.
In the same way, when you enter into Christ, He will clothe you with His divine nature.
The frames were held together with crossbars in groups of five.
In the same manner, the five gifts of ministry to the church, holds the church together.
The frames of the tabernacle were then covered with various animal skins.
All of these were obtained through the killing of animals. Typically the goat was used as the sacrificial animal. The red dye also speaks of blood. Christ is the sin offering that was sacrificed on our behalf.
The tabernacle of Moses was divided into two parts.
The outer room of the tabernacle of Moses housed a table with bread loaves on it, a seven-branched lamp-stand and an altar for burning incense. This part of the tabernacle was also referred to as the Holy Place.
The inner room of the tabernacle of Moses contained the ark of the covenant which held the tablets of stone with the ten commandments. This part of the tabernacle was also called the sanctuary or the Holy of Holies. This is where God manifested his presence.
Everyone is welcome to come to Christ and have their sins forgiven, even if they don't proceed to higher duties in God's Kingdom.
This is revealed to us by the fact that the Outer Court was open to all, but the Holy Place could only be entered by priests and the Most Holy place of the tabernacle of Moses only by High Priests.