Exodus Chapter 26

EXODUS 

CHAPTER 

26 

 

1. Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. 2. The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be of the same size.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 1 to 2)

On reflecting why Churches are adorned with golden images and vestments, I understand that while in a balanced amount, this may be acceptable to the will of God. If He wanted His tent of the meeting to be adorned with golden apparatus and ark of the covenant in order to reflect his purity and love for us, then it is acceptable for Churches to use golden articles because they are reaching the same goal. Thanks be to God for giving us such beautiful metals and elements that can be used to make objects that are used in order to give You honour and worship.


3. Five curtains shall be joined to one another; and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. 4. You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set: and likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5. You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. 6. You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be one whole.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 3 to 6)


The tabernacle was surrounded by a curtain that hindered direct access to the holy area of the tabernacle where one could have direct access to God. On a spiritual level we also be hindered by this curtain which could consist of unbelief in God, false beliefs about God ourselves and even about others amongst others.


7. You shall also make curtains of goat's hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains. 8. The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits and the width of each curtain shall be four cubits; the eleven curtains shall be of the same size.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 7 to 8)


One can observe that in God there is no place for confusion or disorder. Every detail reflects order and symmetry which reflects stability and order. On the other hand in the realm of disorder we find nothing but chaos and disorder and all is out of proportion and symmetry. This is an utter state of sin and discord.


9. You shall join the curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. 

(Exodus chapter 26 verse 9)


As much as the Holy Trinity is united as one so were the curtains of the tabernacle were to be united save for one curtain which gives us access to God and his grace and love for us. God always makes room for us in His eternal space for us, He gives us the opportunity to enter His tent that could be, at Church or our prayer corner or in fact even any place where we happen to be in order for us to worship Him in honour and in praise.


10. You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 11. You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and join the tent together, so that it may be one whole.


(Exodus chapter 26 verses 10 to 11)


As much as God wanted his tent of the meeting to be united He also wants His Church to be united and not be in a state of fragments and divisions such as Christians, protestants etc. God's tent is whole, his body is whole and therefore His Church is also to be whole, therefore let us all patch up our differences in a spirit of unity and unite under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit of God as one Church. The forces of evil are lifting their heads against God and our brothers and sisters, many are being slaughtered and raped for what they and we believe let us be united against the forces of evil in prayer and in faith and also in a spirit of love for our enemies. God is our champion He will do the fighting for us and or chose those that are specially called to act as His instruments in order defend brothers and sisters


12. The part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13. The cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. 14. You shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and an outer covering of fine leather.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 12 to 14)


When planning the tent the shape designed was that of a small church or chapel meaning a place of worship of a mobile nature that could easily be carried. Although God gave them this form of place where to give Him praise and worship God has given us access to pray anywhere we go in the throne of our hearts and spirits where we can meet God and have fellowship with Him.


In order to view a description of the tabernacle area and the whole tent please click on the following link:


Tabernacle area


15. You shall make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16. Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the width of each frame. 17. There shall be two pegs in each frame to fit the frames together; you shall make these for all the frames of the tabernacle. 18. You shall make the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames from the south side; 19 and you shall make forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under the first frame for its two pegs, and two bases under the next frame for its two pegs; 20. and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, 21 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under the first frame and two bases under the next frame; 22. and for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 15 to 22)


In order to have an idea of what the biblical author is referring to by frames and cubits please click on the  following link which gives us a detailed account of the whole structure along with detailed illustrations:

Tabernacle layout


22. and for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. 23. You shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; 24. they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; it shall be the same with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25. And so there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 22 to 25)


The Holy Spirit of God gave Moses a perfect structure in order to support this tent where his sons and daughters could come and give Him praise and worship, moreover even during our times the same Holy Spirit of God is still structuring His Church and its organisations in order to cater for the needs and rights of His children of all ages meaning young and of an age as myself, so as to offend nobody. God is still choosing people to become priests, nuns and even bishops and deacons, however the same Holy Spirit of God is exposing those previously chosen people who accepted to answer God's call however, for some reason they did not remain faithful to their call and became corrupt and sinful or abusive in their ways.


26. You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward.  28. The middle bar halfway up the frames, shall pas through from end to end. 29. You shall cover the frames with gold, and shall make their rings of gold to hold the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30. Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 26 to 30)


As in the case of the tabernacle that was to be erected even God and His Word are to be praised and erected on the throne of our hearts and even externally by means of our witness to it, by both words and actions. When we perform acts of love and charity towards others especially to those whom we consider as being our enemies we are giving witness once again that the 'Word' of God is authentic and valid even during the current time of our lives and forever more throughout our lives.



31. You shall make a curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32. You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, which have hooks of gold and rest on four bases of silver. 33. You shall hang the curtain under the clasps, and bring the ark of the covenant in there, within the curtain; and the curtain shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 31 to 33)


God makes a distinction between that which is Holy and pure to that which is not. He ascribed strict boundaries in order to protect and sanctify His presence from anybody who was not prepared to appear in His presence to worship or offer offerings. At the point of Jesus death this curtain was torn apart, thus meaning that from that moment onwards till the end of time, there were to be no more boundaries that could possibly hinder the communication between God and humanity. God is available to us all the time and moments of our lives, inside the temple or Church and even beyond. God has no limitations of time and space unlike us humans. In the New Testament He told us that where two or three are gathered in His name He is amongst them, therefore we are to rest assured that God is always there and available for us. He does not have office hours.


34. You  shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place.  35 . You shall set the table outside the curtain, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the table on the north side.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 34 to 35)


The lampstand and the tabernacle were like the sun and the earth and the moon. The presence of God would rest on the mercy seat which was the lid of the ark of the covenant. God's light would lighten the presence of the tabernacle, this light would be represented by the lampstand which would reflect the light of God's presence as in the case of the moon on to the earth and its inhabitants. Therefore when we go to Church to receive the Holy presence of God we become a reflection of that light and like the moon we reflect the presence of God on to others in our inner and outer circles. On reflecting we become a 'Super Mega Ultra Power Station of God' in the world. What a sight it would be so strong that the forces of evil would have no chance or power against the Holy Spirit and the light and power emanating from Him and us if we continue to receive Him in us and reflect Him everywhere we go!


36. You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with needle work. 37. You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

(Exodus chapter 26 verses 36 to 37)

On reflecting on verses 36 to  37 of the twenty-sixth chapter of the book of Exodus we find that there were two screens that needed to be accessed before being able to reach the area where the tabernacle was located. The two screens may be two filters of which takes place during our earthly and daily life which consists of tests or trials and tribulations and the last filter that prepares our soul before actually meeting God face to face during our last hour. Throughout each and every day we are scanned for our viruses, God makes us aware of our sins and motivates us to go to confess our sins, then He is able to press the 'clean' button that deletes all our viruses and gives us a fresh start again.

I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer and link which I invite you to click on in a spirit of prayer and adoration;

Prayer to the Holy Spirit of God


Oh God my only father on earth and in heaven. I wish to thank You and praise Your Holy Name for You only are worthy to be praised. Thanks for being with me in the temple of my heart. I would also like to thank You for the Church where I come to receive Your Holy Presence. Thanks for the Roman Catholic Church and even thanks for the other offshoots of this Church which I also respect. I pray with a hurt and humble heart that Your Church reunites as one body so that there will be no fragments or blemish in your earthly body. Bless the Church and the other churches with the power of Your Holy Spirit and bring unity and renewal of our spirits. May Your Spirit fall on us so that our souls will be renewed and cleansed in You again. Amen

Thank You God