Chapter 25

1 What the Israelites must offer for the making of the tabernacle. 10 The form of the ark. 17 The mercy seat, with the cherubims. 23 The table, with the furniture thereof. 31 The candlestick, with the instruments thereof.

2. Bring me an offering. The divine will had been revealed to Israel in the Decalogue, the laws and “judgments” of the “book of the covenant” had been given to Moses, and the covenant between God and His people had been ratified. But no permanent form of worship had as yet been instituted. Thus far, only an “altar” had been introduced and certain directions given concerning it (ch. 20:24–26), but no complete system had been arranged whereby the worship of the one true God might become an effective means of bringing the people close to Him in fellowship and obedience, and of safeguarding them against the worship of the many gods of the heathen. The people were to have the privilege of participating in the construction of the place that was to be God’s dwelling among them.

Giveth it willingly. Literally, “whose heart impels him.” God desired only those gifts that came from the heart, not merely from the hands or purse. He would accept only those that were freely and “willingly” given (2 Cor. 9:6, 7). Only he who gives with his heart has his name inscribed in the inventory of God, for he alone gives in the spirit of the church of Macedonia (2 Cor. 8:1–5). That the people responded in this fashion is evident from Ex. 35:21–29 and 36:3–7. So fully did they respond that they had to be “restrained from bringing.” Thus, the tabernacle was the result of freewill offerings. A like spirit was witnessed in David’s time when the Temple was built (1 Chron. 29:1–9), and again when the exiles returning from the Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple (Ezra 2:68, 69; Haggai 1:12–14).

3. Gold. Three metals were to be used in the tabernacle itself and in its articles of furniture. The “brass” was an alloy of copper and tin, and therefore bronze rather than brass. When the Hebrews left Egypt they had “borrowed” treasure from the Egyptians (see on chs. 3:22; 12:35, 36). The people gave to the Lord the best of what they had. God will not accept a “sacrifice” that is “blind,” “lame,” or “sick” (Mal. 1:8). This does not mean that God expects us to give beyond our ability, but rather, to the best of our ability (2 Cor. 8:12).

The widow’s “mite” (Mark 12:41–44) is as pleasing to Him as the “alabaster box of very precious ointment” (Matt. 26:6–13), or the “price” of an estate laid at the apostles’ feet (Acts 5:1, 2). This giving to God of our best applies not only to possessions but to our capabilities, time, and strength as well. The best of our powers should be His, our warmest affections, our deepest thoughts, our highest aspirations. Many kinds of gifts are required in Christ’s service, and there is none so poor or lacking in ability that he cannot do his part. We must not lose the lesson taught by the failure of the man with the but one talent (Matt. 25:14, 15, 24–30). The Israelites laid up their treasures in the heaven by dedicating them to the work and service of God (Matt. 6:19–21). They were not deceived by the “profit motive” of the world, for they did not purpose to “gain” that “in exchange” for the life to come (see Matt. 16:25, 26).

5. Badgers’ skins. The Hebrew word here rendered “badger” seems to be a loan word from Egyptian, a term for a kind of leather from unspecified animals; it is also held to be related to an Arabic word for “seal,” particularly the dugong, or sea cow (PP 347). This aquatic herbivorous animal, which is 10 to 12 ft. long, has a round head, breasts for suckling its young, and a divided tail. It is often found among the coral rocks of the Red Sea. It is supposed that the dugong gave rise to the legendary mermaid. The “badger” skins formed the outer covering of the tabernacle.

Shittim wood. That is, acacia wood. It is hard, durable, and close-grained, and thus most suitable for cabinet work.

8. Make me a sanctuary. Though the Hebrews knew, as we know, that the great God could not possibly “dwell” in any building made by men (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chron. 2:6; Isa. 66:1; Jer. 23:23, 24), it did not seem appropriate that there should be worship without a temple. Furthermore, the sanctuary provided a visible center for the worship of the one true God, and was thus a bulwark against the worship of the many gods of the heathen. It brought God near to His people and made His presence among them real. This too was a protection against idolatry (Ex. 29:43, 45; (Num. 35:34). Inasmuch as at that time the Israelites were a nomadic, a wandering people, the sanctuary was to be a tent that could easily be dismantled and moved from place to place. It is significant that the Hebrew word for “sanctuary” is never applied to a heathen temple.

That I may dwell. In a spiritual sense, God has ever sought an abode with men and cannot “rest” until this has been accorded Him (Ps. 132:13–16), first in the hearts of His people individually (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19) and then in the midst of any company who meet to worship Him (Matt. 18:20). The system centering in the earthly tabernacle pointed forward to Christ, who later “dwelt,” literally “tabernacled,” among men (John 1:14).

The Hebrew word shakan, “dwell,” means to be a permanent resident in a community. It is closely related to the word Shekinah, used of the manifestation of divine glory that took up its abode above the mercy seat PP 349). The Shekinah was the symbol of the divine presence, in which God promised to “dwell among them” (see Ex. 25:22).

9. After the pattern. This shows that though the workmanship was man’s the plan was God’s. God has ever counted upon human agencies to cooperate in the building of His house. In this work every individual may have the satisfaction of taking part.

In the mount Moses saw “a miniature representation” of the heavenly sanctuary (PP 343; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5), the “true tabernacle” (Heb. 8:2). The one on earth is said to be a “pattern” of “heavenly things” (Heb. 9:23, 24) because it was made “according to the pattern” shown to Moses (Heb. 8:5). It was a “copy” of the “great original” in heaven (GC 414). In vision John was ushered into the heavenly sanctuary (Rev. 15:5), where he saw the ark (Rev. 11:19), the altar of incense (Rev. 8:3–5), and possibly the candlestick (Rev. 1:12; 11:4). There is, thus, “indisputable proof of the existence of a sanctuary in heaven,” where the Ruler of the universe sits enthroned (GC 415) and where Christ ministers as our great high priest (Heb. 8:1, 2).

It is futile, however, to speculate as to the dimensions, exact appearance, or precise arrangement of the heavenly sanctuary, for “no earthly structure could represent its vastness and its glory” (PP 357). Man is “in the image of God” (Gen. 1:27), yet only Christ is “the express image of his person” (Heb. 1:3). Anything finite can at best but dimly resemble that which is infinite. Moses was shown not the heavenly sanctuary itself, but a representation of it. The earthly sanctuary was patterned after that in heaven to the extent that it was a vivid representation of the various aspects of Christ’s ministry on behalf of fallen man (PP 357). We should focus our attention on what He is doing for us there, as Paul does in Hebrews (Heb. 3:1; 10:12, 19–22; etc.).

The tabernacle in heaven, like that on earth, was set up to deal with sin. Christ “entered upon His mediatorial work” after His resurrection and prior to His ascension 40 days later (DA 819). He was prepared to take up His priestly ministry by virtue of having obtained redemption for us through His blood (Heb. 9:12).

Solomon knew that even his Temple, though it excelled the wilderness tabernacle in size and beauty, could not contain God (1 Kings 8:27). Yet God owned it as His house (Isa. 56:7), as He later did Herod’s Temple (Matt. 21:31). And He who dwells “in the high and holy place” will take up His abode “with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Isa. 57:15).

10. An ark. The Hebrew word thus translated may be from a root meaning “to collect,” “to gather.” If so, an “ark” was a chest into which things might be collected for safekeeping. A related Assyrian word, araЖnu, “box,” is derived from the root aramu, “to cover.”

A cubit. The Hebrews, like the Egyptians, made use of both a long and a short cubit. Though the length of the Hebrew cubit is a matter of conjecture, it is known that the common Egyptian cubit was 17.7 in. and the royal cubit 20.6 in. Both must have been known to the Hebrews, who built Egyptian cities. Since in Hezekiah’s time the Hebrews had a cubit of about 17.5 in. (see p. 165), approximately the common Egyptian cubit, it can be assumed that this measure was used to build the tabernacle. Accordingly, the ark would be about 3 ft. 73/4 in. (1.11 m.) in length and 2 ft. 21/4 in. (0.67 m.) in breadth and height.

12. The four corners. Literally, “its four feet.” The rings were not attached at the upper “corners,” but to the four “feet,” or “bases” (cf. v. 22). The “staves,” or “poles,” inserted through these rings (v. 13) were to rest upon the shoulders of the men who carried the ark during the time of Israel’s wanderings. These “staves” were to remain in place (v. 15) to avoid the need for touching any part of the ark when it was set down or taken up. Since these staves were not part of the ark itself, no sacrilege would be committed in touching or handling them (see 2 Sam. 6:6, 7).

16. The testimony. That is, the two tables of stone containing the Ten Commandments (chs. 30:6; 31:18; 32:15, 16). The main purpose of the ark was to serve as a repository for the holy law of God. Because the tables of stone were a transcript of the character and will of God, and were, furthermore, inscribed by God’s own hand, they were honored as the most sacred object in the sanctuary. The latter was therefore called the “tabernacle of testimony” (Ex. 38:21; Num. 9:15; etc.). The law was also known as “the covenant” (Deut. 4:12, 13; 9:9–15), and the ark was therefore commonly called the “ark of the covenant” (Deut. 31:26; Heb. 9:4; etc.).

17. A mercy seat. The word thus translated is from a root meaning “to cover,” that is, “to pardon” sin. It represented divine mercy. Significantly, it was of “pure gold,” implying that mercy is the most precious of God’s attributes. It was placed over the law, inasmuch as mercy transcends justice (Ps. 85:10; 89:14). The ark with its justice and the mercy seat with its mercy were both needed to reveal the full character of God’s dealings with men. Mercy without justice is weak sentimentality, subversive of all moral order. On the other hand, justice without mercy is moral severity, theoretically without a flaw, but revolting to both God and man.

The ark and the mercy seat constituted the very heart of the sanctuary. Above the mercy seat was the Shekinah, the symbol of the divine presence. The tables of the law within the ark testified to the fact that God’s kingdom is founded on an immutable standard of righteousness (Ps. 97:2), which even divine grace must respect. Grace cannot be dispensed on terms which “make void the law” (Rom. 3:31). When sin is pardoned, the law’s claim against the sinner must also be satisfied. The very purpose of the gospel is to secure for the sinner the forgiveness of his sins, by faith in a means that does not “make void the law,” but “establishes” it. While the tables within the ark testified against the people, the mercy seat pointed to a way in which the claims of the law could be met and the sinner saved from death, the penalty of the law. On the basis of law alone there can be no reunion between God and man, since sin separates us from Him (Isa. 59:1, 2). The blood-sprinkled mercy seat must intervene, for it is only on the ground of Christ’s mediation on our behalf that we can draw near to God (Heb. 7:25).

18. Cherubims. More accurately, “cherubim,” the Hebrew plural for “cherub.” The derivation of the word is uncertain. The cherubim were attached to the mercy seat, one at either end (see Gen. 3:24). One wing of each angel was stretched forth on high, and the other was folded over his body (see Eze. 1:11) in token of reverence and humility. The position of the cherubim with their faces turned toward each other and directed downward toward the ark, represented the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God, and their interest in the plan of redemption.

23. A table of shittim wood. Leaving the holy of holies, Moses now describes the furniture of the holy place. The first article mentioned is the table of “shewbread,” or “the bread of the Presence” (RSV). Mark calls this, the “shewbread” (Mark 2:26), literally, “the bread of the presentation,” that is, the bread presented to God. Paul uses the same Greek word in Heb. 9:2. This table was about 2 ft. 11 in. long, 1 ft. 51/2 in. broad, and 2 ft. 21/4 in. high (88.9 by 44.5 by 66.7 cm.; see on Ex. 25:10). As one entered the tabernacle, it would be at the right, or on the north (ch. 40:22).

24. A crown of gold round about. This was a border, or molding, around the top to prevent things from falling off. Josephus mentions that the “four rings” (v. 26) were inserted in the feet of the table, and through them went the “staves” for carrying it (Antiquities iii. 6. 6).

29. The dishes. Probably the plates on which the loaves of bread were placed. The “spoons” were the cups, or ports, in which the incense was burned, as may be seen in the bas-relief of the table on the Arch of Titus, erected in rome to commemorate the capture of Jerusalem a.d. 70. the “covers,” literally, “flagons” or “pitchers,” and the “bowls” were used for the drink offerings, which accompanied the meat offerings (Lev. 23:13, 18, 37; etc.).

To cover. Literally, “to pour out.”

30. Set upon the table. The “shewbread,” or “bread of the Presence,” consisted of 12 loaves, or cakes, which were replaced each Sabbath. The loaves that were removed, being considered holy, were eaten by the priests in the “holy place” (Lev. 24:5–9). These 12 loaves constituted a perpetual thank offering to God from the 12 tribes, for the blessings of life they received from Him daily. In a higher sense, this bread pointed to the spiritual bread, Jesus Christ.

31. A candlestick. Preferably, a “lampstand.” A shown upon the Arch of Titus and confirmed by Josephus (Antiquities iii. 6. 7) the “candlestick” consisted of an upright shaft, from each side of which three branches extended upward, in pairs (v. 35), to the same level. Its dimensions are not given, but it was made of solid gold. Its branches were decorated with almond-shaped “bowls,” or cups (v. 33), with “knops,” that is knobs or capitals, resembling pomegranates, according to some Bible scholars, and with “flowers.” One by one the lamps of the “candlestick” were trimmed every evening at sunset, and again in the morning (Ex. 27:20, 21; 30:7, 8; Lev. 24:3, 4). They were never all extinguished at of time (PP 348). As the priest entered the first apartment of the tabernacle the candlestick would be on his left, to the south (Ex. 40:24).

38. The tongs. These were either pincers or snuffers, used to trim the wicks of the lamps. The “snuffdishes” were receptacles for receiving the part of the wicks removed by the “tongs.”

39. A talent of pure gold. Equivalent in weight to 75.38 lb. avoir. (34.19 kg.). Thus would be 108.16 cu. in. (1772.4 cu. cm.) and would make a cube a little more than 43/4 in. (1756.52 cu. cm.) on a side. In one sense the “candlestick” represented the people of God as the moral and spiritual light of the world, individually (Matt. 5:14–16; Phil. 2:15) and as a church (Rev. 1:12, 20). It represented also the power of the Holy Spirit to illumine the church (Zech. 4:2–6; Rev. 4:5). In the highest sense, however, as previously stated, it points to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (John 9:5), who is the light of the world (John 1:4; 8:12; 12:46), and imparts to the soul “every good gift and every perfect gift” which comes from the “Father of lights” (James 1:17).

Ellen G. White comments

2    CS 203; PK 61; PP 343; 4T 78

8     DA 23; Ed 35; GC 411, 413, 417; PK 61; PP 313, 343; 4T 78

9     GC 413; SR 153

10, 11  GC 412; SR 153, 183

10-15PP 348

16   PP 349; SR 153, 183

16-21PP 348

17, 18, 20        SR 15

21   GC 412

22   FE 252; PP 349

23-25PP 348

25   SP 153

30   GC 412; PP 354

31   GC 412

31-37PP 348

37   GC 412

40   AA 564; CT 60; Ed 35, 258; GC 413; PP 343, 356; SR 153; 5T 549