Exodus 40:1-16 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Exodus 40:1-16. Let’s go!
Exodus 40:1-9 (NIV)
1 Then the LORD said to Moses:
2 “Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month.
3 Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain.
4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.
5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
6 “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;
7 place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it.
8 Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
9 “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.
10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy.
11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.
On verses 1-11: This past Sunday at THRIVE Church Online we looked at this passage together. In a message called “He’s There For You: Finding Jesus in Exodus”, I tried to show you that the seven “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John are reflected in Exodus 40:4-9 in the exact order that they appear in the Gospel of John.
For example:
| Verse from Exodus 40 |
“I Am” Statement from Jesus |
| 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it… | “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35) |
| 4 …Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. | “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) |
| 5 …put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. | “I am the gate” (John 10:9) |
| 6 “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting; | “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11) |
| 7 place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. | “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25-26) |
| 8 Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. | “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) |
| 9 “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. | “I am the vine” (John 15:5) |
Now perhaps you are wondering about some other parts of the tabernacle and what they represent.
The ark in verse 3 points to Jesus Christ Himself. Just as the ark was a physical representation of the presence of God, so Jesus is the physical embodiment of the presence of God. As Colossians 2:9 says, “in Christ all the fullness of God lives in bodily form”. Just as the ark contained the two tablets showing God’s Ten Commandments, so Jesus is the physical embodiment of the Word of God (John 1:1,14).
What about the curtain that shields the ark in verse 3? Hebrews 10:19-20 already tells us that the curtain is a picture of Jesus’ body. On the day that Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn, symbolizing that now it was possible access to God’s holy presence. Just as the curtain was torn, so Jesus’ body was torn to make access to God’s presence possible for all.
What about the golden altar of incense in verse 5? This altar was where the priests would burn incense, such that the smoke of that incense would rise and go past the curtain and fill the Most Holy Place. This altar of incense corresponds with Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, which is the longest prayer of Jesus recorded in Scripture. It is called his “priestly prayer” because he was standing in the gap on behalf of his disciples and even us, those who would believe in Him in the future.
Thus every piece of furniture in Exodus 40:4-9 finds a significant connection to Jesus in the Gospel of John. Aren’t these connections amazing? Did Moses know about this when he was writing Exodus 40? Probably not. Did John know about this when he was writing the Gospel of John 1600 years later? Probably not. It’s as if God took a banner and put one end of it in Moses’ hand, and then God stretched that banner across 1600 years and put the other end of the banner in John’s hand, and when you read it the banner says one name: Jesus. It’s yet one more reason to be in awe of God and to call the Bible the Word of God.
Exodus 40:12-16 (NIV)
12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.
13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest.
14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.
15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue for all generations to come.”
16 Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded him.
On verses 12-16: The sons of Aaron became priests not by virtue of their own performance or merit, but simply because of their blood relationship with Aaron the high priest. Likewise, the reason you and I are called “a royal priesthood” is not because we earned that title by our performance or merit, but simply because of our blood relationship with Jesus Christ. In other words, we are priests not because we deserved it, but simply because by faith we have received Jesus and His blood covers our sins.
Father, thank You for how amazing Your Word is, how even in the book of Exodus, long before Jesus was born, You were already pointing forward to Jesus, who He is and the difference He makes in our lives. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
