A Deep Dive into Scripture
For the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron you shall have sacred vestments made. Therefore, tell the various artisans whom I have endowed with skill to make vestments for Aaron to consecrate him as my priest. These are the vestments they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a brocade tunic, a turban, … Read more
When Aaron, then, and the other Israelites saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him. Exodus 34:30 Of all the features of the human body, the face most fully expresses the imago dei in us. Not only are all the senses concentrated here, … Read more
You shall make an altar of acacia wood, on a square, five cubits long and five cubits wide; it shall be three cubits high. Exodus 27:1 For ablutions you shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Exodus 30:17 In … Read more
The tabernacle itself you shall make out of ten sheets woven of fine linen twined and of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim embroidered on them. Exodus 26:1 The foundational “furniture,” or articles, of the tabernacle described, Moses’ vision takes us to the walls, interior tapestries, and exterior coverings of this tent sanctuary. The description … Read more
And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. Exodus 25:31 As one enters the Holy Place from the outside and looks to the left along the south wall, one sees the Lampstand (Hebrew menȏrâ), directly opposite of the Table of the Bread of Presence. It was made of one solid piece of gold, weighing … Read more
And you shall make a table of acacia wood … you shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it … and you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour libations; of pure gold you shall make them. And you … Read more
They shall make an ark of acacia wood … Exodus 25:10 The first thing described is the most holy of all, the ark and the “covering” (Heb. Kappȏret) upon which the two cherubim were stationed. The ark itself was a rather small box 2.5 cubits long, 1.5 wide, and 1.5 high. We should not confuse … Read more
Israel, bonded by covenant with YHWH, made kin by a solemn oath; living arrangements must now be made. Although there are similarities between the sanctuaries the Canaanites made and the Hebrew Tabernacle, the one central idea driving the following building instructions is this: Moses must construct it according to the pattern YHWH has shown him … Read more