Exodus Worksheet - Chapter 26

Review: In Chapter 25, The Lord met with Moses on the mountaintop of Mt. Sinai and gave him detailed instructions regarding the ark, mercy seat, table, and lampstand. In chapter 26, the instructions continue with the materials and construction of the tabernacle itself. Remember as we read these details, we are also looking at the tabernacle as a pattern or representation of heaven. (Hebrews 8:5) As we continue to look at the tabernacle details, we will spiritual truths of the Lord Jesus in the heavens as our High Priest. Amen.

Exodus Chapter 26

The Tabernacle Curtains

1.  How many curtains were to be made for the tabernacle? vs. 1
2.  What were the curtains to be made of? vs. 1
3.  What design was in the curtains? vs. 1
4.  All the curtains were to have the same measurements.  What was the length and width of each curtain? vs. 2
5.  5 curtains were to be joined together and then the other 5 curtains were to be joined together (vs.3); this was so that there was an opening for the High Priest to walk through when going into the Holy of Holies.  Loops of blue were to be made on the edge of the curtains. (vs.4).  How many loops would be on each section? vs. 6
6.  What were they to do with the 50 clasps of gold and the loops in the 2 sets of curtains and why was it important? vs. 6

The Tent Curtains

"Then you shall make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. (Exodus 26:7)
7.  What were the 11 curtains to make a tent over the tabernacle to be made of? vs. 7
8.  These were all to be the same measurements; 5 joined togeter and then 6 joined together.  What was the 6th one to be doubled over for? vs. 8,9
9.  The loops for this covering were to be made out of bronze to join the tent together as a unit. (vs.10-11) - Where would the tent join together and overlap? vs. 12

Note:  The goats in this area of the world are black so the fabric would have been black. The goat hair swells when it becomes wet, which makes it a watertight covering.

Coverings for the Tent

10.  What were the coverings over the tent to be made of? vs. 14

Note:  Ram skin - The skin of a male sheep died red and used for the second covering of the tabernacle.  Marine animal skin - The KJV uses the word badger here. The problem is that there were not badgers in this area of the world. The derivation of the word would indicate that it was a marine animal. Possibilities include: dugong, seal, and porpoise. The same word is used in Ezekiel 16:10 for shoe leather. Since the dugong, an aquatic mammal similar to our manatee, is still used for shoe leather by the Bedouins, this seems a likely choice.

Boards for the Tabernacle

11.  What were the boards of the tabernacle to be made of? vs. 15
12.  Each was 10 cubits (15 feet) in height and 1.5 cubits (2.25 feet) in width. (vs.16)...There were twenty Boards on each of the north and south sides and six boards on the west side of the Tabernacle. All 46 boards were made identical. (vs.18,20,22)  ... The Lord also told Moses how to make the corners for the tabernacle at the rear. (vs.23,24)

Note:  Only one kind of wood was used for the tabernacle, acacia wood, also known as shittim wood. It is a hard, yellow-brown, fine-grained wood that turns darker and almost black with age. It was used for the boards, pillars, capitals, ark, incense alter, table of shewbread, and alter of burnt offering. All of the wood was overlaid with gold, silver, or brass, with the exception of the wood used for the sixty pillars of the outer court.

13.  What were the sockets for the boards made of? vs. 25
14.  What were they to overlay the boards with and what were the holders for the bars made of? vs. 29
15.  What were they to erect the tabernacles according to? vs. 30

Note: The Tabernacle was a portable structure used by the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness. It continued to be used in the Promised Land until the time of Solomon when the Temple was built. The Temple was a permanent structure built on Mt. Moriah (Moriyah) in Jerusalem and served the same purpose as the Tabernacle.

The Veil

16.  What colors was the linen that made the veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies? vs. 31-33
17.  What skillful work was required in making these; what was the design to be? vs. 31
18.  What was to be brought inside the holy of holies after the veil was hung? vs. 33
19.  Where was the mercy seat to be placed after that? vs. 34
20.  What furniture was placed on the other side of the veil, in the holy place? vs. 35

Note: The veil acted as a partition between the two rooms inside the tabernacle - the holy of holies, where the ark was to be placed, and the holy place, where the rest of the furniture sat.  The priests would enter the holy place daily to maintain the lamp and weekly to change out the showbread. But they were never allowed behind the veil. Only the High Priest was permitted behind the veil, and he could only enter once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

21.  What happened to this veil when Jesus was crucified?

• Mark 15:38 -

22.  How are we able to go into the holy of holies which is in heaven now through prayer? Comment on these verses.

• Hebrews 4:14-16 -
• Hebrews 10:19-20 -

23.  So are we priests now?  Yes, we are.  Comment on this verse.

• 1 Peter 2:9 -

Back to Exodus 26

The Screen

24.  How was the screen for the doorway of the tent designed and what were the colors of the linen? vs. 36
25.  What were the pillars for the screen made of and what were they overlaid with? vs. 37

Note:  Similar to the veil screening the Holy of Holies was the veil which screened the doorway.  Here there are five pillars instead of four, and sockets of bronze rather than silver. Bronze speaks of judgment in the Scriptures. We may enter the Holy Place once we have stood before the judgment seat of Christ.  Everything outside the tabernacle tent then represents God's kingdom on the earth, as we will read of the altar of sacrifice in Exodus Chapter 27 tomorrow.

26.  Because Jesus has made the way for us to go into the Holy of Holies, why would we not want to enter as often as possible to present our needs before the Most High God?  I hope we will see the vision of the tabernacle in our mind and that we will confess our sins and enter into His very presence in prayer often!  The blood of Jesus makes the way for us!

27.  Summarize this chapter and post your prayer if you would like.