Sunday School Lesson: A Space for God

By Elder Richard Wayne Wood

Scriptures: Exodus 25:1-9, 26:1, 31-37 

By the end of this lesson, we will:  

*Categorize the types of offerings that God specified; 

*Compare God’s instructions to Moses’ with New Testament directions;   

*Write a prayer of gratitude for God’s willingness to dwell with you today. 

Background: God instructed His people to build a worship center so He could “dwell among them” not because He needed a place to live, but because they needed a place to worship. The Sanctuary or Tabernacle was for their benefit more than His.  

This dwelling was to be intricately designed, filled with furniture designated to symbolize the way in which humanity could commune with God. The Tabernacle served as the physical location for the dwelling of God among the people until He would dwell among them perfectly in the form of His incarnate Son, Jesus Christ.    

Lesson: Gift from the Heart (Exodus 25:1-9). “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering; of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering” (verses 1-2). God told Moses to take an offering before telling him the purpose of the offering. God wanted people to make an offering who did so willingly from their hearts more than by a specific need. “And this offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass” (verse 3). These metals are for the Tabernacle paraphernalia and priestly vestments. The metal of which each object is made will depend on its proximity to the Holy of Holies. “And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair and ram’s skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood” (verse 4-5). These are the finest fabrics for the Tabernacle curtains, hangings and covers, and the priests’ vestments. They are listed in descending order of quality, and the material of which an item is made depends on the proximity to the Holy of Holies. The shittim wood was used for the frame of the Tabernacle. “Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate” (verses 6-7). These two verses list items for service in the Tabernacle. God listed for Israel 14 components and materials needed to build the Tabernacle. Where would they get these specific items in the wilderness? From the Egyptians who gave to them just before the Exodus, at God’s instruction. For this purpose? “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it” (verses 8-9). The sanctuary refers to the “holy place,” “Tabernacle” means “abode,” referring to the Tabernacle as the place of God’s presence. In verse 9 God showed Moses what His dwelling place should look like. The Tabernacle for God was not to be a product of human creativity but must conform exactly to God’s divine specifications.  

Tabernacle Directions (Exodus 26:1, 31-37). “Moreover, thou shalt make the Tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim of cunning work shalt thou make them” (verse 1). The Tabernacle was a tent with a frame and a series of coverings. The section described here is the first covering – seen from the interior of the Tabernacle. The plans for the Tabernacle were revealed to Moses from the inside out, starting with the interior furniture, then working out. The cherubim design was on the inside of the curtain, so on the inside of the Tabernacle, one saw cherubim all around – as one would see in heaven. “And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen cunning work, with cherubim shall it be made. And thou shall hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver” (verse 31-32). The curtain is the key ritual element here. “And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony, and the vail shall divide unto you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy” (verse 33). “And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place” (verse 34). The vail divided the tent into two compartments. The first compartment was the Holy Place – the larger room first entered. The second compartment was the Most Holy – in it is the ark and outside it the other furniture. “And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the Tabernacle toward the south; and thou shalt put the table on the north side” (verse 35). For descriptions of lamp and table see (25:23-40). “And thou shalt make a hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet and fine twined linen, wrought with needle work. And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold. And thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them” (verses 36-37). The screens for the entrance of the Tabernacle are made of the same materials as the curtains for the Holy of Holies, but do not have cherubim design and its sockets are of less valuable metal (brass) instead of silver and the designs are not woven into the fabric, but are done in embroidery – a less sophisticated weave.  Please notice how that in the Tabernacle, the closer to His holiness the more valuable the surroundings. One cannot approach God except by the ways that He commands. (Standard Lesson Commentary 2024-2025, The MacArthur Study Bible, The Jewish Study Bible, Experiencing God Bible, The Jesus Bible, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary and The Oxford Bible Commentary).  

For Your Consideration: God only wanted people to make an offering who did so willingly from their hearts. Is that how you give offerings to God? Are buildings such as temples or sanctuaries necessary for the presence of God? 

Application: Write a prayer of gratitude for God’s willingness to dwell with you today. 

FYI: Forsyth County Sunday School Union meets in person every third Sunday, 1:30 p.m., at a member church. Contact your Sunday School superintendent for more information.