The text for this lesson is Exodus 40
Key Point
- In the tabernacle, God dwelled with His people, cleansing them and making them holy through the blood of sacrifices. In Christ, God now dwells among us, cleansing us and making us holy through Jesus’ blood, shed for us on the cross.
- Law: My sin makes me unholy and separates me from God; I am unworthy to stand in His presence.
- Gospel: God cleanses me, makes me holy, and dwells in me through the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.
Discussion Points
- If you were designing a church, how would you convey God’s presence and holiness through the architecture and furnishings?
- In Exodus 40:1–8, God gives Moses a design for His house during the Israelites’ time in the wilderness. Verses 1–5 talk about the inside of the tabernacle, and verses 6–8 tell how the area around the tabernacle is arranged. What characteristics of God are emphasized in the design of the tabernacle?
- Read Exodus 40:9–15. Why does God require that everything in the tabernacle be anointed? Why are Aaron and his sons anointed? What is to be “most holy,” and why?
- Keep in mind the symbolism of the tabernacle and the emphasis on the separation between the holy and the unholy. Read Mark 15:33–34. Why would Jesus have cried out those words? Read Mark 15:37–38. The curtain in the temple is the equivalent of the screen in the tabernacle. What does its tearing symbolize?
- The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has forever changed the relationship between God and His people. We are no longer separated. Where does God meet with His people today?
- Describe the furnishings in the church that have a significant meaning today. How do they relate to Christ and the Gospel and show that we are no longer separated from God?
