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Exodus 36:8–38 – The Size of the Tabernacle

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3–5 minutes

Exodus 36:8-38

Suggested Praise Songs:

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

Under the leadership of Bezalel and Oholiab, the craftsmen made the tabernacle out of ten curtains (vv. 8–13). Then, they made a tent to cover the tabernacle using goat hair (vv. 14–18). As instructed by God, they made two additional coverings to go over it—one from rams’ skins dyed red, and the other from dolphin skins (v. 19).

Next, they made the boards to set up the tabernacle using acacia wood, and made bases of silver to place them on, setting them up facing east, west, north, and south (vv. 20–30). They also made crossbars out of acacia wood to connect the boards, and overlaid the boards, crossbars, and rings with gold (vv. 31–34).

The curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place was woven with finely twisted threads of various colors, and cherubim were intricately embroidered on it (v. 35). To hang this curtain, pillars were made from acacia wood and overlaid with gold (v. 36). Likewise, a screen was woven from finely twisted threads of various colors to cover the entrance to the tabernacle. The pillars and hooks used to hang this screen were all overlaid with gold as well (vv. 37–38).

Meditation:

Although chapter 26 already records detailed instructions about the construction of the tabernacle, the author here still describes the building process and its components in great detail. For modern readers, this may seem like unnecessary repetition. However, to the author, it was critically important. There was a need to emphasize that everything in the tabernacle was built exactly as God had instructed.

As mentioned earlier, the tabernacle was quite small compared to the size of the Israelite population at the time. While living in Egypt, the Israelites had been forced into hard labor on massive construction projects like the pyramids and the Sphinx. During the Exodus, they came to know that “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” was greater and mightier than all the gods of Egypt. For this reason, they may have wanted to build a large and magnificent tabernacle to reflect God’s power and glory. Yet God commanded them to build the tabernacle with such simplicity and modest scale.

The tabernacle was a symbol that God was dwelling among them. It served as a reminder that the invisible God was actively working in their midst. What mattered was not its size, but its symbolism. When considered in terms of the symbolic meaning behind its structure and furnishings, the tabernacle far surpassed the symbolism of the pyramids and the Sphinx. But only those with eyes to see could perceive this. In a way, the tabernacle was a tool for teaching the Israelites how to see the world rightly.

Prayer:

Lord, though we say we have seen the kingdom of God, we still measure everything by how big, how much, and how expensive it is. Have mercy on us and help us to set our eyes on what is lowly, small, and few. Let us see Your face in these things. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God doesn’t care about how big or fancy things are—He cares that we follow Him with love and obedience. The tabernacle was small, but it was filled with deep meaning and reminded the people that God was with them.

  • For Preschool-Elementary
    • Why do you think God wanted the tabernacle to be simple and small?
    • What helps you remember that God is always with you?
    • Can something small (like a prayer or a kind word) be very special to God? Why?
  • Youth
    • Why do you think the Bible repeats the instructions and building of the tabernacle in detail?
    • What does the tabernacle teach us about seeing God in everyday life, even in simple things?
    • In what ways do people today still focus on “bigger, more, and expensive,” and how can we learn to value what God values instead?

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