The setting up of the tabernacle happened on the ‘first day of the month’, Exodus 40:1, which was exactly two years after they departed from Egypt. And as we know, the tabernacle had to be built according to the pattern God gave Moses and assembled according to the pattern God gave Moses, Exodus 25:9 / Exodus 39:43.
Moses is to place the ark of the covenant, Exodus 25:10-16, its curtain, Exodus 26:31-35, the table, Exodus 25:23-30, and the bread which was to place on it, Exodus 25:30.
The lampstand, it’s lamps, Exodus 25:31-40, the gold altar of incense, Exodus 30:1-10, and the entrance curtain, Exodus 26:36-37, exactly where God wanted them placed, Exodus 40:1-5.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The directions given in Leviticus 24:5-9 are here presupposed and must have been issued before this chapter was written.’
These were the arrangements for all the items which were to be placed in the courtyard. The outer court itself was open to all Israelites to worship, Exodus 27:9-15. Those who had been redeemed were allowed to enter, Exodus 27:9-19.
Moses is to place the altar of burnt offering, Exodus 27:1-8, the basin, Exodus 30:17-21, the courtyard, Exodus 26:7-14, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard, Exodus 26:7-14, exactly where God wanted them placed, Exodus 40:6-8.
Notice the tabernacle was to be anointed when it was erected, Exodus 40:9. Using the special anointing oil, Exodus 30:22-33, Moses anointed the tabernacle in order to designate it to be holy, Exodus 40:9 / Exodus 30:29.
All of the items were also to be anointed with the special anointing oil, Exodus 40:9-11. Once holy, that is set apart, it is sanctified; it wasn’t to be touched by anyone other than the designated priests whose job it was to transport the tabernacle from one place to another, Leviticus 8:1-13.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The position of the altar exposed it to the chance of being touched by the people when they assembled in the court, while they were not permitted to enter the tabernacle.’
Moses is told to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water, Exodus 40:12. Aaron is to be dressed in the sacred garments, Exodus 28:1-39, anointed and consecrated so he may serve God as priest, Exodus 40:13.
Next, Aaron’s sons are to be dressed in tunics, Exodus 40:14 / Exodus 28:40-43, and anointed just as Moses anointed Aaron, so they may serve God as priests, Exodus 40:15. The full description of this dedication ceremony for the priests is found in Leviticus 8 and Leviticus 9.
Notice that ‘their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations’, Exodus 40:15. We mustn’t understand this to mean that this priesthood would be everlasting or eternal, as some understand the words. Jesus is the only everlasting high priest, Hebrews 7:17 / Hebrews 7:23-25 / Hebrews 7:28, and so, the priesthood of Aaron and his sons ended in Christ.
In the statement that Aaron’s priesthood ‘will continue throughout their generations’, God was simply stating that it wouldn’t go out of existence until He took it out of existence. When Jesus came, God terminated the existence of the priesthood of Aaron.
Moses oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:16. This phrase appears eight times through this chapter, Exodus 40:16 / Exodus 40:19 / Exodus 40:21 / Exodus 40:23 / Exodus 40:25 / Exodus 40:27 / Exodus 40:29 / Exodus 40:32.
The tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year, Exodus 40:17.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘That is, on the first of the month Nisan, Exodus 12:2 / Exodus 13:4, one year, wanting fourteen days, after the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. They had been nearly three months in reaching the foot of Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:1. Moses had spent eighty days on the mountain, Exodus 24:18 / Exodus 34:28, and some time must be allowed for what is related in Exodus 24, as well as for the interval between the two periods which Moses spent on the mountain, Exodus 33:1-23. The construction of the tabernacle and its furniture would thus appear to have occupied something less than half a year.’
It goes up by setting up the boards, Exodus 26:15-30, covering them with the curtains, Exodus 40:18 / Exodus 26:7-14. Notice that Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:19.
The Ark of the Covenant is set in the Most Holy Place. The tablets of the covenant law are to be placed in the ark, Exodus 25:16 / Exodus 25:21 / Hebrews 9:4; the poles for carrying the ark are to be attached, Exodus 25:10-16.
The atonement cover was to be placed over it, Exodus 25:17-22, and the veil is set in place, Exodus 40:21 / Exodus 26:31-35. Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:21.
The table of showbread is put in the Holy Place, Exodus 25:23-30. It is to be placed on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain, Exodus 26:31-35, and the bread is to be set out on it before the LORD, Exodus 40:22 / Exodus 28:1. Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:23.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Moses took part with them, and most likely took the lead, until they were consecrated and invested, Leviticus 8 and publicly set apart for the office.’
The lampstand is put in the Holy Place, Exodus 25:31-40. It is to be placed opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, with the lamps set up before the LORD, Exodus 40:24. Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:25.
The golden altar of incense is put in the Holy Place, Exodus 30:1-10. It was to be placed in front of the curtain, and Moses burned fragrant incense on it, Exodus 40:26 / Exodus 30:34-37. Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:27.
The screen is hung at the entrance of the tabernacle, Exodus 26:36-37.
The bronze altar is put in its place, and Moses offerings are burnt, Exodus 29:15-18, and grain offerings, Exodus 29:41 / Leviticus 2:1-16 / Leviticus 6:14-23, on it. Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him.
The laver for washing is put in between the altar and the tent, Exodus 40:30 / Exodus 30:17-21. Moses, Aaron, and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet, and they washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, Exodus 40:31-32. Moses again oversees the assembly of the tabernacle and does everything the Lord commanded him, Exodus 40:31.
The outer court is now set up, Exodus 26:7-14 / Exodus 27:9-19. When the tabernacle was finally assembled, it was an earthly model of a heavenly reality. It was built exactly according to the pattern that God gave him, Hebrews 8:5.
It’s interesting to note that the tabernacle was really a foreshadowing of the heavenly things to come. In Revelation 4:1-6, the Ark of the Covenant, the lampstand, and the laver all correspond to a heavenly reality. In Revelation 8:2-4, the altar of incense in heaven is mentioned.
In Isaiah 6:1-7, the tabernacle structure is implied by the mention of the temple, and the bronze altar is described. In Hebrews 9:23-24, it tells us that at some point in time, after the cross, Jesus entered the heavenly reality represented on earth by the tabernacle and appeared in the presence of God to offer a perfect atonement for our sins.
Once the tabernacle was erected, God visibly demonstrated His approval of what the workmen had done in fulfilling all His commandments concerning the construction. The cloud thus became a permanent feature of the tabernacle, Exodus 40:34.
Notice that Moses couldn’t enter the tabernacle because the cloud settled on it, Exodus 40:35. Solomon, when he finished building the temple, experienced the same thing; he wasn’t allowed to enter it because the temple was filled with God’s glory, 1 Kings 8:10-11.
When the cloud moved, the tabernacle was to be moved, and when it stood still in one place, the tabernacle was to remain in that place, Exodus 40:36-37. The presence of the cloud by day and the fire by night was a demonstration that God was continually with Israel, Exodus 40:38.
They had repented of their sin, and so, the coming of the cloud and fire was a continual reminder that God had forgiven their sin and subsequently would be with them throughout their journeys.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This daily and nightly appearance was at once both a merciful providence, and a demonstrative proof of the Divinity of their religion: and these tokens continued with them throughout all their journeys; for, notwithstanding their frequently repeated disobedience and rebellion, God never withdrew these tokens of his presence from them, till they were brought into the promised land.’
God had answered Moses’ prayer, Exodus 33:14, and despite Israel’s sin, God was once again with His people, Exodus 29:45. Israel was now ready to leave Mount Sinai and enter the promised land. Sadly, as we know, because of their doubt, this would not happen until thirty-eight years after the completion of the tabernacle.
Fields, in his commentary, says the following about the history of the tabernacle.
1. It was set up first at Gilgal after Israel crossed Jordon, Joshua 18:1.
2. It was erected at Shiloh and remained there through the period of the Judges, Joshua 19:51 / 1 Samuel 1:3 / 1 Samuel 4:3 / 1 Samuel 12.
3. It was captured by the Philistines, 1 Samuel 4:10-11.
4. It was returned to Israel at Kiriath-Jearim west of Jerusalem, 1 Samuel 7:1.
5. After the time of Eli, it was removed to Nob, north of Jerusalem, 1 Samuel 21:1-9.
6. The ark remained at Kiriath-Jearim until the times of David, 1 Samuel 7:1-2 / 1 Chronicles 13:5-6.
7. About the beginning of David’s reign (1000 B.C.), it was located at Gibeon, 5 miles northwest of Jerusalem, 1 Chronicles 21:29 / 1 Chronicles 16:39-40 / 2 Chronicles 1:3 / 1 Kings 3:4 / 1 Kings 9:2.
8. David brought it in a new cart to Jerusalem, where he had prepared a new tent for it, 2 Samuel 6:17 / 1 Chronicles 16:1.
9. It was replaced by Solomon’s Temple, all except the ark, 1 Kings 8:4 / 1 Kings 8:6. God destroyed Solomon’s Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.
10. After that, no more was heard of the tabernacle, or the ark of the covenant, which was not in Zerubbabel’s Temple (516 B.C.).
11. The Herodian Temple (in the times of Christ) was also destroyed by God by the overthrow of Jerusalem by the armies of Vespasian and Titus in 70 A.D.