Tabernacle מִשְׁכָּן

We are moving into chapter twenty-six of Exodus with our word for today. מִשְׁכָּן abode, dwelling, tent, tabernacle. It is used 139 times in the Old Testament, 16 times in our chapter for today. Our word is used in the sense of a portable sanctuary which the Israelites carried in the wilderness after the Exodus. We’ll start in our chapter where it is used the most as it describes in detail how this special tent where God made himself known in a special way was to be made. Here are some of the uses in our chapter. Exodus 26:1, 6-7, 12-13, 15, 17, 30, 35 Moreover, you shall make הַמִּשְׁכָּ֥ן the tabernacle with ten curtains … and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן the tabernacle may be a single whole. You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן the tabernacle … the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן the tabernacle … the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it … You shall make upright frames לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן for the tabernacle of acacia wood … There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן the tabernacle … Then you shall erect הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain … And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side. The Levites were put in charge of the tabernacle which involved packing, unpacking, and setting it up for use. Numbers 1:50-51 But appoint the Levites over מִשְׁכַּ֨ןthe tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around לַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ןthe tabernacle. When הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ןthe tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ןthe tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. We see that not only was all the contents housed in this special tent was consecrated but the tabernacle itself before it was used. Exodus 40:9 Take the anointing oil and anoint הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. Leviticus 8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. We see God’s glory fill the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34-35 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן the tabernacle. Exodus 40:38 So the cloud of the Lord was over הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. God also directed the people when it was time to pack up and move based on the cloud over the tabernacle (Exodus 40:36). Because our word is so closely associated with a tent, which is a different word than our word for today, we can forget that the basic meaning of the word is dwelling, abode, or habitation. God doesn’t live in a tent. He is everywhere but he makes his presence known in this tent for the people’s benefit. The point of this special tent is not the tent itself but the one who is making his presence known inside of it in a special way. I’ll close with these great references that makes this very point. Psalm 84:1 How lovely is מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶ֗יךָ your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! Psalm 132:7 Let us go לְמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֑יו to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool. Psalm 26:8 Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory מִשְׁכַּ֥ן dwells.