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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

God’s Instructions for the Furnishings of the Tabernacle

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The Ark of the Covenant portrays Christ as the only Mediator.

2. The Table of Bread portrays Christ as the Bread of Life.

3. The Golden Lampstand portrays Christ as the Light of the World.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Let’s follow the divine pattern.

QUESTIONS

1. What did God communicate to Moses during his 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai?

2. What pattern is set here for giving to the Lord’s work?

3. What was inside the Ark of the Covenant?

4. What was on top of the Ark of the Covenant? Describe the significance of the name of this piece.

5. How did the Table of Showbread function in the Tabernacle?

6. Were there any windows in the Tabernacle?

ANSWERS

1. The details of the design and construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings

2. Giving should be voluntary and without manipulation (verse 2).

3. The two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded

4. The Mercy Seat sat atop the Ark. Also referred to as the “place of atonement,” the name of this piece comes from the Hebrew word meaning “to cover.” Here the Israelites’ sins were covered before God.

5. Twelve loaves of bread, one for each tribe of Israel, were placed on this golden Table, in God’s presence. This bread was also food for the priests.

6. No, all the light came from lamps on the Golden Lampstand.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. Discuss the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat. Every instrument in the Tabernacle points towards God’s ultimate sacrifice, His Son. The Ark of the Covenant portrays Christ as the true Mediator.

2. The twelve loaves on the Table of Showbread carry the idea of representation and nourishment. How does this point us to the Lord Jesus as the true Bread from heaven? See 1 Peter 2:5 and John 6:35. It is easy to see how the Lampstand in the Tabernacle points to Christ as the Light of the World. Discuss this and refer to John 8:12.

CHALLENGE

1. For this lesson on the Tabernacle and its furnishings, it would be very helpful to find a book on the Tabernacle or reference a website, so you can clearly pictures these items.

KEY VERSES

• “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

• “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” Exodus 25:9

• “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark… and there I will meet with you.” Exodus 25:21-22

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Covenant Ratified; The Glory of the Lord Revealed

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The Covenant of the Law was ratified by the people.

2. The Glory of the Lord was revealed to the people.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Remember the lesson of Nadab and Abihu.

QUESTIONS

1. Why were so many laws included in the Mosaic Law?

2. How did the coming of Christ affect the law?

3. How did the people ratify or approve God’s covenant?

4. What did the sprinkling of blood mean?

5. Did Aaron, his sons, and the seventy elders really see God?

6. Who were Nadab and Abihu? What happened to them?

ANSWERS

1. For the protection and regulation of the Jewish society

2. With the coming of Christ the law was terminated as the means of approach to God. The law could not provide righteousness because no one could keep the Law. Romans 10:4

3. The people agreed to the terms of God’s laws and offered burnt offerings. Moses took the blood from the offerings and sprinkled it on the altar and on the people.

4. It meant that if the people broke the covenant and did not keep their word, it was at the price of blood. The penalty was death.

5. No one has ever seen the essence of Deity, but God has at times revealed Himself in various forms with varying degrees of glory, as here in Exodus 24.

6. Nadab and Abihu were sons of Aaron, and priests of Israel. Leviticus 10 records them offering “strange fire” to the Lord, and they died.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. The Children of Israel were not allowed to go on the mountain where God was. Aaron and his sons and seventy elders of Israel were permitted to go up a ways with Moses and worship God from afar. Only Moses was allowed to go further up the mountain and come near to the Lord to worship. Contrast this with the way believers now are to approach God in worship. Hebrews 10:19, 22.

2. Clouds play an important role in the Children of Israel’s history. God lead the people through the wilderness with a pillar of cloud. Here the glory cloud of the Lord appeared as a consuming fire at the top of Mount Sinai. Later this glory cloud would rest on the tabernacle. Can you think of some passages involving clouds in the New Testament?

CHALLENGE

1. Being a Christian with great privileges and position does not keep you free from failure. Remember the lesson of Nadab and Abihu.

KEY VERSES

• “All the words which the LORD has said we will do.” Exodus 24:3

• “And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people.” Exodus 24:8

• “The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Exodus 24:17

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Further Laws for the Protection of Society under the Mosaic Covenant

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The Mosaic Law was given for the protection and regulation of society. 1) Under the Law, the courts were to be just. 2) Under the Law, the Sabbaths were to be kept. 3) Under the Law, the feasts were to be celebrated.

2. The Mosaic Law was given for the direction and caution of conquest

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Let’s practice the “little by little” principle.

QUESTIONS

1. While many of the laws under the Mosaic Covenant are self-explanatory, others need some explanation. Explain the law in Exodus 23:19, “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

2. If a rich man and a poor man came before a court for judgment, which should be treated better?

3. Give a modern application for the laws in Exodus 23:4-5.

4. Why were the Children of Israel to let the land rest every seventh year?

5. How many religious feasts were in the Jewish calendar?

6. For which feasts did the Jewish men have to appear before the Lord at the tabernacle?

ANSWERS

1. This law was to keep the Children of Israel from using a common Canaanite occult fertility practice.

2. Neither. Exodus 23 teaches that a rich man should not be shown partiality over a poor man, nor a poor man over a rich man.

3. Don’t refuse to help your neighbor with a problem even if he’s taking you to court in a property dispute.

4. The practice of a sabbatical year reminded the Children of Israel that God owned the land and they were just sojourners, entrusted with the land.

5. There were seven feasts in a Jewish year.

6. The Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest (Pentecost), and the Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles).

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. The idea of a “Sabbath” in not common in our culture. Oftentimes people work hard at their jobs five days a week, and then wear themselves out with “recreation” on the weekends. Discuss the value of taking a day of rest. Remember, this was God’s example in the Creation Week.

2. God warned the Children of Israel about the danger of allowing other gods in their land. They were to be ruthless and thorough about eliminating these false gods. Yet we know that they were not, and we know the consequences. List some of the things that become false “gods” to people today. How should these gods be dealt with, so they do not become a snare?

CHALLENGE

1. When we become a Christian, we don’t become spiritually mature overnight. It is a “little by little” process. Can you say that God is working on you in this way? Are you more Christ-like today than you were a year ago?

KEY VERSES

• “Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest.” Exodus 23:12

• “Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.” Exodus 23:17

• “You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” Exodus 23:32-33

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Further Laws for the Protection and Regulation of Israelite Society

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The Mosaic Law was given for the protection and regulation of society. 1) Under the Law, full restitution was required. 2) Under the Law, a dowry was required. 3) Under the Law, the death penalty was required. 4) Under the Law, kindness was required. 5) Under the Law, giving to the Lord was required.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Don’t delay your giving.

QUESTIONS

1. Which laws were included in the Mosaic Law?

2. How can these laws be subdivided?

3. How was a thief to repay his wrong?

4. Was if justified for an Israelite to kill a thief in self defense?

5. How does this chapter show us how seriously God disapproves of pre-marital sex?

6. Are Christians required to give to the Lord?

ANSWERS

1. The Mosaic Law included all the laws given to the Children of Israel, not only the Ten Commandments.

2. Moral laws, civil laws, and ceremonial laws

3. He had to pay the owner five oxen for one stolen ox, and 4 sheep for one stolen sheep. If the stolen animal was found alive and well, the thief only had to pay double. If a thief could not make restitution he had to sell himself into slavery until the debt was paid.

4. If a thief was killed at night, it was considered self defense, because the owner was not aware of the intruder’s motive. But if the thief was killed during the day, it was not considered justified homicide and the owner might have to flee to the nearest City of Refuge from the revenge of the thief’s nearest relative.

5. In verses 16-17, in the case of consensual sex between an unmarried young man and woman, the man had to pay the required dowry and marry the woman, and under the Law he could never divorce her

6. Since we are not under the Law, giving to the Lord is not a requirement. But we should certainly be determined to give to the Lord, in view of what the Lord has done for us.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. We can draw practical biblical principles from these detailed laws. From this lesson: What do you do if you borrow something and it breaks or gets lost or damaged in some way? You make full restitution. Can you give an example of this principle from your life?

2. “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 22:21. Can you see which biblical principle could be drawn from this law?

CHALLENGE

1. The Children of Israel were expected to give to the Lord regularly and proportionately. What about you?

KEY VERSES

• “And if a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it becomes injured or dies… he shall surely make it good.” Exodus 22:14

• “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.” Exodus 22:22

• “You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices.” Exodus 22:29

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Laws given to Israel for the Protection and Regulation of their Society

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The Mosaic Law was given for the protection and regulation of society.
   1) Under the Law, slaves were given their freedom.
   2) Under the Law, certain crimes were capital offenses.
   3) Under the Law, the unborn had human status.
   4) Under the Law, owners were responsible for their property.
   

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Don’t miss the spiritual picture of the pierced ear.

QUESTIONS

1. Why were these detailed laws given to the Children of Israel?

2. Is God condoning slavery with the laws in Exodus 21?

3. What happened to Hebrew male slaves after six years of service?

4. List some of the crimes which were capital offenses under the Mosaic Law.

5. Discuss the implications of Exodus 21:22-25 whether this refers to a miscarriage or a premature birth.

6. Why would a slave choose to give up his freedom? How would his decision be shown?

ANSWERS

1. For the protection and regulation of their society.

2. No, these laws were given to regulate an existing practice in that society.

3. They were set free without having to buy their freedom. Deuteronomy 15 teaches that when a slave was released, his master had to provide him with provisions – including livestock – to begin his new life.

4. 1) Murder 2) Striking your parents 3) Kidnapping 4) Cursing your parents, thus rebelling against God’s line of authority

5. Either way, this passage clearly shows that an unborn child was to be treated as a human being, and thus this passage along with the rest of the Bible is against abortion.

6. If a slave was given his freedom, but his wife and children still belonged to the master, he might choose to give up his freedom for love of his family. In that case, his ear would be pierced with an awl as a permanent sign of his decision.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. Discuss the spiritual picture of the pierced ear. This could be a beautiful picture of what the Lord has done for us. Our Savior, Christ, was voluntarily pierced because of His love for His Bride, the Church. This could also be a picture of our willingness to permanently serve the Lord. This is what H.C.G. Moule pictured when he wrote the following hymn:

   My glorious Victor, Prince divine

   Clasp these surrended hands in Thine

   At length my will is all Thine own

   Glad vassal of a Saviour’s throne.

   My Master, lead me to Thy door

   Pierce this now willing ear once more

   Thy bonds are freedom, let me stay

   With Thee, to toil, endure, obey.

   Yes, ear and hand, and thought and will

   Use all in Thy dear slav’ry still!

   Self’s weary liberties I cast

   Beneath Thy feet, there keep them fast.

   Tread them still down; and then I know

   These hands shall with Thy gifts o’erflow

   And pierced ears shall hear the tone

   Which tells me Thou and I are one.

CHALLENGE

KEY VERSES

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Ten Commandments

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The Ten Commandments give us God’s moral standards.

2. The Ten Commandments show us our duties to God and man.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Let’s not take away from the pure worship of God.

QUESTIONS

1. Where were the Children of Israel when the Ten Commandments were given?

2. How did the Ten Commandments come to the people?

3. Were the Ten Commandments given as a way of salvation?

4. What was the primary purpose of the Law?

5. Which commandment is not repeated in the New Testament? Why is this commandment not part of the Law of Christ?

6. Should the sixth commandment be used as an argument against capital punishment?

ANSWERS

1. They were camped around the base of Mt. Sinai.

2. The Lord came down upon the mountain in the midst of thunder, lightning, smoke, and the sound of a loud trumpet. Amidst these awesome conditions, the voice of God began speaking to the people.

3. No. No one can perfectly keep these laws.

4. To show us God’s moral standards

5. The only commandment not repeated in the New Testament is the commandment regarding the Sabbath, because it is not a moral commandment.

6. No. The best translation of this commandment is “Thou shalt not murder,” rather than “kill.” Capital punishment has its biblical basis in the Noahic covenant.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. If the Law was not given as a way of salvation or a rule for Christian life, why was it given? Galatians 3:19 teaches that the Law was given to show our transgressions of God’s moral standards. Discuss where this realization should lead us. Refer to Romans 6:14, 8:4 and Galatians 3:24.

2. Many people consider themselves “good people,” because they’ve “kept the Ten Commandments.” But none of us can honestly say we have keep each of these commandments! Discuss the tenth commandment, which applies to the thought-life. Are you sinning in your mind, even if you do not commit the sinful act?

CHALLENGE

1. You don’t need elaborate man-made buildings or man-made rituals to worship the Lord. John 4:24 says God is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. How are you worshiping the Lord?

KEY VERSES

• “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:2-3

• “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’” Exodus 20:20

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Covenant of the Law Accepted by the People of Israel

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. Under the Law Israel was to be a Kingdom of Priests.

2. Under the Law Israel was to be a Holy Nation.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Have you experienced the blessing of eagles’ wings?

QUESTIONS

1. Where did the Israelites arrive in this chapter? How long did it take them to get there?

2. Give arguments in favor of Jebel Musa in the Sinai Peninsula being the site of Mount Sinai.

3. How long did the Children of Israel camp at Mount Sinai?

4. What does it mean that the Mosaic Covenant was a “conditional” covenant?

5. Is the Mosaic Covenant in effect today?

6. What was the purpose of the fire and lightning on the mountain and the boundaries around it?

ANSWERS

1. Exactly three months after the Exodus, the Children of Israel arrived at the base of Mount Sinai.

2. 1) There is a desert plain at the base of Jebel Musa large enough for a few million people to camp. 2) The granite rocks of Jebel Musa rise abruptly and steeply from the desert plain, so it could be easily roped off (verse 12).

3. Almost a year, during which time the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Mosaic Law was given.

4. This means there were certain requirements that the people must keep, or the covenant between God and His people would be broken.

5. No, because the Law was a conditional covenant and Israel broke that covenant. Romans 10:4 says that the time of the Mosaic Covenant ended with the coming of Christ. Christ fulfilled the Law, so we are no longer under it.

6. These dramatic elements emphasized the holiness of God and the sinfulness of the people. The people could not just approach God in any way they chose or at any time they chose. We must approach God His way

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. God intended for Israel to be a kingdom of priests, mediating God’s grace to the other nations of the world. But because of Israel’s sin and disobedience, the nation failed this purpose. As believers we are called priest of God. See 1 Peter 2:5. As priests, we offer our spiritual sacrifice of praise to the Lord. Are you fulfilling this purpose?

2. Does God still have plans for the nation of Israel? Yes, based on the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant. Discuss the difference between the Mosaic and Abrahamic Covenant. Discuss the error of saying the Church has replaced Israel in the plan of God.

CHALLENGE

1. Our culture wants us to believe we can approach God in any way we choose at any time we choose. Yet for the Israelites at Mount Sinai and for us today, we must approach God His way. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” John 14:6.

KEY VERSES

• “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.” Exodus 19:4

• “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:6

• “Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai.” Exodus 19:20

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Jethro Counsels Moses

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. God provides His people with proof to remove doubt.

2. God provides His people with help to avoid burnout.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Share the good news of what God is doing with your relatives.

QUESTIONS

1. What is “the mountain of God”?

2. Who was Jethro? Whom did he serve as a priest?

3. Why was Jethro afraid his son-in-law would burn out?

4. What did Jethro suggest Moses do?

5. Is it wrong to feel you are stretched to the limit and at risk of burning out?

ANSWERS

1. This is another name for Mount Sinai, also known as Mount Horeb.

2. Jethro, a Midianite, was the father-in-law of Moses. He was a priest of the one true God.

3. Because Moses was handling all the disputes among the people, great and small

4. He should delegate some of his authority to good men who could help him govern the people.

5. No, feeling this way does not mean you are refusing to depend on the Lord. It may mean you are truly over-burdened, and need to learn to delegate some of your responsibilities to others

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. When Moses shared the miraculous events of the Lord in bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt, this confirmed his father-in-law Jethro’s faith in the one true God. As a believer, what sort of doubts have you had about the Christian faith? What has God used to remove this doubt?

2. Jethro encouraged Moses to delegate some of his responsibility so he would not burnout. Is this a lesson you need to learn? Evaluate the demands on your time and ask whether these are responsibilities you truly need to handle or things that can be delegated to others.

CHALLENGE

1. Want some advice on how to get along better with your relatives? Follow Moses’ example – share with them the good news about what God is doing in your life.

KEY VERSES

• “And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had… Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel.” Exodus 18:8-9

• “Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.” Exodus 18:18

• “And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people.” Exodus 18:25

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Water from the Rock and the Defeat of Amalek

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The water from the rock is a spiritual picture of the Water of the Holy Spirit.

2. The war with Amalek is a spiritual picture of the war with the flesh.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. You can at least be a Hur!

QUESTIONS

1. Review the miracles we have seen in the recent chapters of Exodus.

2. Moses named the stopping place in this chapter “Massah and Meribah.” What do these names mean?

3. How does 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 relate to this passage?

4. Who were the Amalekites?

5. Give some keys to victory in the war with the flesh.

ANSWERS

1. After the miraculous plagues on Egypt, God led the people out and miraculously parted the Red Sea. In the wilderness He turned the bitter waters sweet, and provided them with quail for meat and manna every day.

2. They mean “testing and quarreling.” The people were once again complaining about the Lord’s provision.

3. It tells us that the event of the water from the rock was a spiritual picture of the life-giving water available in Christ.

4. They were a fierce nomadic tribe that lived in the region of the Dead Sea. They were descendants of Esau, deeply-rooted enemies of Israel.

5. 1) Recognize that Christ is making intercession for us 2) Realize the importance of prayer 3) Fight with the Sword of the Spirit

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. As believers we come to Christ, the Solid Rock. Christ was smitten by God, struck, that we may receive the living water. What is this water, specifically? See John 7:37-39.

2. Discuss how the war with Amalek is a spiritual picture of the war with the flesh. The “flesh” is the sinful nature we still possess as believers. We are involved in a constant battle between the flesh and the spirit. Read Galatians 5:16-17 and Romans 7:14-25.

CHALLENGE

1. Hur played an important role in the defeat of the Amalekites, by helping Aaron support Moses’ upraised arms. How can you support the spiritual leaders of your church or help them shoulder some responsibility?

KEY VERSES

• “And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses.” Exodus 17:3

• “You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Exodus 17:6

• “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” Exodus 17:13

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

God’s Provision of Manna

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BACKGROUND NOTES

3. 
   
   

DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

1. The manna was given to provide for God’s people.

2. The manna was given to test God’s people.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. Tell your children about the manna.

QUESTIONS

1. After the Children of Israel left lush Elim, they began to grumble again. What did they wish for?

2. How did God provide for the Israelites’ hunger?

3. What does the word “manna” mean?

4. What “first” occurs in this chapter?

5. How was God’s provision of manna a test for the people? Did they pass the test?

ANSWERS

1. They wished not to return to Elim, but to Egypt!

2. He gave them quail for meat and sent manna every day.

3. Manna means “what is it?” This is all the Israelites could say when they saw this bread from heaven.

4. At the end of Exodus 16 we see the first mention of the Sabbath in the Bible. The Israelites were to follow God’s pattern of working for six days and resting on the seventh.

5. The people were tested as to whether they would obey God’s rules for gathering the manna, and whether they would be satisfied with what God provided. The Israelites failed this test.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

1. Manna, this bread from heaven, was a type of Jesus Christ. As the manna was given to provide for the physical needs of God’s people, so Christ, who is the true bread from heaven was given by God to provide for the spiritual needs of His people. John 6:48-51. Discuss how Christ is not only God’s provision for our salvation, but for our spiritual sustenance as well.

2. God has provided you with His Word to meet your spiritual needs. Discuss how you can develop the habit of turning to God’s Word when you need these needs met.

CHALLENGE

1. How can you spiritually nourish your children this week?

KEY VERSES

• “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.’” Exodus 16:4

• “So the people rested on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:30

• “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” John 6:51