Exodus 40 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Exodus 40 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• God delivered the Israelites from slavery in approximately 1491 B.C.

• Chapter 40 verse 2 tells us the Tabernacle was finished and erected for the first time 1 year after the Israelites left Egypt.

CHARACTERS:

• Moses – Moses was selected by God to lead the Israelites to Canaan. God spoke directly to Moses and Moses communicated God’s words to the people.

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God granted them freedom after several hundred years in slavery in Egypt.

• Bezalel and Oholiab – Two men specially gifted with the Spirit of God to help in the construction of the Tabernacles and the holy items within it.

WHERE:

• When Moses relayed God’s instructions regarding the Tabernacle to the Israelites, the people were camped at Mount Sinai.

OUTLINE:

• THE TABERNACLE IS ERECTED (40:1-33):

  • God told Moses to bring all of the pieces of the Tabernacle together and erect the tent on the 1st day of the 1st month.

  • “Moses erected the tabernacle. He laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars.”

  • The Ark of the Covenant was put in the interior room of the Tabernacle and the stone tablets of the testimony were placed inside the Ark.

  • The mercy seat was set above the Ark.

  • A veil separated the Most Holy Place, where the Ark was placed, from the Holy Place.

  • The Holy place contained the altar of incense, the golden table on which was place the Bread of the Prescence, and the golden lampstand.

  • A screen covered the entrance to the tent.

  • The Israelites erected the pillars and curtains of the courtyard and put the bronze altar of burnt offerings and the bronze basin for washing within the court.

  • When everything was in place, Moses was to take the holy anointing oil and anoint everything in the Tabernacle and in the court.

  • Aaron and his sons were also to be anointed because they were to be the priests who served in the Tabernacle.

• GOD’S GLORY FILLS THE TABERNACLE (40:34-38):

  • When Moses and the people finished constructing and consecrating the structure, “the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.”

  • Throughout all the journeys of the Israelites, the pillar of cloud remained over the Tabernacle during the day and a pillar of fire was over it at night.

  • Whenever the pillar of cloud lifted off the Tabernacle and began moving, the Israelites would break camp and follow it to their next destination. 

DIAGRAM OF THE TABERNACLE: