Bird's-eye view
In this section of Exodus, we transition from the divine blueprint to the earthly construction, from the commands on the mountain to the craftsmanship in the valley. The previous chapters detailed God's explicit instructions for His dwelling place, and now we see the joyful and willing obedience of His people in carrying them out. This is not rote compliance; it is worshipful work. The text emphasizes that the artisans, led by Bezalel, were "wise at heart," filled with the Spirit of God to accomplish this task. The construction of the tabernacle itself is a central act in redemptive history. It is a tangible picture of God's intent to dwell with His redeemed people. More than that, it is a scale model of the cosmos, a restored Eden, and a profound foreshadowing of the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the true tabernacle, the place where God and man meet perfectly. Every detail, from the color of the threads to the number of the loops, is saturated with theological meaning, pointing forward to the substance that would be revealed in the gospel.
The specific focus here is on the innermost curtains, the very fabric that would form the immediate dwelling of God. The materials are precious, the design is heavenly, and the construction is precise. The result is a beautiful paradox: many individual curtains are meticulously joined together to form one single tabernacle. This is a foundational picture of the church. God calls individuals, but He knits them together into one body, one dwelling place for His Spirit. The work described here is therefore not just about building a tent; it is about enacting a parable of redemption, unity, and the beauty of holiness.
Outline
- 1. The Obedient Construction of God's House (Exod 36:8-13)
- a. The Gifted Artisans and Heavenly Design (Exod 36:8)
- b. The Precise Dimensions of Holiness (Exod 36:9)
- c. The Creation of Unity from Diversity (Exod 36:10-13)
- i. Two Sets of Five Curtains (Exod 36:10)
- ii. The Loops for Joining (Exod 36:11-12)
- iii. The Golden Clasps of Union (Exod 36:13)
Context In Exodus
This chapter comes after a significant narrative pivot. In Exodus 25-31, God gave Moses the detailed plans for the tabernacle on Mount Sinai. But immediately following this, in chapters 32-34, Israel committed egregious idolatry with the golden calf. The entire covenant relationship was jeopardized. Moses interceded, God's wrath was turned away, and the covenant was renewed. It is out of this context of sin, judgment, repentance, and gracious restoration that the work of the tabernacle finally begins. The people, having been forgiven much, now give generously (Exodus 35), and the craftsmen, filled with God's Spirit, get to work. Chapter 36 is the direct fulfillment of the commands given in chapter 26. The repetition is deliberate and crucial. It demonstrates Israel's faithful, detail-for-detail obedience to the divine pattern. This is not human invention or religious creativity; it is a loving response to God's revealed will, made possible only by His grace.
Key Issues
- The "Wise at Heart" and Spirit-Endowment
- Obedience to the Divine Pattern
- The Symbolism of the Materials (Linen, Colors)
- The Meaning of the Cherubim
- Typology of the Tabernacle as Christ and the Church
- The Theological Significance of Unity
Worshipful Work
It is essential that we see this section not as a dry architectural specification, but as a description of worship. After the disaster of the golden calf, where the people used their gold for idolatry and their energy for revelry, we now see a redeemed and restored community channeling their gifts for the glory of God. Their work is an act of devotion. The phrase "wise at heart" does not refer to mere intellectual capacity. In the Bible, the heart is the center of the will, the affections, and the conscience. A wise heart is one that is rightly oriented to God. Furthermore, the text makes it clear that this wisdom for craftsmanship was a direct gift from the Holy Spirit (Exod 35:31). God does not just give the commands; He gives the ability to fulfill them.
This sets a permanent pattern for the people of God. Our work, whether it is preaching a sermon, balancing a spreadsheet, or changing a diaper, is to be done as an act of worship. When our hearts are wise, that is, submitted to Christ, the Spirit equips us to do our work skillfully for the glory of God. The construction of the tabernacle teaches us that there is no division between the sacred and the secular in the life of a believer. All of life is to be a consecrated act of building a dwelling place for God.
Verse by Verse Commentary
8 And all those wise at heart among those who were doing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skillful designer, Bezalel made them.
The work begins with the heart. It is the wise at heart, those whose skill is not just technical but spiritual, who undertake this task. The tabernacle proper starts with its curtains, the fabric walls. The material itself is significant. Fine twisted linen speaks of purity and righteousness, the righteousness of Christ that clothes His people. The colors are royal and heavenly. Blue speaks of the heavens, the divine origin of this dwelling. Purple, a color of royalty, points to the King who will dwell within. Scarlet speaks of blood, sacrifice, and the life that is given for atonement. Woven into this fabric of righteousness and royalty are cherubim. These are the guardians of holy space, the very creatures who guarded the way back to Eden. Their presence here signifies that this tabernacle is a new Eden, a place where God will once again walk with man. This is not just decoration; it is a theological statement. And all this is the work of a skillful designer, showing that God delights in excellence and beauty.
9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had the same measurements.
God is a God of order, not chaos. The precision of the measurements is a reflection of His character. There is no room for sloppiness or approximation in the construction of God's house. The uniformity of the curtains is also important. Each individual piece was made to the same divine standard. This points to the fact that in the church, while we have different gifts, we are all held to the one standard of God's Word and are all made according to the pattern of Christ. There are no irregulars in the true tabernacle; each part is shaped precisely by the Master's hand.
10 He joined five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he joined to one another.
The ten individual curtains are not left as separate pieces. They are first sewn into two larger sections of five curtains each. The number ten often represents completion or the totality of something in Scripture (e.g., ten commandments), while five can be associated with grace. Here, the complete set of curtains is brought together in two large pieces, representing two groups. This could prefigure the division of Israel into two kingdoms, or more broadly, the future joining of Jew and Gentile into one body. Before they can become one tabernacle, they are first gathered into two distinct sets. This is a step toward the final unity.
11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set; he did likewise on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set.
The means of joining these two large curtains together is now described. Loops of blue fabric are created along the edge of each five-curtain section. The color is again significant. The connection point is heavenly. The unity of God's people is not a human achievement; it is a spiritual reality, effected from above. These loops are the points of contact, the places where the two are designed to come together. In the church, our points of connection with one another must be characterized by that which is from heaven: faith, hope, and love.
12 He made fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set; the loops were opposite each other.
The number fifty points us toward Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after the Passover. It is the feast of the harvest and the giving of the Spirit. It is the Spirit who unites the people of God. The precision is again noted: the loops were opposite each other. This was not a haphazard arrangement. For true unity to occur, the connection points must align perfectly. When two believers, or two churches, are to be joined in fellowship, they must be aligned in their doctrine and their love for the truth. Unity cannot be forced where there is no correspondence in the foundational matters of the faith.
13 He made fifty clasps of gold and joined the curtains to one another with the clasps, so the tabernacle was one unit.
The final element is the clasps of gold. Gold in Scripture consistently represents divinity and divine glory. It is a divine agent that ultimately fastens the two sets of curtains together. The blue loops are brought together and held firm by golden clasps. And the result is the theological punchline of the entire paragraph: so the tabernacle was one unit. Many curtains, two large sections, numerous loops, but one tabernacle. This is a magnificent picture of the body of Christ. The church is composed of countless individuals from every tribe and tongue. We are gathered into local congregations. But it is the divine glory of Christ and the power of His Spirit that joins us all together, making us one holy temple, one dwelling place for God. The unity of the church is not an optional extra; it is the entire point of the project.
Application
The lessons from this ancient construction project are intensely practical for us today. First, we learn that God equips those whom He calls. The "wise-hearted" were not a spiritual elite; they were ordinary craftsmen whom God filled with His Spirit for a particular task. We should therefore approach our own callings, whatever they may be, with confidence that God will provide the wisdom and skill necessary to do them for His glory.
Second, we see the absolute necessity of faithfulness to the divine pattern. The builders did not improvise or try to "improve" on God's design. They followed it meticulously. The church today is constantly tempted to build with worldly materials and according to worldly blueprints. We are tempted to value innovation over obedience. This passage calls us back to a simple, faithful adherence to the Word of God as the only pattern for our worship, doctrine, and life.
Finally, and most importantly, we are reminded that God's great project in the world is to build a unified people for His own dwelling. The tabernacle became "one unit" through divine design and divine means. The unity of the church is not something we create through organizational mergers or watered-down confessions. It is a reality accomplished by Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit. Our job is to recognize this unity and to be diligent to maintain it in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). We do this when we ensure our loops align, that is, when we hold fast to the apostolic gospel, and when we allow the golden clasps of divine love to bind us to all those who are likewise joined to Christ.