The Boards of the Tabernacle

The Boards (Ex 26:15-16)

The framework of the central tabernacle came first, on which a series of hangings would be placed
over the framework to form the completed tent to build up this portable structure it was first
necessary to make 48 upright supports each of which was ten cubits (15 feet) long by 1 1/2 cubits
(27 inches) broad.

Exodus 26:15-16 "And for the tabernacle you shall make the boards of acacia wood standing upright.
"Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the width of each board.

Note: The original Hebrew word qereshim has been found on a Canaanite tablet describing the
'throne room' of the deity El which was built of frames.

*/Exod 26:26-28 "And you shall make bars

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of acacia wood: five for the boards on one side of the tabernacle, five

bars for the boards on the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars

for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far side westward.

The middle bar shall pass through the midst of the boards from end to

end."/*

*images/BOARDS1.gifimages/BOARDS1.gifimages/BOARDS1.gifimages/BOARDS1.gif*

*They were not planks but framed boards. *

The tabernacle boards were not solid wooden planks but actually frames

made up of two long boards, which were connected, to the top, middle and

base by cross-rails. Apart from the fact that the acacia trees in Sinai

do not grow large enough to provide a plank 27 inches wide, frames would

have advantages over solid planks. They would be much lighter when

erected. Also, the open construction would allow the inner curtain with

its fine material and figures of cherubim

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to be seen from inside. These frames were cut down, stripped, dried, and
then overlaid with pure gold

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(Adorned not with their natural beauty, but with that precious gold,

they were partakers of something outside of themselves, the divine

gold). When these frames were placed in the upright position there were

20 along the north side and 20 along the south, whereas the rear wall

had only 8 frames, two of which were used on the western corners as a

kind of buttress.

*images/BOARDS2.gifimages/BOARDS2.gifimages/BOARDS2.gifimages/BOARDS2.gif*

*Curtain material was seen through the boards.*

*/Exod 26:22-23 "For the far side of the tabernacle, westward, you shall

make six boards. And you shall also make two boards for the two back

corners of the tabernacle."/*

The front of the tabernacle had no frames since this was the entrance

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and was supported by five pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold and

set in bronze

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bases.

*/Exod 26:36-37 "You shall make a screen for the door

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of the tabernacle, woven of blue

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purple

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and scarlet
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thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. And you shall make for

the screen five pillars of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold;

their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five sockets

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of bronze for them."/*

When an upright frame was placed on end was placed in two sockets of

silver

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each of which weighed about 35 kg. Each socket was so designed that an

extension of one side arm of the frame could fit into it in the form of

a tenon. These silver sockets then formed a continuous foundation around

the three sides of the framework.

It is interesting to note that the sockets of silver were mentioned

first in setting up.

They were extremely valuable (a talent of silver each, very costly) and

supported the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, it was God's

requirement that this precious metal should be the foundation for the

structure. Since the silver foundation was buried in the earth it could

not be seen by human eyes (Man is not able to see the full value of

redemption).

In the new covenant

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Paul the apostle says that like an expert builder he was laying a

foundation. Then he adds that the foundation is not a system of beliefs

but a person: *//*

*/1 Cor 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is

laid, which is Jesus Christ./*

It is not easy to recognize the great worth of the foundation on which

the Church stands. In fact Jesus Himself indicated that most of the

world would miss it.

The row of frames were held together by golden rings at the top, bottom

and middle of the frame, through which supporting bars of acacia wood

were inserted.

Five bars were used on each side, with the middle bar running from end

to end along the entire length of one side. The other two bars used with

the top rings and those for the bottom rings ran halfway along each

side, and in this way the wall was made very solid.

*/Exod 26:26-30 "And you shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the

boards on one side of the tabernacle, five bars for the boards on the

other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side

of the tabernacle, for the far side westward. The middle bar shall pass

through the midst of the boards from end to end. You shall overlay the

boards with gold, make their rings of gold as holders for the bars, and

overlay the bars with gold. And you shall raise up the tabernacle

according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain./*

They were fitly bound together (the boards were not divided but fitly

bound together and kept together by their bars, rings, and sockets, they

were truly one).

like nothing is mentioned. The Hebrew word for "tenons" means "hands".

Possibly they were two fixtures spreading themselves out like two hands,

one on each side at the bottom of each board. They were fastened within

the silver sockets.

While standing in the holy place everything not visible below ground

level was of silver and everything that could be seen above the ground

was golden even though the framework was acacia wood overlaid with gold.

We have already noticed that frames did not enclose the front because it

was the entrance. It had five pillars overlaid with gold and a curtain

hung. Two thirds of the way into the building there was a similar

construction on which the veil

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hung but here only four pillars

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were used and these were sunk into silver bases. This formed the

internal division between the larger room which was called the Holy

Place and the smaller one known as the Most Holy Place or the Holy of

Holies

"And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among (in) them" -

Exodus 25:8/

The Tabernacle of Ancient Israel was a sanctuary which was given in a

vision to Moses as a pattern and constructed by the children of Israel.

God's promise was that He would dwell within the Holy of Holies above

the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.

*A) 50 Chapters Mention The Tabernacle*

Because at least 50 chapters (13-Ex, 18-Lev, 13-Num, 2-Deut, 4-Heb) in

the Bible tell of the construction, the ritual, the priesthood, the

carrying of the tabernacle, and the meaning of it all. Also many other

places in Scripture speak in figurative language concerning the

tabernacle. In many Bible studies this subject is overlooked and

considered insignificant.

*B) The Tearing of the Veil*

God Himself thought so much of the importance of the type, as shown by

the tearing of the veil:

*/Matt 27:50-51 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded

up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil

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of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked,

and the rocks were split, /*

If we don't understand the meaning in Scripture of the holy of holies

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and the veil we miss out on extremely significant information concerning

exactly what Christ's death meant to sinful mankind.