Exodus 40: This chapter tells of the setting up of the Tabernacle and the annointing of the priests.
(Exo 40:1 NASB) Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
(Exo 40:2 NASB) “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
(Exo 40:3 NASB) “And you shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
Exo 40:3: So the Tabernacle is to be erected on the first day of the month which would be the day of the New Moon.
(Exo 40:4 NASB) “And you shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps.
(Exo 40:5 NASB) “Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle.
(Exo 40:6 NASB) “And you shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
Exo 40:6: These are the instructions for the order and arrangement of the articles in the Tabernacle. First is Ark of the Covenant and it is to be screened with a veil.
Then the the Table of Showbread and the the lampstand is set up. Then the Altar of Incense is to be set in front of the Ark of the Testimony. The veil is to be placed as a doorway into the Most Holy place.
The Altar of Burnt Offering is set up in front of the doorway to the Tabernacle.
(Exo 40:7 NASB) “And you shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.
(Exo 40:8 NASB) “And you shall set up the court all around and hang up the veil for the gateway of the court.
Exo 40:8: The laver is set up between the Tabernacle and the Altar of Burnt Offering. Then the court is set up with its veil.
(Exo 40:9 NASB) “Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall consecrate it and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy.
(Exo 40:10 NASB) “And you shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar; and the altar shall be most holy.
(Exo 40:11 NASB) “And you shall anoint the laver and its stand, and consecrate it.
Exo 40:11: The mixture for the Anointing Oil is described in Exodus 30:23-29.
(Exo 40:12 NASB) “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
(Exo 40:13 NASB) “And you shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me.
(Exo 40:14 NASB) “And you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them;
(Exo 40:15 NASB) and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing shall qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”
Exo 40:15: Aaron and the priests were to be anointed with that same oil also (Ex. 30:30-33).
(Exo 40:16 NASB) Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did.
Exo 40:16: Moses followed the instructions of Elohim to the smallest detail.
(Exo 40:17 NASB) Now it came about in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was erected.
Exo 40:17: The Tabernacle was set up one year after the Exodus from Egypt and nine months after Israel’s arrival at Sinai.
(Exo 40:18 NASB) And Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars and erected its pillars.
(Exo 40:19 NASB) And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:20 NASB) Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.
(Exo 40:21 NASB) And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:22 NASB) Then he put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.
(Exo 40:23 NASB) And he set the arrangement of bread in order on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:24 NASB) Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.
(Exo 40:25 NASB) And he lighted the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:26 NASB) Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil;
(Exo 40:27 NASB) and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:28 NASB) Then he set up the veil for the doorway of the tabernacle.
(Exo 40:29 NASB) And he set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:30 NASB) And he placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing.
(Exo 40:31 NASB) And from it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet.
(Exo 40:32 NASB) When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Exo 40:33 NASB) And he erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.
Exo 40:33: The entire court was erected according to instructions.
(Exo 40:34 NASB) Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
(Exo 40:35 NASB) And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35: The presence of Elohim on the Tabernacle was the sign of His approval.
(Exo 40:36 NASB) And throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;
(Exo 40:37 NASB) but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.
(Exo 40:38 NASB) For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.
Exo 40:38: Elohim provided for Israel even by His presence. In the wilderness, the cloud would provide a cooling shade in the daytime and at night the fire would provide a needed warmth for the people.
Patrick McGuire
Copyright 2014 Patrick McGuire and Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly All rights reserved, no portion of this Lesson may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly Fort Smith, Arkansas