Key Verse Spotlight
Exodus 36:8 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: World English Bible — Catholic Edition
" All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet. They made them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. "
Exodus 36:8
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
6 Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing.
7 For the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work, and too much.
8 All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet. They made them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.
9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains had one measure.
10 He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another.
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The first task they took up was building the frame of the house, since that had to come before the furniture could be made. This house was not made of timber or stone, but of curtains carefully embroidered and joined together. It pointed to the condition of the church in this world, the palace of God’s kingdom among people.
Though the church is on earth, its foundation is not in the earth, as a normal house’s foundation is. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, and it is not built on this world. It is plain and changeable, and it lives in a time of conflict. Shepherds lived in tents, and God is the Shepherd of Israel. Soldiers lived in tents, and the Lord is a man of war. So his church moves through enemy territory and must fight its way forward.
The kings of the earth surround themselves with cedar (Jer 22:15), but the ark of God was kept only in curtains. Even so, there is beauty in holiness. The curtains were embroidered, and so the church is made beautiful by the gifts and graces of the Spirit, like a robe of woven work (Psa 45:14). The different groups of believers are joined together into one, and, as here, they become one tabernacle. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
From This Chapter
Exodus 36:1
"“Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD has commanded.”"
Exodus 36:2
"Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it."
Exodus 36:3
"They received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They kept bringing free will offerings to him every morning."
Exodus 36:4
"All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which he did."
Exodus 36:5
"They spoke to Moses, saying, “The people have brought much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded to make.”"
Exodus 36:6
"Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing."
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