TABERNACLE BACKGROUND A tabernacle is like a church, a place to meet God. The tabernacle was the structure that the Israelites built for worship. After the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelite people ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Along with the Ten Commandments, God gave Moses very detailed instructions in Exodus (chapters Exodus 25-40) about how the people were to build the tabernacle and to worship God. Despite being very fancy, this structure was completely portable. Every time the Israelites moved their campsite, the tabernacle moved with them. Being portable, the tabernacle served as a symbol that God traveled with the Israelites. Moses went to the tabernacle to determine God's will for the people. Later, the temple (not a portable building) was constructed by King Solomon with the same basic layout as the tabernacle. The tabernacle was used daily as the way the people related to God. Incense and other things were offered up to God along with prayers and praises. God also established particular days such as the Day of Atonement when the people and the priests would perform special duties or make special sacrifices for God. The tabernacle became the center of the Israelite community while they were in the wilderness. Whenever they made camp, the camping place for each tribe was determined by the placement of the tabernacle. The Levites surrounded the tabernacle, and the families of Moses and Aaron always camped on the east side in front of the entrance. Even on the move, the tabernacle remained central, with six tribes preceding and six following. THE COURTYARD The description of the tabernacle in the Bible begins with the inner room-the Most Holy Place. But when it came to constructing the tabernacle, the outer portions were built first. That is how we will describe the tabernacle-from the outside in. The biblical material on the tabernacle makes it clear that this was intended to be a very holy gather...