There were six items of furniture with their respective accoutrements in the Sinaitic (wilderness) Tabernacle. Details about these articles can be found in two major sections of Exodus: chapters 25-31, where the specifications of sizes and materials are given, and chapters 35-40, which are largely a repetition of the previous section, but written in the past tense, indicating the actual construction of the articles.¹ The specific references are as follows:

General Observations

Before considering each item of furniture, the following general observations should be noted:

1. In most instances, attention is first focused in the biblical text on the items of furniture and then upon the particular area of the Tabernacle where they would be placed. This is particularly true of the court and its furnishings. Such a sequence indicates the importance of the furniture.
2. While there is a slight difference in the order between these two sections (Instructions and Construction), it is significant that in the chapters dealing with the building of the furniture, the writer moves in his account from the innermost to the outermost parts of the Tabernacle. He begins with the ark located in the holy of holies, continues with the table, the lampstand, and the altar of incense² situated in the holy place, and then concludes with the altar of burnt offering and the laver placed in the court.
3. This move from the innermost to the outermost parts of the Tabernacle is also seen in the metals used, which are in descending value from the holy of holies to the court. (At the very center the best gold is used, then ordinary gold, then silver, and lastly bronze.³)  This seems to reflect a diminishing of holiness as one moves from the inner sanctuary to the outer enclosure.⁴

Description and Purpose of Furniture

The plans given in Exodus are not detailed specifications. They are not blueprints. While they provide us with some definitive information, we are not able to construct the items with absolute certainty. As a result, the many drawn and written descriptions of the furniture will vary in detail.

Our treatment of the respective items of furniture will follow the biblical pattern, moving from the innermost to the outermost furnishings.

1. Ark. The only piece of furniture in the holy of holies, the ark was an oblong chest of acacia wood⁵ overlaid within and without with pure gold, measuring two and one-half cubits⁶ high and one and one-half cubits broad and wide. Two gold-covered poles were left permanently in four rings on its sides, by which it could be carried. On its top was a golden covering called the mercy seat. It was upon this mercy seat that the blood of the slain goat was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:15-16).
        At each end of the mercy seat and of one piece with it were the cheribim, facing each other  and looking down upon the mercy seat. Between these cherubim and above the mercy seat was the dwelling place of the Lord (Exodus 25:22; Numbers 7:89). Contained in the ark were the tablets of the law (possibly the Decalogue [Exodus 25:16, 22]; hence, the name, ark of the testimony), a pot of manna (Exodus 16:33-34), and Aaron's rod that budded (Numbers 17:10).
2. Table of shewbread. This was located on the north (or right) side of the holy place, opposite the lampstand. Made of acadia wood overlaid with fine gold, it was two cubits long, one cubit broad, and one and one-half cubits high. It was decorated with a gold molding, and had rings and poles for carrying. Gold accessories were provided for the table: plates for holding the 12 loaves of bread, bowls for frankincense, and vessels for wine. This bread was to be changed weekly and was viewed as an expression of gratitude to God.
3. Lampstand.⁷ This article was placed on the south (or the left) side of the holy place. While no dimensions are given, a talent of gold (224.6 grams) was used to make it. Composed of seven branches, it had a central shaft which rested on a pedestal and from which three branches projected on each side. The central stem and the six branches each ended in a lamp which provided light for the holy place. Golden accessories to tend the lamps were provided.
4. Altar of incense. Located in front of the veil separating the holy place from the holy of holies, this altar was of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold, measuring two cubits high and one cubit square. It had a gold molding around it, horns, and poles and rings for transportation purposes. Incense was to be offered on this altar by the priests every evening and morning. This use of incense may have served as a much-needed deodorizer, but it most likely reflects the oriental love for sweet odors. Incense is a symbol of prayer (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3-5) and probably signifies the ascending prayer of the officiating priest.
5. Altar of burnt offering. This item, sometimes called the bronze altar, was located in the court between the entrance and the Tabernacle. It was a hollow box of bronze-plated acadia wood, five cubits square and three cubits high, with a horn projection at each corner.⁸ It was upon this altar that the various prescribed sacrifices were burned; their blood was sprinkled against its base through a grating around the bottom half of all four sides of the altar. Various bronze implements were provided for its service: pans and shovels for the ashes, forks for handling the meat, and fire pans. According to Leviticus 6:13, the fire of this altar was never allowed to go out.
         The horns of this altar were smeared with blood in the consecration of priests (Exodus 29:12), in connection with the sin offering (Leviticus 4:18, 34), and on the annual Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:18). They may have been places of asylum, as were their counterparts in Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 1:50-51).
6. Laver. Made from the bronze of mirrors, this basin was placed midway between the altar of burnt offering and the Tabernacle. While no specific dimensions are given, it must have been fairly large.⁹ It was round in shape with a shallower bowl beneath it, into which the used water ran. The laver was used by priests for ritual ablutions. Since there is no mention made of a vessel in which the parts of the sacrificial animals could be washed, the laver may also have been used for this purpose.

History

Subsequent Old Testament references to these items of furniture are limited. The table of shewbread can perhaps be traced to Nob, where David and his men ate its bread (1 Samuel 21:1-6; Matthew 12:4). The bronze altar, according to 2 Chronicles 1:3 ff., was located at Gibeon when Solomon became king.

The most frequently mentioned article is the ark. It was carried by the priests in advance of the marching nation (Numbers 10:33); at its presence the waters of the Jordan River separated (Joshua 3:11-17); and it was carried around the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:4-12). After being captured by the Philistines and returned, it was moved by David to Jerusalem and placed in a special tent he had provided for it (2 Samuel 6:12). From there it was moved to Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 8:1-4), where it remained until it was destroyed or lost in 586 B.C. (2 Esdras 10:21-22).

Symbolism

The Tabernacle, its furniture, and its ritual are rich in symbolism. The imagination, however, must be curbed so that effort is not made to discover a symbolic truth (as some have done) in every detail. It must be kept in mind that the choice of furniture and the materials used in construction of the same were dictated at least in part by culture, need, and availability. They had purpose and significance to the Israelite worshipper apart from any hidden meaning, typology, or Christian interpretation. While symbolism may be found in the Tabernacle, the integrity of the Old Testament must never be violated on the altar or fanciful interpretation.

The New Testament writer of Hebrews noted that the Tabernacle was modeled on a heavenly pattern (Hebrews 8:5), and he used it to give meaning to the priesthood and the atoning work of Christ (9:9). His refusal to indulge in excessive symbolism should serve as a guide for us.

The ark was viewed as the throne (pedestal) of God and hence the visibile sign of His presence (cf. 1 Samuel 4:7). Its ultimate counterpoint is to be found in Jesus Christ, who "tabernacled" (John 1:14) among men to make God present and known.

The table of shewbread (literally, "bread of the face of the Lord") suggested the constant (fresh) dedication of the 12 tribes to divine service, indicating that they were always before the face of the Lord. Such a symbolism also pertains to the believer.

The lampstand was the only source of light for the holy place (no provision for natural light -- cf. the heavenly Jerusalem, Revelation 21:23), indicating that God is the ultimate Source of light. This gives meaning to the claim of Jesus to be the Light of the World and to His challenge to believers to allow their light (derived) to shine. This latter dimension is underscored in the Book of Revelation, where the seven churches of Asia are represented by seven lampstands, with Christ standing in their midst (1:12-20).

The altar of incense, as already noted, bespeaks the ascending prayers of men to God.

The bronze altar, with its many sacrifices, symbolizes atonement and reconciliation and points to the ultimate, all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus.

The laver, used for washing, signifies the necessity of purity and cleansing in our approach to God.

The desire of man to draw near to God and God's willingness to be approached are clearly visible in the furniture of the Tabernacle.

Copyright by author.

1. Additional information can be found in Numbers 3:25 ff.; 4:4 ff.; 7:1 ff. The parallels with Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6 ff.) and Ezekiel's proposed Temple (Ezekiel 40 ff.) should also be noted.

2. Perhaps on account of its great sanctity, the altar of incense is sometimes considered a part of the holy of holies. Cf. 1 Kings 6:16-22 and Hebrews 9:2-4.

3. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, is preferred over the rendering "brass," an alloy of copper and zinc. The latter is largely a modern material, while the former was used in ancient times.

4. This same phenomenon can be observed in Solomon's Temple.

5. The KJV translation "shittim" is actually a transliteration of the Hebrew word, now known to indicate a kind of acacia tree.

6. The cubit is an ancient linear measurement based on the length of the forearm from the elbow to the end of the middle finger. A cubit is usually figured to be about 18 inches.

7. The KJV renders this word "candlestick" because of the general use of candles in England at the time of this translation. This is misleading since lamps, not candles, were used for light in biblical times.

8. Based on Exodus 20:24, some suggest that the altar of burnt offering was filled with dirt.

9. The laver in Solomon's Temple was rather large, being 30 cubits in circumference (1 Kings 7:23).

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