The tabernacle’s elaborate design wasn’t decorative — every piece pointed toward how a holy God could dwell among an imperfect people. This plan walks through six of its key elements.
Day 1 — God’s Desire to Dwell
Read Exodus 25:8.
“Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” Before any instruction on the tabernacle’s design, this is the purpose: God wanted to be near his people.
Try this: Sit with the truth that God’s desire to be near you predates any instruction about how you’re supposed to approach him.
Day 2 — The Outer Courtyard and the Altar
Read Exodus 27:1-8.
The bronze altar, where sacrifices were made, sat at the entrance — approaching God always started with dealing honestly with sin.
Try this: Is there something you need to bring honestly to God before moving forward in your relationship with him?
Day 3 — The Bronze Basin
Read Exodus 30:17-21.
Priests washed before entering further — a picture of cleansing needed before drawing near to a holy God.
Try this: Reflect on the cleansing you’ve already received through Christ before approaching God today.
Day 4 — The Holy Place
Read Exodus 25:23-30, 31-37.
The table of bread and the golden lampstand furnished this inner room — provision and light, sustained continually before God.
Try this: Thank God today for his ongoing provision and guidance, pictured in this room’s furnishings.
Day 5 — The Veil and the Holy of Holies
Read Exodus 26:31-33.
A thick veil separated the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelt above the ark, from the rest of the tabernacle — access was severely restricted, once a year, for the high priest alone.
Try this: Consider the weight of this restriction, and what it means that it no longer applies to you in Christ.
Day 6 — The Veil Torn
Read Matthew 27:50-51 and Hebrews 10:19-22.
At Jesus’s death, the temple veil tears from top to bottom — access to God’s presence, once severely restricted, thrown open through Christ.
Try this: Approach God today with the confidence this torn veil makes possible — no longer restricted, but welcomed.
Closing thought: The tabernacle’s elaborate barriers make the access we have now, through Christ, all the more remarkable. What once required a high priest and a single day a year is now open to you, always.