The Tabernacle, as described in the Book of Exodus, was a portable earthly dwelling place of God among the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. The construction of the Tabernacle was commanded by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and it was to be built according to the divine pattern shown to him. The Tabernacle was a central element of Israelite worship and served as a symbol of God's presence among His people.

Structure and Materials

The Tabernacle was constructed using a framework of acacia wood boards overlaid with gold, which formed the walls of the sanctuary. The boards were set in silver bases and were held together by bars, creating a sturdy and portable structure. The north side of the Tabernacle was composed of twenty boards, as specified in the Scriptures.

Biblical Reference

The specific instructions for the construction of the north side of the Tabernacle are found in Exodus 26:20-21 : "And for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames, with forty silver bases under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon."

Symbolism and Significance

The use of acacia wood, a durable and resistant material, symbolizes the incorruptible nature of Christ, who is the foundation of the Church. The gold overlay represents the divine nature and glory of God, while the silver bases signify redemption, as silver was often associated with atonement and ransom in biblical times.

The number twenty, used for the boards on the north side, can be seen as symbolizing completeness and divine order. In the context of the Tabernacle, it reflects the completeness of God's provision and the orderliness of His instructions for worship.

Theological Implications

The construction of the Tabernacle, including the boards on the north side, underscores the meticulous care and precision with which God instructed His people to approach Him. It highlights the holiness and separateness of God, as well as His desire to dwell among His people. The Tabernacle served as a foreshadowing of the coming of Christ, who would ultimately fulfill the role of mediator between God and humanity.

The boards of the Tabernacle, including those on the north side, remind believers of the importance of obedience to God's commands and the reverence due to Him in worship. They also point to the unity and strength found in the body of Christ, as each board was essential to the integrity of the whole structure, just as each believer is vital to the Church.Exodus 26:20
And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 36:25
And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Concerning the Tabernacle which Moses Built in the Wilderness for ...
... curtains were four cubits in breadth, and twenty-eight in ... And after this manner was
the tabernacle reared. ... belonging to each of the longer boards, and passing ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 concerning the tabernacle.htm

Scriptural Types.
... work on three sides consisted of upright boards, or rather ... and the outer, or "holy
place," twenty cubits long by ... when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

The Evangelical Revival.
... Ten thousand"twenty thousand"hearers hung breathless upon the ... and the heavens the
best sounding-boards.' 'I always ... at Bath, or in the Tabernacle itself, to ...
/.../chapter ix the evangelical revival.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men with ... entereth in by the way of
the north gate to ... and winding about still upward to the side chambers, for ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

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