📖 Biblical Definition
The tabernacle contained seven main pieces of furniture, each rich in typological meaning. The bronze altar of burnt offering met every approaching Israelite with sacrificial blood (Exodus 27:1-8). The bronze laver provided priestly washing (30:17-21). Within the Holy Place stood the golden lampstand for light (25:31-40), the table of showbread for the bread of presence (25:23-30), and the altar of incense for prayer (30:1-10). Behind the veil, in the Holy of Holies, rested the ark of the covenant and its mercy seat overshadowed by cherubim (25:10-22) — God’s throne-room on earth. Each piece prefigured Christ: the sacrifice, the laver, the light of the world, the bread of life, the great Intercessor, and the very mercy seat.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The seven main pieces of tabernacle furniture.
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The set of furniture commanded in Exodus 25-30 for the Mosaic tabernacle: bronze altar, bronze laver, golden lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense, ark of the covenant, mercy seat — each in a specific location and rich with typological meaning fulfilled in Christ.
📖 Key Scripture
Exodus 25:8-9 — "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee... so shall ye make it."
Hebrews 9:2-5 — "There was a tabernacle made; the first... wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary."
Hebrews 8:5 — "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Skimmed in modern Bible reading; missing how every furnishing is a Christ-type and how the layout itself preaches.
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The tabernacle is a portable sermon. Every piece preaches: altar = atonement, laver = cleansing, lampstand = Spirit-illumination, showbread = Christ's body, incense = prayer, ark = throne, mercy seat = propitiation. Read Exodus 25-30 as gospel preview.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew kelei ha-mishkan — vessels of the dwelling.
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['Hebrew', 'H4908', 'mishkan', 'tabernacle, dwelling']
['Hebrew', 'H3627', 'keli', 'vessel, article']
Usage
"Read Exodus 25-30 as Christology."
"Every furnishing preaches the gospel."