v1-9: The offerings for the Tabernacle, the dwelling place of God among the people, see v8.

v1: This details of the Tabernacle were part of the instructions given to Moses, just as the Ten Commandments were.

v2: The Israelites had first to "bring me an offering", as they had the joyful responsibility of providing for the Tabernacle. But the attitude of giving was also important, that they gave willingly from the heart.

Personal riches and desires had to be sacrificed for God. The people had to give of their substance. They could only give what God had directed, for example, no lead, or earthenware, no grain of fruit.

v3-5: Much that was to be given to God had come from the Egyptians (12.35-36); see 1 Chr 29.14; we can only give as God has given to us. Ultimately, all belongs to Him anyway, not to us.

There were reasons why these items were required. Partly this was to do with the ability of the metals to last; but partly they point us to the character of God and of Jesus Christ;

• Gold pictures kingship; purity; deity;
• Silver pictures understanding; redemption; purity; see Prov 3.14-15. Silver cannot be tarnished, speaking of Christ's perfect life amongst sinful men.
• Bronze pictures strength; righteousness; judgment; 
• Blue pictures heaven; triumph; deity;
• Purple pictures kingship; being a combination of blue and red it points us to Christ's divine and human nature;
• Scarlet pictures man; ground;
• Linen, required for the inner curtain; pictures purity, and protection from judgment;
• Goats picture being set apart for God;
• The ram pictures consecration to God.

Acacia wood; this was incorruptible, does not rot, and cannot be eaten. It grew widely in the desert; it pictures Christ, the "root out of dry ground" (Is 53.2). The Hebrew word is similar to "pierce", or "scourge". Acacia wood is said to be difficult to build with, having knots and twists. In the same way, natural man is a ‘root out of dry ground,’ useless without the grace of God in Christ.

v6: There is the "olive oil;" the Holy Spirit. Through Him the light of Christ comes into our lives, and shines from our lives.

There is incense, speaking of prayer and worship, both characteristic of Christ's life. In Him, prayer and worship are fragrant.

v7: There are gem stones, shining as a testimony, pure and bright. Such gems appear again in the descriptions of Heaven in Rev 21-22.

v8: The sanctuary, was firstly a dwelling place for God. Here the Almighty God would dwell amongst His people.

v9: Everything had to be made exactly as God had commanded; see v40; 26.30; 27.8; 31.11; 35.29; 36.1; 39.32,43. The Lord had laid down clearly how the Tabernacle was to be built. He had not told Moses, He had SHOWN Moses, so that Moses had actually seen what the Lord required (see Jer 1.11-12; Mic 6.8; John 5.19).

v10-22: The ark of the Covenant (or Testimony). This was the first item of furniture described, and was to be central to the worship of the Israelites.

In 37.1-9, the ark was made, it had a lid, or covering, v17-21, and inside was the Law, the Ten Commandments, written on stone tablets (v21). The Law kills (1 Sam 6.19; Rom 7.10); only with the covering of mercy (or atonement), could the Lord meet the people and speak with them.

v10-11: The ark was made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold. The grain of the wood would have been visible through the gold, just as Christ's humanity was evident in His life. The gold was "pure gold", for nothing else was acceptable. Christ' s purity was total, utterly free from any imperfection.. To become pure, gold had to be heated and refined, even as we must endure and suffer, that we might come forth as pure gold (Job 23.10).

v12-15: There were gold rings in each corner, through which poles were put, so that the ark might be carried. The poles were remain in the rings, speaking of the transitoriness of our earthly life, for we look forward to our heavenly home (see 1 Chr 23.26; John 14.2; 2 Cor 5.1).

The ark was to be carried by the Levites ("joined"), the family of the Kohathites ("allied"), see Num 4.1-20, i.e: the redeemed, who, in the New Testament, were entrusted to carry the gospel message (Matt 28.18-20; Acts 1.8).

v16: The Testimony was to be put inside the ark.

v17-21: The mercy seat, or atonement cover, the place of propitiation; this is God's work (Rom 3.25), as He has provided propitiation for us, and we can therefore meet with Him (Heb 2.17).

v22: The place where God would meet with His people and speak with them. For us the "place" is Jesus Christ, who is our propitiation. God would give His instructions, just as we hear His word to us in Christ.

v23-30: The Table of Shewbread. This was also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold.

v24-25: The edge of the Table had a moulding and a rim, hammered and beaten into shape.

v26-28: The Table also had rings through which poles were placed, for carrying the Table.

v29: On the Table were plates, dishes, pitchers, and bowls, to be used in the various offerings.

v30: The Bread of the Presence (or Shewbread, a word coined by Martin Luther) was to remain on the Table at all times. It was always available. Literally, this reads, the 'bread of the face,' ie: of God - His presence is very real.

The picture here is of Christ who ever lives to make intercession for us; He is the bread of life, who satisfies and feeds. David ate of this bread in 1 Sam 21.1-6, and Christ commented on this in Mark 2.25-26. There is order here, but, in the example of David, that order did not prevent a priest giving bread spontaneously to one in need.

v31-39: The Lampstand was the only source of light inside the Tabernacle.

v31: The Lampstand was made of pure gold, hammered out in a single piece, see also v36.

v32: The Lampstand had six branches, three on each side, each joined to the main vertical stem. A lamp was also placed on the central stem, making seven in total, v37.

v33: On each branch were three almond blossoms. Here is fruitfulness (Is 53.10-11); here too we are reminded of God's choice (Num 17.5; Is 42.1-4).

Seven speaks of perfection and completion. Seven lamps refer to seven events witnessing to Christ's perfection and deity;

• His birth, Luke 1.35
• His baptism, Luke 3.22
• His entrance into public life, Luke 4.1,4,18
• His death, Luke 23.46
• His burial, Luke 23.55-56
• His resurrection, Luke 24.31,45
• His ascension, Luke 24.48-49

v37: The lamps were so set that they lit the place in front of it.

v38: All the articles used with the lampstand were also made of gold.

v39: The lampstand weighed one talent, 75lb, or 34kg.

v40: The reminder, that everything be made as God had shown Moses.