In Exodus 40 In What Ways Does The Tabernacle Foreshadow The Coming Of Christ And The Establishment Of The New Covenant?
The Tabernacle in Exodus 40: Foreshadowing Christ and the New Covenant
The closing chapter of Exodus, chapter 40, marks the completion and consecration of the Tabernacle, the sacred dwelling place of God among His people. Far more than a historical account, this passage is rich with theological significance and serves as a profound foreshadowing of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant. Let’s explore how the Tabernacle points to Christ and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
1. God Dwelling Among His People
Exodus 40 emphasizes that the Tabernacle was designed so God could "dwell among" the Israelites:
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ... And there I will meet with the children of Israel; and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. - Exodus 40:1, 34-35 ASV
This anticipates the incarnation of Christ. Just as God’s presence dwelled in the Tabernacle, so in Jesus, God came to dwell among humanity:
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. - John 1:14 ASV
The word "dwelt" in Greek literally means "tabernacled." Christ is the true and ultimate Tabernacle, God in human flesh.
2. The Tabernacle as the Place of Sacrifice and Mediation
The Tabernacle was the central place for sacrifices and priestly intercession, symbolizing the need for atonement and mediation between God and man. The sacrificial system prefigured the ultimate sacrifice of Christ:
But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, ... entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. - Hebrews 9:11-12 ASV
Jesus is both the High Priest and the perfect sacrifice, fulfilling what the Tabernacle and its rituals only pointed to.
3. The Glory of God Filling the Tabernacle
After Moses finished the work, the "cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40:34 ASV). This visible manifestation of God’s presence is a type of the glory revealed in Christ:
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. - Colossians 2:9 ASV
In the New Covenant, believers themselves become the "temple" of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16 ASV), demonstrating that God’s presence now dwells not in a tent, but in His people through Christ.
4. The Tabernacle’s Structure and Christ’s Work
Every aspect of the Tabernacle’s design pointed to Christ:
- The Door: There was only one way into the Tabernacle. Jesus declared,
I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved... - John 10:9 ASV
- The Veil: The veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy. At Christ’s death, this veil was torn, signifying direct access to God through Him (Matthew 27:51 ASV).
- Priestly Ministry: The high priest entered the Most Holy Place once a year. Jesus, as our eternal High Priest, entered once for all, securing our redemption (Hebrews 9:24-26 ASV).
5. The New Covenant Fulfilled in Christ
The Tabernacle was at the heart of the Old Covenant, but Jeremiah prophesied a New Covenant that would be internal and transformative:
But this is the covenant that I will make ... I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. - Jeremiah 31:33 ASV
Jesus inaugurated this New Covenant through His blood:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you. - Luke 22:20 ASV
Through Christ, believers experience a new, living relationship with God, no longer through rituals or a physical structure, but through the indwelling Spirit.
Conclusion
Exodus 40’s account of the Tabernacle is not just a record of Israel’s past but a prophetic picture of Christ’s person and work. The Tabernacle’s every detail—from its design to its purpose—points forward to the greater reality fulfilled in Jesus, who is God with us, our High Priest, and the mediator of a better covenant. As we study these shadows, our faith is strengthened in the One who has accomplished our salvation and now dwells in us by His Spirit.