Through the prophet Moses, the Lord commanded the children of Israel to build a tabernacle that would be a sanctuary where the Lord could dwell among His people. He gave detailed instructions for the building of each item that would furnish the tabernacle (see Bible Dictionary, “Tabernacle”). The Lord revealed how Aaron and the priests were to be consecrated, clothed, and anointed to serve in the tabernacle. He also reiterated the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy and gave Moses two stone tables containing the law.
The Lord instructs the children of Israel to build a sanctuary
Write the following question on the board:
How are we blessed by building temples?
Invite students to watch for answers to this question as they study Exodus 25–31. You may want to refer to the handout “Moses’s and Israel’s Experiences with Jehovah at Mount Sinai” (see lesson 52) and to explain that after Moses and 73 others ascended the mountain, Moses asked them to remain while he ascended farther up the mountain to speak with the Lord.
Invite a student to read Exodus 25:1–8 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord commanded the children of Israel to do. Invite students to report what they find.
Explain that a sanctuary is a holy place or a place of safety. The Lord wanted the children of Israel to build a tabernacle (or sanctuary). In our day, a temple is considered a sanctuary.
According to verse 8, why did the Lord command the Israelites to build a tabernacle? What can we learn about modern temples from this verse? (Help students identify the following truth: The Lord commands us to build temples so He can dwell among us.)
Explain that the tabernacle functioned under the law of Moses and thus differed substantially from modern temples. However, the ancient tabernacle, like modern temples, functioned as a house of the Lord, where His people could feel close to Him
When have you felt closer to God because you visited the temple grounds or participated in temple ordinances?
The Lord reveals the pattern for building and furnishing the tabernacle
Invite students to read Exodus 25:9 silently, looking for how Moses would know how to build the tabernacle. Ask students to report what they find.
On the board, draw only the outline of the tabernacle as shown in the accompanying diagram (in blue). Invite students to draw the same outline in their class notebooks or study journals.
Explain that according to Exodus 26, the Lord instructed Israel to build the tent of the tabernacle with boards, curtains, and a veil to divide the tabernacle into two rooms. On the board, draw and label the Veil as shown in the diagram. Then invite a student to read Exodus 26:33–34 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the two rooms were called.
What were the two rooms called? (Label The Holy Place and The Most Holy Place as shown in the diagram. Explain that the most holy place is often called the Holy of Holies.)
What did God command Moses to put in the most holy place? (“The ark of the testimony,” or the ark of the covenant. Draw and label the Ark of Testimony on the board in the most holy place.)
Display the picture Ark of the Covenant (available at lds.org/media-library). Explain that as recorded in Exodus 25:10–22, God instructed Moses to build the ark of the covenant. It was a large box made of fine wood overlaid “with pure gold” (verse 11). The lid, often referred to as the “mercy seat,” was made “of pure gold” (verse 17) and had “two cherubims,” or angels, on top (verse 18).
Invite students to read Exodus 25:21–22, looking for what would happen at the mercy seat.
What would happen at the mercy seat? (The Lord would meet and commune with Moses about how to lead the children of Israel. Thus, when Moses entered the Holy of Holies and approached the mercy seat, he was entering into God’s presence.)
Explain that Exodus 27:9–18 contains the Lord’s instructions that linen curtains be placed between pillars to create a courtyard with a gate around the tabernacle. Draw the boundary of the outer courtyard on the board.
Divide students into pairs, and assign each pair to study one of the following items found in the tabernacle. (You may want to write this list on the board.) Ask students to notice where each item was to be located, adding it to their diagrams.
After sufficient time, invite students to report on the item they studied by explaining anything they found about the item’s purpose and location in the tabernacle. Draw on the board and label each item.
Explain that these items and the ordinances performed with them were symbolic and were meant to teach Israel how to journey through life back to God. To help students better understand the symbolism of these furnishings in the tabernacle and what they teach us about our journey back to God, list the following items on the board and let students suggest matches between the meanings and the items in the tabernacle. (Do not list the answers, which are shown in brackets.)
The Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost [Candlestick]
The Savior’s body (similar to the symbolic meaning of the sacrament) [Table of shewbread]
Giving ourselves completely to God, giving up sin, and relying on the great and last sacrifice of the Atonement of Jesus Christ [Altar of sacrifice]
Prayer (we can approach God through prayer, see Psalm 141:2) [Altar of incense]
Cleansing, such as through repentance and baptism [Laver]
Explain that although temples today look and operate differently than did the tabernacle, they still contain ordinances and symbols that help us prepare to walk back into the presence of God.
How would you summarize what the ordinances and symbols of the temple teach us? (After students respond, write the following truth on the board: The ordinances and symbols of the temple teach us how to proceed faithfully through this life and eventually enter God’s presence.)
How can understanding this truth influence how you worship in the temple?
In what ways has temple worship helped you proceed faithfully through this life and prepare to enter God’s presence?
Encourage students to think about the symbolism of the ancient tabernacle the next time they attend the temple. You may want to share your testimony of temple worship.
Display the picture Moses Gives Aaron the Priesthood (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 15; see also lds.org/media-library), and explain that it depicts Moses giving Aaron the priesthood. When Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days, the Lord revealed to him details concerning the tabernacle as well as the sacred clothing that was to be worn by the priests who would serve in the tabernacle. Ask a student to read Exodus 28:4 aloud. Invite the class to follow along, looking for the articles of clothing Aaron was to wear. (You may need to point out that the ephod is an apron or vest, depicted by the blue portion of Aaron’s clothing in the picture, and the mitre is the cap in Aaron’s hands.)
Explain that the rest of Exodus 28 describes the details of this clothing and some of the symbolism associated with it. We also wear special symbolic clothing for temple ordinances today. Such clothing, including the garments we receive in the temple, is sacred and should be treated and spoken of with reverence.
Summarize Exodus 29 by explaining that these verses further describe some of the sacrifices and procedures that consecrated and sanctified the tabernacle, the priests, and the children of Israel.
The Lord teaches about the Sabbath and gives Moses the stone tables
Explain that the Lord often uses signs or symbols to remind His children of what they have promised Him and what He has promised them. Invite a few students to take turns reading Exodus 31:13–17 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for a sign God uses to remind us of our relationship to Him and His promise to sanctify us.
According to verses 13 and 17, what sign did the Lord establish to remind us that He is the Lord “that doth sanctify [us]”? (Help students identify the following truth: The Sabbath day and keeping it holy is a sign between us and the Lord.)
In what ways is the Sabbath day and keeping it holy a sign and reminder that God is our Lord and that He can sanctify us?
What connection does the Sabbath have to our being sanctified by the Lord?
Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson. Ask the class to listen for another way that the Sabbath day can be a sign between us and the Lord.
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Russell M. Nelson
“How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ [see Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:12, 20]. That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 130).
Testify of the importance of the Sabbath day. Invite students to think about how they can use President Nelson’s teachings about the Sabbath day as they decide how to keep it holy.
Invite students to refer to their copies of the handout “Moses’s and Israel’s Experiences with Jehovah at Mount Sinai” (see lesson 52). (A completed version of the handout is located in the appendix of this manual.) Ask a student to read Exodus 31:18 aloud. Invite the class to follow along and look for what the Lord gave to Moses.
What did God give to Moses? (Two tables of stone containing His law.)
On line 8 of the handout, invite students to write God writes His law on stone tables.
You may want to conclude by sharing your testimony of the truths taught in this lesson.
“The ark of the covenant was a chest, or box, of shittim wood overlaid with gold. It was approximately three feet nine inches long, two feet three inches wide, and two feet three inches high. Staves, or poles, on both sides allowed the priests to carry it without actually touching the ark itself. Inside, the tablets of the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai were placed (see v. 16). Hence, it was called the ark of the testimony or ark of the covenant. Later, a pot of manna and Aaron’s rod, which miraculously bloomed, were also placed inside the ark (see Hebrews 9:4). The ark was placed inside the inner room of the tabernacle known as the most holy place, or Holy of Holies. The ark was viewed with the greatest reverence by the Israelites, and prayers were recited before it was moved or placed in position (see Numbers 10:35–36).
“The lid, or covering, for the ark is described in Exodus 25:17–22. The King James Version translates the Hebrew word kapporeth (which means ‘seat of atonement’) as ‘mercy seat.’ The covering was made of solid gold and on it were formed two cherubim with wings which came up and overshadowed the lid or mercy seat.
“The word cherubim usually refers to guardians of sacred things. While the exact meaning of the word is not known, most scholars agree that these cherubim represented ‘redeemed and glorified manhood’ or ‘glorified saints and angels’ (Wilson, Old Testament Word Studies, s.v. ‘cherubim,’ p. 75). Since Latter-day Saints do not believe that angels have wings, as they are often shown in religious art, the commandment to form wings on the cherubim may raise some questions. Another revelation indicates, however, that wings symbolically represent the power to move and to act (see D&C 77:4). Between these cherubim on the mercy seat, God told Moses, He would meet with him and commune with him. Latter-day revelations state that angels stand as sentinels guarding the presence of God (see D&C 132:19).
“The blood of the lamb of Jehovah was sprinkled upon the mercy seat during the sacred day of Atonement. … Paul and John both spoke of Jesus as being ‘the propitiation’ for our sins (see 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Romans 3:25). …
“Clearly, then, the ark of the covenant was one of the most significant features of the tabernacle, both in its importance to ancient Israel and also in its symbolic significance” (Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 148).
Sister Silvia H. Allred, who served as a member of the Relief Society General Presidency, testified that we learn in the temple through symbols and the power of the Spirit:
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Silvia H. Allred
“The temple is a house of learning. Much of the instruction imparted in the temple is symbolic and learned by the Spirit. This means we are taught from on high. Temple covenants and ordinances are a powerful symbol of Christ and His Atonement. We all receive the same instruction, but our understanding of the meaning of the ordinances and covenants will increase as we return to the temple often with the attitude of learning and contemplating the eternal truths taught” (Silvia H. Allred, “Holy Temples, Sacred Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 113).
President Russell M. Nelson explained the meaning of the words “holiness to the Lord”:
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Russell M. Nelson
“Inscribed on each temple are the words ‘holiness to the Lord’ [see Exodus 28:36; 39:30; Psalm 93:5]. That statement designates both the temple and its purposes as holy. Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness [see Exodus 19:5–6]. As temples are prepared for the people, the people need to prepare themselves for the temple” (Russell M. Nelson, “Prepare for the Blessings of the Temple,” Ensign, Oct. 2010, 41).
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) explained what it means to be set apart:
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Spencer W. Kimball
“The setting apart may be taken literally; it is a setting apart from sin, apart from the carnal; apart from everything which is crude, low, vicious, cheap, or vulgar; set apart from the world to a higher plane of thought and activity” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 478).
