Moses: Tabernacle Worship in Wilderness

New updated posters and worksheets have been added for the Tabernacle, Aaron's High Priest outfit and the High Priest Breastplate.

 This is a very condensed lesson on the tabernacle. For the students that I have, I decided to teach the basics about the High Priest's clothes and the tabernacle and how it was set up. God told the people exactly how He wanted them to set it up and how He wanted them to worship Him. I made a lapbook and the students filled in each numbered item that was in the tabernacle as we discussed it.

Review: Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Old Testament, and our lesson today is in Exodus. God gave Moses the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai and when Moses came down after 40 days, he saw the people worshipping a gold calf that his brother Aaron had made. Moses was so angry; he threw down the 10 commandments and broke them! Moses melted the gold calf and mixed it in the water and made the people drink it. Then, Moses cut 2 new tablets, went back onto Mount Sinai, and God wrote the 10 commandments again. (Exodus 34:28)

Lesson:  Today we are going to talk about how the Israelites worshiped while they were in the wilderness for 40 years. (Scripture is Exodus 35-40) God gave Moses His instructions to build a tabernacle. Tabernacle means tent and was a place to worship God. They could pack everything up and move it when they traveled through the wilderness.

They built a tabernacle 2 years after they left Egypt. (Exodus 40:17) They made it exactly as God told them He wanted it. The people donated gold, jewels, oil for the lamps, and fabric for the priests. There was so much gold given by the people, Moses had to tell them not to bring anymore! (Exodus 36:6-7) Moses wanted anyone that could make items for the tabernacle to help with the work.

Aaron was the first high priest, and his sons were made priests. The tribe of Levi also worked in the tabernacle with Aaron. There were special clothes made for the priest. (Exodus 39) The priest wore a turban on his head, also called a Mitre. (Exodus 39:30) There was a gold plate on the front that said HOLINESS TO THE LORD and was tied on with a blue cord.




The high priest wore an ephod (looks like an apron) that was made of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. It had shoulder straps to hold the pieces together. They were engraved pieces of gold with onyx stones on the shoulders as a memorial for the sons of Israel. (Exodus 39:2-7)

And over the ephod, the priest wore a breastplate. It had 12 different stones on it to represent the12 tribes. (Exodus 39:8-12)

(I briefly went over who the 12 tribes were)

Under the ephod was a blue robe of the Ephod. It had gold bells and pomegranates all around the bottom hem. (Exodus 39:22-26) And, under the blue robe was a tunic made of fine linen. (Exodus 39:27)

That is the clothing for the high priest, let's talk about what was inside the tabernacle. (Exodus 40) The Lord told Moses to set up the tabernacle on the first day of the first month.  God told Moses exactly how and where to set everything up.

Outside, in the outer courtyard, Moses put the bronze altar or altar of burnt offering. (Exodus 40:29) He offered animal and grain sacrifice to God.

He put water in the laver for washing and hung up a screen at the court gate. Whenever Moses, Aaron or his sons went into the temple, they washed their hands and feet first in the laver. Our Bible verse for today: Thus, Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did. (Exodus 40:7)

Moses set up the tent and put the ark of the covenant inside. He put the mercy seat on the ark. He hung the veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. (Exodus 40:3)

Moses set up the table of showbread. (Exodus 40:22-23) It had 2 plates with a total of 12 loaves of bread to represent the 12 tribes (flat round circles like pancakes(?). New loaves replaced the old ones every Sabbath. There was also a bowl & pitcher.

He added the golden lampstand that had 7 branches on it and lit the lamps with the best olive oil they had.  (Exodus 40:24-25) (Exodus 27:20-21)

The altar of incense was also inside the Holy Place. They had a special formula to make the incense, and it was used every morning and evening and only used in the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:26-27) (Exodus 30:34-38)

There doesn't seem to be any tabernacle visuals available with just the items in the tabernacle, so I used the Sweet Publishing visuals and cropped them to save ink. I wanted the words on them for the students. Whether you use the file folder game or the fill in the blank worksheet, the above visuals are what I wanted so the students can see the picture with the words (and it keeps me from spelling the same words repeatedly). Click here to download the items in the tabernacle visuals.

See below for updated posters.

When the cloud covered the tabernacle, the Lord was there and Moses did not enter the tabernacle and the people did not travel. The cloud was above the tabernacle during the day, and the fire was at night through the Israelites journey in the wilderness.(Exodus 40:34-38)

My husband and I made the Ark of the Covenant. My husband made the ark to the scale of the guys we found at Dollar Tree. I will post the directions and more pictures later. This was a long lesson to prepare and I ran out of time to write up the info! I read several places there are 50 chapters written just on the tabernacle! God wanted to make sure the people worshipped Him HIS way. He was very clear about how they were to do everything!

I decided to update the Tabernacle posters and add new worksheets to correspond with everything. These (and the High Priest outfit) were designed to be used with Aaron's Life.

This is Aaron's High Priest outfit. The first is a completed teacher's visual. The worksheets are the same in color and black and white.

I added these to teach the High Priest's Breastplate. I originally designed these for 2021 VBS.

Please note: I have researched the 12 stone colors extensively. There may be differences because of the Biblical wording and the color of the stones from the area. Their dirt and lands; not ours. It is an interesting study but there are differences in the actual stones. A single stone might have several different colors in the stone itself. There are so many variables. Also, since the original text is read from right to left, that is how I placed the stones; not the English reading of left to right.

The Tabernacle has two posters and the same color and black & white student fill-in-the-blank worksheets. I added separate posters for each of the items God specified that they make for the Tabernacle.

Click here to download the Tabernacle, High Priest and High Priest Breastplate posters and worksheets.

Click here to download the updated visuals.

All these visuals and more are included in this file.

This set of visuals do not have any words.

Click here to download the pictures to color.

If you do not want to make the lapbook, you can click here to print this fill in the blank worksheet. Because of time, I decided to use this worksheet, with the High Priest on the back and let the students fill in the blanks as we discussed each item in the tabernacle.

You can click here to print the same as the above, but with the answers for the teacher.

The following lapbook has been updated! Mix and match any of the printables on this post to create the lapbook you want for your students.

Click here to download the above updated lapbook.

*This lapbook has been updated as shown above. *

 

I made these lapbooks to use during our lesson today. I used a basic picture for each item in the tabernacle that we discussed. The inside where the students write the info is blank, so you can add as much or as little as you want.

I put the lapbooks together before class, but if you are using at home, or want to use it for several weeks and want to let the kids put them together, the first thing to do is print everything. I usually print on cardstock, especially the cover. Due to a larger class, I have been printing everything but the cover on regular paper.

I take the file folder and fold the sides toward the center of the inside line, making sure it is straight along the bottom. That way when I open it up, I have the center which holds a piece of paper and the sides, which holds a half sheet of paper. I lay out the front cover and open it up to draw the folder line on the back of the cover and carefully cut. I use Aleene's Tacky Glue for my projects.

Next, lay out the inside parts however you decide looks best for you. I laid out the numbered parts along the side flaps of the folder and put the other questions in the center with the tabernacle drawing.

I added the High Priest on the back for reference and it is easy to use for discussion.

Sorry, the black & white is not included in this file.

Click here to download the updated lapbook.

This is today's cut & glue picture to color. I print the backgrounds on different color cardstock, and the pictures for the students to cut are on regular paper. You can print it here.

Click here to print the same picture, but is a picture to color (no cutting).

You can see all the Moses cut & glue pictures to color here.

We marked our Moses map for his travels. You can find more information here.

Click here for the lesson.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Used by permission.

I also used the Betty Lukens felt set while I told the lesson. I did not read the paper insert that is package, since I read the Bible and found my information there, so I do not know if that is correct. But, I do like the flannelgraph. The kids like it, and I use it once in a while because it new to them!

You can print and make your own free tabernacle model here (#219).

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