• : Exodus Chapters
• 25:
• 10-22
• , 26:
• 31-37
• , 27:
• 1-8
• , 28, 29, 30:
• 1-10, 22-38
• The Ark of the Covenant
• Holy Place & Most Holy
• Altar of Burn Offerings
• Priestly Garments
• Priestly Consecration
• Altar of Incense
• Oil of Anointing

Text used in booklet for Week 6 is from New Living Translation (NIV)

• Key Verses and Themes

Please see the Exodus Graphics — Week 6 pdf handout to use alongside this week's readings.

• Chapter 25
• Ark of the Covenant:

Exod. 25:10-22

The description of how the Ark of the Covevant is to be built, as well as its Atonement Cover/Mercy Seat.

• Chapter 26
• Holy Place & Most Holy/Holy of Holies:

Exod. 26:31-37

This is where the Ark and its Atonement Cover/Mercy Seat/ (lid of the Ark) are actually placed. See discussion questions for more.

• Chapter 27
• Altar of burnt offerings:

Exod. 27:1-8

The altar where animals were to be burnt and sacrificed, which is placed near the entrance to the Tabernacle, and eventually the Temple.

• Burn lamp continually:

Exod. 27:20-21

This is a reason why you will see candles always burning inside the apse (altar area) of our churches, like in Mar Addai church.

• Chapter 28

Priestly Garments:

— Observe the intricate designs full of meaning and purpose! See again the Holiness and Order God commands and is worthy of!

• Chapter 29
• Daily Offerings:

Exod. 29:38-46

The burnt offerings the priests had to sacrifice daily! These had to be offered daily once the Tabernacle was set up, and of course once the permanent temple was built. At this point, they were not being offered daily, because neither was the Tabernacle set up nor the priests consecrated yet!

• Chapter 30
• Altar of Incense:

Exod. 30:1-10

This altar was covered in pure gold and placed just before the Most Holy place/Ark, but after the altar of burnt offerings. Refer to the graphic for a visual!

• Holy Anointing Oil:
• Exod. 29:7,21 & Exod. 30:22-33

The Holy Anointing Oil God commanded Moses and the priests to make and use.

References to the New Testament & our Church practices

• Holy Place & Most Holy

Hebrews 9:1-7

See how St. Paul speaks of the things we read in Exodus; remember, St. Paul was very learned of the Old Testament law, and Hebrews was addressed to the Jews following it!

• Altar of Incense
• Luke 1:8-9

See the discussion questions for more!

• Holy Anointing Oil
• Luke 4:18

Christ is anointed by the Father through the Holy Spirit, as we read in

Luke 3:22

. This anointing of the Holy Spirit has superseded that of the OT oil. See discussion questions for more on this topic

• Daily Offerings

See the discussion questions.

• Discussion Questions
• EXODUS 25

What is the Ark of the Covenant? (Ark of the Testimony)

A sacred chest that God commanded the Israelites to build, wherein they placed the 2 Tablets of the 10 commandments, Aaron's rod that budded before the Pharaoh (

• Exod 7:9-12

), and the golden pot that contained some Manna.

This Ark was the visible manifestation of God’s presence amongst the Israelites, lying in the Most Holy place (we will get to later) and being carried ahead of the Israelites when they journeyed.

What was the Ark’s Mercy Seat/ Atonement Cover?

It was the lid that covered the contents of the Ark, which had 2 golden cherubim overshadowing it.

• See Week 6 picture handout for visual
• EXODUS 26

What was the Tabernacle?

The Tabernacle was the portable sanctuary, like a massive open tented area, with a closed temple-like area inside of it. The Ark of the Covenant resided inside the temple, among other things.

See Week 6 picture handout for visual.

What is the Holy Place, the veil, and the Most Holy Place

The Holy Place can be thought of as the entire altar you would see at Mar Addai (referred to as an apse), and the Most Holy Place as the carpeted, raised area where the priest is standing during Raza. There was a vail separating that entire altar space, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. The priests could enter the Holy Place regularly for offerings and sacrifices, but only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, once a year (unless they were moving the Ark/Tabernacle).

See Week 6 picture handout for visual.

• EXODUS 27

What was the altar in the first 8 verses?

It was the altar of burnt offerings.

What was the altar of burnt offerings for?

It was used for animal or grain sacrifices that were to be burnt. That’s why it was overlaid with bronze, so that the wood does not burn. The term “Holocaust” actually means ‘Burnt offering” in Greek, and it is taken from this altar that the Israelites made offerings on.

This will be discussed further in Leviticus.

• EXODUS 28

What’s going on in this chapter?

God is laying out the instructions for all the vestments/garments that the priests are to wear. He gives intricate details on how to design them and with what materials.

See Week 6 picture handout for visual of priestly attire.

What is written on the 12 stones in Vv. 15-21?

V.21

tells us that the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are written on the stones, 1 tribe on each stone.

What are Urim and Thummim in v. 30?

They are most likely a pair of objects, probably formed of stone, and were to sit inside the breastplate (chestpiece) of judgement that the High Priest would wear.

It is still unknown exactly what they were, but from various Scripture, like the 2nd part of

• v.30
• (“Aaron will always bear the means of

making decisions

for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.”), it is inferred that they were used as a means of discerning God’s will when Israel’s leaders were unable to do so.

• EXODUS 29

What’s going on in this chapter?

God is outlining to Moses how he is to carry out the ordination of the priests, which are Aaron (his brother) and Aaron’s sons.

God also lists out rules and regulations regarding offering, sacrifices, the priest’s customs, etc., to Moses to apply, AFTER the tabernacle is fully put up and consecrated, because at this point it has not been. The actual ordination of Aaron and his sons will take place in Leviticus; this chapter is just the instructions for now.

Make sure to note two things here

Priesthood is established by God. This priesthood/these priests are NECESSARY for fulfillment of the Law for ALL people. Also, note that these priests, though God is establishing them, still have to be ordained and consecrated by Moses, who was personally “ordained” by God, in that God personally appointed him and “set him apart” which is what an ordination is. Remember, we talked about in Week 4 that “consecrate” means to “set apart” i.e. Qad-dish (

ܩܲܕܸܫ

) This idea is not necessarily new, as we saw a similar thing with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Ephraim and Manasseh, with each generations receive a direct blessing and laying on of hands from the one before it, with Abraham being chosen directly by God (who, by the way, was blessed by Melchizedek, a “priest” and the King of Salom, that is King of Shalom, a.k.a. Shlama a.k.a. Peace- we skipped this in

• Genesis 14
• ), Lastly, in

Leviticus 8

, when Moses actually performs the consecration, God tells him to call all the people to watch and witness the ceremony too. So priesthood in the OT is established by God, calls for an ordination/consecration service, calls for someone to actually do the ordaining, and for the people to watch. We will revisit this formula in the New Testament.

Again, the Old Testament Law is very “fleshy”, which is said because of all of the blood, and animal sacrifice, and killing involved, as seen in these 2 chapters. Blood is used in services to forgive sins, ratify (confirm) the covenant, to clean, etc. We will also revisit this in the New Testament.

• EXODUS 30
• "Altar of Incense":

What was the altar of incense?

It was an altar made with wood like the burnt offering one, but overlaid with gold rather than bronze. This altar was placed in the Holy Place (before the veil), where only Aaron and his descendants, if they were priests, could burn incense.

The High priest would enter daily to burn incense, but also once a year he would also make an atonement offering for sins on the horns of the altar with a blood sacrifice.

• So when we read in

Luke 1:8-9

that Zachariah was burning incense in the temple, it’s the service that the Lord commanded in

• Exod. 30:7-10
• . Read

Luke 1:5

to see that Zachariah could do this because he was a priest AND a descendant of Aaron.

What was the Holy Anointing Oil?

It was a special oil made from a blend of spices, mixed finely together with olive oil, which was used to consecrate the Ark, Tabernacle, all the furnishings, and also the priests.

• "Holy Annointing Oil":

Is Holy Anointing Oil still used today?

Yes, in a similar capacity. The Oil of Unction is the 3rd Sacrament, and this dates back to the times of the Apostles. So this Sacrament is sometimes referred to as the “Oil of the Apostles” too. We see here in Exodus that earthly priesthood was anointed with holy anointing oil, and later kings are anointed with oil too.

Now, those dedicated to the heavenly kingdom and the true priesthood are anointed with this oil, because just as “renowned artists traditionally apply oil to their completed works to protect them from damage and wear. Similarly, those fashioned in the image of the Heavenly King are anointed to safeguard them against worldly trials and spiritual adversities”

So in signings & baptisms, the Oil of Unction is applied and imparts the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, THROUGH the Holy Spirit, meaning the oil itself does not impart it, the Spirit does, as with all Heavenly gifts,

1 Corinthians 12:4,7, 11.

Like how the Tabernacle and its furnishings were also anointed with oil, so too are our altars anointed with Oil when the altar is being consecrated by the bishop, although this oil is NOT the Oil of Unction. It is a special oil that is prayed upon according to a portion in the consecration Order.

Oil is also used to anoint the sick, and is found explicitly in the Gospel and in St. James’s epistle,

• Mark 6:13
• James 5:14

, but this oil is NOT the oil of Unction.

Use this analogy: Bookhra (Antidoron) is to the Eucharist what the oil used for the sick is to the Oil of Unction.

What’s the importance in knowing the daily offerings?

To see how burdensome and fleshly the Law was, and how fortunate we are to be living in the New Covenant under the grace of Christ Jesus! Those sacrifices were called to be done daily, but they could not fully cleanse and purge the people of their sins, because at the end of the day, the priest doing the sacrifice was not blameless, and the blood of an animal had no power! Christ played both the role of the High Priest and the sacrifice, offering Himself as the sacrifice to take away sins, and that was only once, not every day or once a year!

• "Daily Offerings":

Do we have daily offerings in the New Covenant?

• Not of burnt animals and grain, as ⇒

Hebrews 10:11-12

, but of praise, prayer, and living a life of good deeds according to Christ’s words, yes.

• See
• Psalms 141:2
• Romans 12:1
• Hebrews 13:15-16
• , and
• Psalm 51:17

translated correctly from Aramaic, which is “The sacrifices of God are a

• humble
• spirit; God does not reject a contrite heart”
• Contrite
• : feeling or expressing
• remorse
• or
• penitence
• ; affected by
• guilt
• This Week's Study

—Wa

tch the podcast episode by Qasha Genard which dives deeper into our discussion question of

"Do we have daily offerings in the New Covenant?"

—Prepare for Week 7, our final week of Exodus, and for an exam covering Weeks 5-7 on Monday, August 4th.