2 "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me an offering; from every man whose heart makes him willing you shall receive the offering for me.
3 And this is the offering which you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze,
4 blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, goats' hair,
5 tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood,
6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,
7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.
Gold, silver and brass represent material things of value which we must be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the spiritual. The colors blue, purple and scarlet represent different levels of consciousness which are a part of the elevated spiritual. The animals represent different lower emotions which must be brought to the altar to be transmuted. The stones represent truths which understood by the aspirant become the basis for spiritual wisdom.
8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.
9 According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
The most important instructions of all are for the building of the Arc. Within these teachings are some of the most sacred. YHVH says that he will meet with us and commune with us from between the two cherubim which are to be found on either side of the Arc. As with the other references in these passages, we are dealing with the inner life.
10 "They shall make an ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
This Arc is to be built within each of us and will be the source of our communion with YHVH. The details of its construction reflect the careful and lengthy preparation that is required. This is in fact the only way that direct communication with YHVH can happen.
11 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, within and without shall you overlay it, and you shall make upon it a molding of gold round about.
12 And you shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
13 You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by them.
15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.
16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.
17 Then you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.
18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends.
20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.