Exodus Chapter 40

1. The Lord Instructs Moses:
– The Lord commands Moses to set up the tabernacle and its furnishings on the first day of the first month.

2. Erecting the Tabernacle:
– Moses follows the Lord’s instructions and sets up the tabernacle, placing the ark of the testimony, the table, the lampstand, the golden altar, and the bronze altar in their proper places.

3. Anointing and Consecrating:
– Moses anoints and consecrates the tabernacle and all its furnishings, as well as Aaron and his sons, to make them holy for service to the Lord.

4. The Cloud and the Glory of the Lord:
– The cloud covers the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle.
– Whenever the cloud is taken up from over the tabernacle, the Israelites set out on their journeys.
– But if the cloud is not taken up, they do not set out until the day it is taken up.

5. The Presence of the Lord:
– The cloud of the Lord is on the tabernacle by day, and fire is in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

This chapter describes the final steps in the construction and consecration of the tabernacle, as well as the presence of the Lord manifested through the cloud and the glory that fills the tabernacle, guiding the Israelites in their journeys.