Exodus 37

Verses 1-6, "Then Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits was its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold all around it. And he cast for it four rings of gold to be set in its four corners: two rings on one side, and two rings on the other side of it. He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. And he put the poles into the rings at the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. He also made the mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits was its length and a cubit and a half its width."  The ark was a box made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold.  Its dimensions were 3 foot 9 inches long; 2 foot 3 inches wide; and 2 foot 3 inches high.  No one was to touch the ark or they would die, which is why the poles were along the side for transporting.  Following this command ensured appropriate respect and fear of God as they came near.  When we come to God, we also need to prepare our hearts before Him, repenting of sin and humbling ourselves.  I Corinthians 11:27-31, "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged."

The Mercy Seat was made to cover the ark.  Verses 7-9, "He made two cherubim of beaten gold; he made them of one piece at the two ends of the mercy seat: one cherub at one end on this side, and the other cherub at the other end on that side. He made the cherubim at the two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. The cherubim spread out their wings above, and covered the mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat."  The mercy seat concealed the people of God from judgment according to the Law. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of sacrificed animals on the mercy seat. It was only through the offering of blood that the condemnation of the Law could be taken away and violations of God’s laws covered.  The animal sacrifices could only cover sin, until Jesus came and died, removing our guilt once for all.

Hebrews 10:1-10, "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices  there  is a reminder of sins every year. For it  is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: 'Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, "Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.” ' Previously saying, 'Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them' (which are offered according to the law), then He said, 'Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.' He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Bazalel continued making the temple furnishings according to God's specific instructions.

The Table of Shewbread and utensils...

Verses 10-16, "He made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height. And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold all around it. Also he made a frame of a handbreadth all around it, and made a molding of gold for the frame all around it. And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that were at its four legs. The rings were close to the frame, as holders for the poles to bear the table. And he made the poles of acacia wood to bear the table, and overlaid them with gold. He made of pure gold the utensils which were on the table: its dishes, its cups, its bowls, and its pitchers for pouring."  The purpose of the golden table was to hold 12 cakes of bread made of fine flour. They were placed on the table in two rows of six, representing the 12 tribes of Israel.  Leviticus 24:5-9, “And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it. Two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. You shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table before the Lord. And you shall put pure frankincense on each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, an offering made by fire to the Lord. Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings of the Lord made by fire, by a perpetual statute.”

The lampstand and its utensils...

Verses 17-24, "He also made the lampstand of pure gold; of hammered work he made the lampstand. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and its flowers were of the same piece. And six branches came out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. There were three bowls made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the other branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower—and so for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. And on the lampstand itself were four bowls made like almond blossoms, each with its ornamental knob and flower. There was a knob under the first two branches of the same, a knob under the second two branches of the same, and a knob under the third two branches of the same, according to the six branches extending from it. Their knobs and their branches were of one piece; all of it was one hammered piece of pure gold. And he made its seven lamps, its wick-trimmers, and its trays of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold he made it, with all its utensils."  In the tabernacle, the lampstand was to be tended by Aaron and his sons so that its light never went out. The lampstand gave off light day and night pointing to Christ being the light of the world. Jesus is the "...true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world" (John 1:9).

The Alter of Incense...

Verses 25-28, "He made the incense altar of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit and its width a cubit— it was square—and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. And he overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides all around, and its horns. He also made for it a molding of gold all around it. He made two rings of gold for it under its molding, by its two corners on both sides, as holders for the poles with which to bear it. And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold."  The golden altar was used for burning incense.  Twice every day, the priest, after tending the wick and oil on the holy lamps, would offer it up to the Lord. Its horns were also sprinkled with the blood of the sin offering.

And the anointing oil and incense...

Verses 29, "He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the perfumer."  The anointing oil was symbolic of the Holy Spirit being poured out.  It was used to anoint the priests and temple articles for service to God, and was not to be duplicated for personal use.  It was made according to God's command in Exodus 25:25-31, "And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests. 'And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: "This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations." ' " 

To respect and honor God means to obey His word completely.  Partial obedience is no obedience at all.  Every detail of these items were to represent a picture of the heavenly aspect they represent; a shadow of things to come.  To change any of these details, because the builders felt like it, would misrepresent the things of God.  The Spirit speaks to the churches in Revelation, warning them of their partial obedience, and if they don't repent, He will remove their lampstand.  For example, in Revelation 2:1-7, “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:  “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.  But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.’ ” 

The word never tells us we're okay because we're good enough. That's what the world tells us, and it's under the sway of the wicked one.  Obey the word, not the world, and don't settle for the minimum amount of effort in order to be saved.  Hebrews 12:14, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."