Acacia wood is mentioned frequently throughout the Bible, most prominently as an important material used in constructing the tabernacle and ark of the covenant. Here is an in-depth look at the biblical significance of acacia wood.
Acacia Wood in the Construction of the Tabernacle
When God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle in the wilderness, acacia wood was designated as the primary material for many elements of the sacred structure. According to Exodus 26, acacia wood was used to construct the boards that formed the walls of the tabernacle, the crossbars that braced the frames, and the posts that supported the curtains enclosing the holy space (Exodus 26:15-19, 26-29). The altar of burnt offering, the pins and equipment related to the altar, and the poles used for transporting the altar were also made of acacia wood (Exodus 27:1-8).
In Exodus 36-38, an inventory is provided of the materials used in constructing the tabernacle. Here we see again that acacia wood was the predominant material, used for the boards, bars, posts, and pillars of the structure. This passage emphasizes that the Israelites brought acacia wood as freewill offerings to be used in the Lord’s dwelling place (Exodus 35:24). The detailed description highlights the importance of acacia wood in forming the physical structure of the sacred tabernacle.
Acacia Wood in the Construction of the Ark of the Covenant
In Exodus 25, God gives instructions for building the ark of the covenant, which would hold the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. This most sacred object was to be constructed out of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold (Exodus 25:10-11). Acacia wood formed the physical structure of the ark, while the gold overlay emphasized the precious nature of the ark and its contents. God also commanded that poles made of acacia wood be used to carry the ark (Exodus 25:13-15).
When the inventory of materials used for the tabernacle was recorded in Exodus 37, special attention was given to the acacia wood used to construct the ark. The passage emphasizes that Bezalel used acacia wood to make the ark and then overlaid it exactly as God had instructed Moses (Exodus 37:1-2). Thus the acacia wood was considered an integral part of the sacred ark of the covenant.
The Significance of Using Acacia Wood
Why was acacia wood so integral to the construction of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant? Here are some key reasons:
- It was plentiful in the Sinai wilderness where the Israelites were camped.
- It was a dense, durable wood that could stand up to the rigors of transport in the wilderness.
- Its reddish-brown color spoke of earthiness and accessibility.
- As a rugged wood, it represented humanity and was fitting to build a tabernacle for God’s presence among the people.
- It was overlaid with gold to elevate its status for sacred purposes.
- The contrast between the acacia wood and gold overlay showed the meeting of the earthly and the divine.
In using such a humble and common material so prominently, God was showing that he desires to dwell among his people, meeting them right where they are. At the same time, the gold overlay signifies that God’s presence elevates and sanctifies the ordinary. Through the symbolism of the tabernacle construction, we see God’s plan to have an intimate relationship with his people.
Acacia Wood Beyond the Tabernacle
While the tabernacle and ark of the covenant feature most prominently in the biblical record, acacia wood is mentioned in a few other contexts as well:
- The wood for the altar of incense was to be acacia (Exodus 30:1). This shows its importance in worship and prayer.
- Acacia wood was also to be used in sanctifying the priests (Exodus 30:26-28). The washing basin was made of acacia.
- In Isaiah 41:19, God speaks of planting acacias in the wilderness as a blessing and sign of joy.
While not mentioned specifically, it is likely that acacia wood was commonly used by the Israelites for many everyday objects and structures. As a wood native to the Sinai region, it served practical purposes even beyond its religious symbolism. The properties that made it useful for the tabernacle’s construction would have lent themselves to a variety of functional wood items.
Acacia Wood in the Ancient Near East
Archaeological evidence reveals that acacia wood was commonly used by other ancient Near Eastern groups beyond the Israelites. The properties that made it well-suited for sacred structures like the tabernacle also lent it to more mundane, everyday uses:
- Egyptians used acacia wood for furniture, boats, and coffins.
- Assyrians and Babylonians used it for agricultural tools, yokes, statues, and carvings.
- Canaanites utilized acacia wood for doors, boats, and utensils.
Given how widespread acacia trees were in the ancient Near East, it is not surprising that this durable wood found use across many cultures of the region. The biblical record attests that the Israelites similarly saw the unique properties of acacia wood and used it abundantly in their wilderness wanderings.
The Identity of the Biblical Acacia Wood
There has been some debate over what exact species of tree is meant by the acacia wood referenced so frequently in Exodus. Botanists believe it likely refers to either Acacia raddiana or Acacia seyal species that were common to the Sinai wilderness. These species have the following properties:
- Very hard and dense wood
- Orange-brown or red-brown coloring
- High amounts of tannins that resist rot and insects
- Thorny branches
These rugged trees produces a wood ideal for structural purposes and sacred symbolism. The biblical acacia wood was certainly one of the most durable and abundant wood types that the Israelites had access to in their desert wanderings. God directed them to this familiar material as the foundational element of the tabernacle.
The Symbolism of Acacia Wood in the Bible
When we consider the biblical record, we see various symbolic meanings behind the use of acacia wood:
- Humanity – As a common, rugged wood, acacia represented imperfect humanity.
- Incorruptibility – The density and tannins made acacia wood resistant to rot and decay.
- Strength and durability – Hardness lent itself to structural support and stability.
- Desert life – Acacias thrived in the harsh Sinai wilderness where Israel wandered.
- Ordinary blessed by God – A humble wood sanctified by divine overlay.
- Earthly and divine meeting – The wood and gold together reflected intersection of God and people.
This rich symbolism comes to the forefront in the tabernacle construction. The ruggedness of acacia wood represented the imperfect but redeemed people of God. Overlaid with gold by God’s instruction, the acacia wood was sanctified for holy purposes. In the tabernacle, God met his people right where they were, dwelling among them in a structure made from an ordinary desert wood.
Acacia Wood Foreshadowed Jesus Christ
For Christians, the acacia wood used in the Old Testament tabernacle takes on even deeper significance when considered in light of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Just as the incorruptible acacia boards formed the very structure of God’s dwelling place, Jesus’ perfect yet earthly body fulfilled the promise of Immanuel “God with us.”
Some specific ways that acacia wood foreshadowed Jesus include:
- Its reddish color reminding of Christ’s blood shed on the cross.
- Its durability speaking to the indestructible nature of Christ.
- The elevation of a common wood foretelling Jesus’ lowly birth yet divine nature.
- The wood overlaid with gold hinting at Jesus’ ordinary human body indwelt by God.
Jesus put on flesh and dwelt among us, just as God’s presence dwelt in the fleshly-wooden tabernacle. And Christ’s body, like the boards of acacia wood, became the means of access to God’s kingdom for all people. The very material forming the tabernacle testified to the redemptive plans of God fulfilled through Christ.
Lessons from Acacia Wood for Christian Living
What lessons can Christians today learn from the pattern of acacia wood overlaid with gold that God commanded Moses to follow? Here are some key lessons for how we should live in light of this biblical symbolism:
- Humility – We are called to see ourselves simply as common acacia wood, receivers of God’s grace.
- Transformation – Our lives are elevated for kingdom purposes when indwelt by God’s Spirit.
- Purpose – God desires to use ordinary people and materials for his glory.
- Holiness – Even rugged acacia wood was sanctified when overlaid with gold for the tabernacle.
- Meeting Place – We become living tabernacles in whom God meets people.
Just as God dwelt in the midst of his people in the tabernacle of old, so Christ now lives in the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit. And he desires to meet a hungry world through us. Acacia wood testifies that God uses the unremarkable and the ordinary for his heavenly purposes.
The Enduring Significance of Acacia Wood
For the Israelites wandering in the wilderness centuries ago, acacia wood was likely a common sight they thought little of. And yet God specifically directed it to be used in constructing the most sacred objects of the tabernacle. This ordinary wood foreshadowed the Incarnation, whereby Jesus Christ entered the world he created. And so an obscure desert tree Wood became a meaningful symbol of God’s desire to dwell with his people.
Acacia wood endures as a testament to God’s great purposes enacted through the small and the weak. Its use in the Old Testament tabernacle and ark of the covenant reminds us of the meeting of the earthly and the divine. And its symbolism finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who as a carpenter himself would have intimately understood the lowly acacia wood. A rugged desert tree ultimately testified to the magnificence of Emmanuel, “God with us.”
