The Tabernacle of the Israelites (Part III)
By Liaf
Turn with me if you will to Exodus 26. We are going to read some passages that describe the actual tent itself that covered the two holy rooms.
Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
Before we go any further, we see here those four specific colors that signify the four-fold depiction of Christ in the four gospels. These curtains were to become part of the inner tabernacle so that it was adorned with the beautiful colors and artistic cherubim. I want to address my nomenclature at this point so that I can specifically mention various areas of the entire tabernacle complex. When we started this series, I simply said "tabernacle" but then I went on to say that there was a court around it separating the "tabernacle tent" (as shown in the picture from the rest of the complex). I will now separate the two holy rooms calling them the "tabernacle" and the canopies that covered it the "tent". In other words, a tent actually covered the two holy rooms made from boards (which I will elaborate on shortly as we address the rest of the chapter). These beautiful curtains in verse one were draped on the inside of the tabernacle. If we read up to and including verse six of this chapter, we see the dimensions of the curtains. This need not intimidate us regarding the significance since they were each 4 x 28 cubits. 28 is a multiple of four (as in the four colors) and the number seven represents spiritual perfection. That in itself gives us a little clue, as I will shortly state the spiritual significance of these curtains. They were looped together. The number five pops up in the passage (the number of grace) as does the number fifty. Fifty is the same number representative of Pentecost--- a harvest number. Also involved were clasps of gold (divinity). With all these concepts in mind, let’s continue on in this chapter to see more symbolism. From that, we can put a theme together.
Exodus 26:7: And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle.
And after those dimensions were given we also read:
Exodus 26:14: And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
Let me tell you something. As we go from inside to the outside, the tent gets uglier and uglier looking. In the tabernacle, we have the curtains of beautiful colors with the artistic cherubs. We have a canopy of goat’s hair over all that. After that, we have rams’ skins dyed red. On the outermost part of the tent (the part that shows to everyone) we have weather-beaten, ugly badger skins (some translate it as sealskins). Either way, it is not the nicest looking tent around. Please keep that in mind as I elaborate on the rest of the structure and then I will piece the symbolism together for you. The next few verses after these describe the boards used to make the actual tabernacle.
Exodus 26:15: And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.
The verses after this give the dimensions and specify the "hardware" of tenons and silver sockets along with bars of acacia wood used to couple the boards together. This was the actual frame of boards for the tabernacle. If we note the dimensions of each board and the number of them, they create the 10 x 30 cubit rectangular area needed to make the two holy rooms. Again, all the wood was covered with gold and God made it very clear that he had a specific plan that he showed to Moses:
Exodus 26:29-30: And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
So in addition to the dimensions, we have silver and gold representing redemption and divinity. If we read verses 31-37 (the end of the chapter) we see the specifications for a veil that separated the Holy of Holies where the Ark was located from the Holy Place. These verses also specify that the mercy seat with the cherubim was to be placed on the Ark, the location of the furniture (which is what the previous message’s diagram was based on) and another veil for the entrance.
Exodus 26:31-37: And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
Again, four colors are specified for the veil separating the two holy rooms. We know that this veil represented the body of Christ (Hebrews 10:20). This is the most direct Biblical reference that I know of that connects the four colors to Christ as expressed in the four gospels (since the colors are the very nature of the veil). At Christ’s death, his finished work allowed us access to God represented by the Ark of the Covenant. Beforehand, the Ark was hidden behind the veil and only the High Priest dared to enter. This is what I mentioned earlier about "coming boldly unto the throne of grace" once that was made accessible to man through Christ’s death. When Jesus died, the Bible says the veil in the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom showing that the work of salvation comes from God down to man (Matthew 27:51). This veil separated the two holy places in the temple as it did with the tabernacle here. However, in Jesus’ time, there was no Ark in the holiest room. I have heard several theories as to where the Ark was hidden, but that is another subject (you can watch Harrison Ford find it in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ if you need to fanaticize a little). Nevertheless, in spite of the missing Ark, the symbolism was the same. The idea was that Christ’s death allowed an opening to the holiest place of God previously hidden.
Let’s put this chapter together. It started with the tent. But I will interpret it from the outside to the inside. The Bible says that the "Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" [which literally means ‘tabernacled’ amongst us]. God became ‘tabernacled’ in human flesh. The Bible also states that God sent his Son "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3) and "he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (II Corinthians 5:21). He was the substitute for our sinful ugly selves so that we could have the righteousness of Christ. So what does that mean in terms of the tabernacle? On the outside, we are like those badger skins, all beaten and worn ugly by sin. The world and common eyes sees us as any other human being subject to failure. However, through the atoning work of Christ as signified by the covering of rams’ skins dyed red and the goats’ hair, God sees us the way the inside of the tabernacle looked. He sees the eternal, royal, and perfect man newly created in Christ Jesus through the suffering of his dear Son. The cherubim give a heavenly component to God’s view and us. We are children from above with the likeness of Christ, not from Earth as was Adam. This was accomplished by the four-fold depiction of Christ in the colors that gives to us spiritual perfection (4x7=28). The silver and gold need not be explained. The base socket of silver is a foundational theme of redemption with a covering of divinity and purity (gold) all over the wood. In addition, this is a theme of grace (the number 5) and harvest (the number 50) when the Spirit of God was given on that day of Pentecost to launch the new life and faith in Christ. Biblical numerology is a subject in and of itself. There are actually other numbers I did not elaborate on, but I gave the more important interpretations of the numbers along with the significance of the major components that made the tent and other objects.
We have just a little to go yet regarding the court with the altar of burnt offerings and laver. And surprisingly, the Bible does not mention the altar of incense inside the Holy Place until after everything else. But these topics will be my next message. After that, I want to walk you through an imaginary tour of the tabernacle to summarize all the symbolism again.
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