The Tabernacle

by Dr. James Modlish

 

Lesson Five
THE COVERINGS AND THE CURTAINS, DOOR, VEIL
(Exodus 26: 1-37)

 

Over the Tabernacle were FOUR LAYERS for the ROOF:

Two Outer COVERINGS: Badger skins, Ram's skins.

Two Inner CURTAINS: Goat's hair, Fine twined linen.

 

THE TWO SETS OF COVERINGS -

A. First Covering - BADGER SKINS (dull, bluish gray).

[1]. One verse is all that is given for the coverings (Ex. 26:14).

[2]. These skins protected the Tabernacle from the rain, sand, and sun.

[3]. Weather-beaten, dull and bluish-gray, it was unattractive, no beauty was in it (this was all that could be seen from the court side).

[4]. HERE IS CHRIST (in His HUMILIATION)

[5]. The "covering" of Christ is for all who will put their trust in Him.

[6]. Isaiah 53:2,3 - "no form, no comeliness, no beauty".

[7]. What does the world see in Jesus today?

B. Second Covering - RAMS SKINS (dyed red).

[1]. Mentioned in same verse with badger skins (26:14).

[2]. The ram was the animal for sacrifice; also used in the consecration of the priests.

[3]. HERE IS CHRIST (as the SUBSTITUTE - SACRIFICE - HIS BLOOD).


II. THE TWO SETS OF CURTAINS -

A. First Curtain - GOAT'S HAIR (black - Exodus 26:7-13).

[1]. Also called the Tent".

[2]. It actually was a set of (11) curtains joined together in two pieces (5 & 6), and the two pieces joined by FIFTY BRASS TACHES and ONE HUNDRED LOOPS.

[3]. HERE IS CHRIST (the SIN-BEARER).

[4]. The goat was used as a sin offering (Lev.9,16); and the Palestinian goat was black (Gen. 30:25-43) depicting the blackness of sin.

[5]. Christ as the sin offering was judged (brass) and accepted by God.

[6]. 10 of the 11 sections were covered by the two outer coverings, the 11th was hanging and seen. The meaning of number ELEVEN: ELEVEN IS THE NUMBER OF DISORGANIZATION - Christ's life on the earth was 33 years ( 11 periods of 3 years each), the first 10 were obscure (30 years), and the 11th was His public ministry of 3 years.

Joseph (Gen. 37) dreamed of eleven stars (brothers), then sold by his brothers, family left disorganized; 11 apostles (instead of 12) after the Passover, disorganized until Pentecost.

B. Second Curtain - FINE TWINED LINEN (white, Ex.26:1-6).

[1]. 10 curtains sewn together in two sets of five, joined by 100 LOOPS OF BLUE and 5O GOLDEN TACHES.

[2]. Woven (cunningly, skillfully worked with BLUE, SCARLET, PURPLE, and CHERUBIMS.

[3]. HERE IS CHRIST (RIGHTEOUS, HEAVENLY, ROYAL, SACRIFICIAL).

(a). LINEN - spotless, sinless, righteous (The Person and Work of Christ). (see Lesson 2 for the significance and meaning of the use of linen).
(b). BLUE - The color of His Heavenly origin, His deity - SON OF GOD.

(c). PURPLE - His royalty, mixing of blue and scarlet - the GOD-MAN, the King of the Jews, the King of Kings.

(d). SCARLET - The sacrifice and death of Christ, the work of the Cross. (Color: possible way they obtained: Scarlet was from the bodies         of cochineal (insect) baked in ovens; Purple from shellfish in the Mediterranean; Blue from shell of fish in the Red Sea. All picture SUFFERING, SACRIFICE).
(e). CHERUBIM - of gold, expressing HOLINESS, above the Mercy Seat and on the Veil, guarding the place of God (Gen. 3:24), barring any from God's presence unless they came by His provided way.

(f). GOLD TACHES, BLUE LOOPS - (making one perfect whole curtain) - the loops take hold of each other here (while in Goat's Hair the brass taches link the loops, thus the golden taches become a double security.

(g). THE NUMBER - TEN (two sets of FIVE): TWO - (number of division).

[4]. FIFTY - The number of Pentecost (Lev. 23:15, 16; Acts 2:1).

[5]. The fifty loops rested over the golden fillet that held the Veil, and we can see the Holy Spirit descending upon and filling the disciples (pillars).


III. THE DOOR AND VEIL -

A. THE DOOR- (Exodus 26:36,37)

[1]. Colors same as the Gate (see Lesson # 2), hanging on FIVE PILLARS (shittim wood overlaid with gold, with brass sockets and gold chapiters).

[2]. The Gate is WIDE (5 cubits by 20 cubits) - "Whosoever will may come".

[3]. The door is NOT SO WIDE (10 cubits square) - The way of salvation is wide, but the door to close fellowship is narrow (higher) and nearer to God (the high and Holy character of God).

[4]. CHRIST IS THE DOOR (John 10:7)

B. THE VEIL - (Exodus 26:31,33)

[1]. Same color as Gate, Door; hanging on wood overlaid with gold, gold fillets, silver sockets.

[2]. Veil means "separated", communion with God was only in the Holy of Holies, behind the veil.

SIX VEILS IN SCRIPTURE:

(1). TABERNACLE - Built by Moses and the Israelites.

(2). OF MOSES - (Exodus 34:33-35) It concealed God's glory from mortal eyes.

(3). TEMPLE - Built by Solomon

(4). OF CHRIST'S FLESH (Heb. 10: 19,20) - Human flesh hid the inner glory of the Son.

(5). OF UNBELIEF (2 Cor. 3: 13-16) - They read the law but could not discern.

(6). NATIONAL BLINDNESS (Is. 25:7-9; Rom. 11:25) - of Israel.

FOUR PILLARS - The four gospel writers: MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN.

[1]. Five on the Door, N.T. writers: Paul, James, John, Peter, Jude.

CHERUBIMS - emblem of guardianship, man alone cannot approach God.

SILVER SOCKETS - redemption is the foundation of Christ's work on the cross.

GOLDEN FILLETS - God's hand was ever on His Son.

VEIL RENT IN TWAIN WHEN CHRIST DIED Matt. 27:51)

[1]. Divinely Rent - From top to bottom, beyond man's reach.

[2]. "In the midst" - Before all men, not secret.

[3]. Completely - Not a thread left, we can come boldly, obtain mercy and find grace (Heb. 4:16).

C. CLOSING NOTE - BADGER SKINS (Ezek. 16: 10) were used for SHOE LEATHER.

[1]. Where did they get badger skins in desert of Sinai? They literally gave their shoe-leather (off their feet- .?) for service to God.

[2]. ONE PAIR OF SHOES FOR 40 YEARS (Deut. 8:4; 29:5; Neh. 9:21)

-Page Navigation-

1. Introduction | 2. Outer Court | 3. Brazen Altar - Laver | 4. House of Blood | 5. Covers, Curtains | 6. The Furniture
7. Ark & Mercy Seat | 8. The Priesthood | 9. Contributions of The People | 10. The Glory of The Cloud