The Tabernacle in the Wilderness
#9 Approaching the Tabernacle
The Curtains and Coverings
By Pastor Jim May
Exodus 26:1-6, "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. The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle."
We have now come into the place where God dwells, passing through the white outer walls of the Outer Court at the Gate where the only entrance can be made. Coming inside, we see that the activities, lifestyle and duties of those who live inside the walls of the Tabernacle are vastly different from those who lived outside the walls.
Inside those walls, everything was done according to a specific plan that was designed by God but for one purpose – to allow men to approach him after having their sins covered by the blood of a living sacrifice.
Life on the outside of the white Lenin walls of the Tabernacle was so different. On the outside, there was filth, dirt and sin, along with all of the problems of everyday life. Men, women and children went about their daily work of cleaning, cooking, hunting and making a living for their families. Sin reigned supreme on the outside. That’s why God chose to build a Tabernacle in the first place. Man, on the outside of God’s provision for sin and death, has no hope. God came down, in mercy and grace, to give us hope.
But on the inside, there was a constant cleansing, constant sacrifice and an ever-present knowledge that God expected more out of those who served as Priests than he did of those who lived outside Wall of Separation. He expected perfection in the performance of their duties and anything less than perfection could very well mean sudden death. There was a constant washing in the Laver, constant pouring and sprinkling of blood for the cleansing of sin, the ever-rising incense from the Holy Place that we shall study later, and a reverence for the holiness and power of Almighty God that dwelled upon the Mercy Seat. You just didn’t go into the Tabernacle with a “happy-go-lucky”, or “whatever feels good do it”, attitude. You either chose to enter in and serve God with a sober attitude, or you stayed out, and there was no compromise in God’s instruction.
1 Thessalonians 5:5-9, "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Let that be an example to all of us of just what God expects of those who enter into this walk with Christ as their Lord and Savior. Our lives are not to be like those who live outside the walls of Salvation. Our whole thought process must change to take on the Mind of Christ and think of things that are holy, pure and righteous, just like we are instructed to do in Philippians 4:8. Our concern must be for the eternal things of God. We can’t be focused on what lies out there in the world. We can’t be friends with the world and claim to be God’s people. Our focus has to be set upon the will, purpose and commandments of Almighty God. We have been blessed and privileged and allowed to enter into a different realm of living; totally separated and sold out to doing the perfect will of God. We cannot fail in our duties. We must fulfill the call of God upon our lives.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
In Romans 11:29 Paul says, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." That means that you can’t quit, you can’t go back, and you can’t retire. The only way to complete the Call of God upon your life is to be faithful in the duties assigned to you until Jesus calls you home. But Oh what a retirement plan you have waiting on the other side!
As we turn now toward the Tabernacle, looking toward the Inner Court or the Holy Place, we can’t help but notice that there are multiple layers of coverings over the entire structure. The structure, or framework, of the rooms that we are about to enter is a study all in itself and we will probably talk about that next week. But for now lets look at the curtains and coverings that are hiding and protecting the true beauty that lies beyond.
As we read in the beginning, God gave Moses some pretty elaborate instructions on how the coverings and curtains were to be weaved and assembled.
Here is the order in which The Curtains and Coverings for the Tabernacle were applied.
·The Curtains and Fine Linen - were placed directly over the Framework and comprised the actual roof or ceiling of the Sanctuary.
·The Curtains Of Goats’ Hair, referred to as the "tent" was placed over the Curtains of Fine Linen
·The Rams’ Skin Dyed Red referred to as the Covering and was next in order
·The Covering of Badgers’ Skins was the final covering and it was this covering that was the only thing visible above the wall from the outside of the Tabernacle.
One of the first things that we should note is that God told Moses to make 10 curtains to form the coverings for the ceilings and walls. These were connected to form one curtain that covered the entire Tabernacle structure.
Ten is the number of the Ten Commandments and represent the LAW COVENANT. These curtains thus speak to us of Jesus as the FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW. He is the only MAN who ever kept the Law and the Commandments of God entirely. The entire Law, the Moral, the Civil and the Ceremonial Law were FULFILLED IN HIM.
This Tabernacle was to be comprised of TEN CURTAINS of fine twined linen. Clean, fine, white linen is one of the clearest symbols in Scripture and it is always a symbol of righteousness. It speaks first of the righteousness of Christ as the Son, and second, it points to the righteousness of the saints who are IN CHRIST. This is not SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, but righteousness imputed through faith in Jesus’ shed blood as the offering for our sin.
Blue, Purple and Scarlet embroidery work was to be added to these 10 curtains of Fine White Lenin to make designs of Cherubim into the curtains, so that no matter which direction you would turn inside the Tabernacle, you would see the Cherubim and be reminded that you are in the service of a Holy, Almighty and Merciful God.
Blue is the color of Heaven and is symbolic of the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ as God, come in the form of flesh from his throne in the realms of His Eternal Kingdom. Purple is the color to signify His royalty as the Lord of Lords, King of Kings and Prince of Peace – the Son of God. Thirdly, Scarlet was there to signify the sacrifice of His own blood that this King, Prince, Lord and Son would give for the salvation of mankind.
The Cherubim embroidered into the curtain could be symbolic of the presence of the Holy Angels of God that watch over us day and night, but I think that there is a far more significant meaning to their presence all around you. The Cherubim that is made a part of the whole curtain, being everywhere at the same time, is more symbolic to you and I of the presence of the HOLY GHOST in the life of CHRIST as well as the life of the Believer. At every turn the Holy Ghost is there. In every situation the Holy Spirit leads, guides, covers, teaches and directs. He is there to lead us into all truth and point the way back to the Lord Jesus Christ in every trial or test.
This linen with the Cherubim would be the ceiling for the Sanctuary. Their wings would stretch forth above the Sanctuary under which the Priest ministered. The Priest would, in effect, be walking, ministering, and enjoying fellowship with God under the shadow of the wings of the Cherubim. It was a beautiful symbol of us as New Covenant Believers: Priests ministering under the shadow and wings of Almighty God.
Psalms 91:1-7, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."
Jesus alluded to this covering in Matthew 23:37 as he stood on the mountain looking down upon Jerusalem just before the Triumphal Entry saying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
There were TEN CURTAINS, which were arranged in two groups of FIVE. These two sets of FIVE CURTAINS were joined together by 50 clasps (taches) of gold and 50 loops of BLUE. When all was joined together it formed and covered ONE TABERNACLE.
The second curtain that would cover the entire Tabernacle was made of Goat’s Hair and it was the referred to as the “Tent” of the Tabernacle. You can read about it in Exodus 26:7-13, but for the sake of time we won’t read the detail of how it was made.
There were 11 curtains that were connected together to make up one large Goat’s Hair Covering. Eleven is the number of LAWLESSNESS and DISORDER and is associated throughout Scripture with sin and rebellion.
This symbol is brought together in the Tabernacle with the Goats’ hair. The Goat was one of the animals used in Israel for sacrifice. It was used primarily in connection with the SIN OFFERING on the Day of Atonement and the cleansing of the Sanctuary:
There were three special occasions where goats played an important role in the sacrificial system of the Tabernacle. They were used in connection with three of the great Feasts that were ordered by God to be observed by all of the people. These three feasts were, the Feast of Passover, Feast of Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles.
During the Feast of Passover, on the Day of Atonement, two Goats were to be taken. One was to be killed for a sin offering, the other was to be preserved alive to be used as the SCAPEGOAT.
Leviticus 16:7-10, "And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness."
Jesus gives us a picture of unrepentant sinners in Matthew 25 and labeled them as "goats." So in this covering of goats’ hairs, we see the thought of sin and rebellion. The Goat’s Hair curtain are symbolic to us of the fact that JESUS BECAME SIN FOR US, taking our rebellion and sin upon his own body that we might be "covered" and escape the wrath of God upon all who sin.
The length of these curtains was to be 30 cubits. Thirty is the number of the consecration of the Priesthood. Each priest had to be 30 years of age before he could minister. Jesus was 30 years of age when He began His Priestly ministry that ended with His being offered as a SIN OFFERING for us at Calvary.
The 11 curtains were to be in two sets, a set of five and a set of six and joined by 50 taches and loops. These are symbolic to us of the number 50 in scripture. When you think of the 50 in the Bible, the thing that comes to mind is that every 50 years, Israel was to have a Year of Jubilee, where debts were wiped out, inheritances restored and slaves set free, and that’s just what Jesus’ death on the cross does for you and I.
The next covering was made of Rams’ Skins and is spoken of expressly as a "Covering." The RAM was used as a TRESPASS OFFERING, Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings: and was also called "The Ram of Consecration." It symbolized substitution because a Ram was used to consecrate the Priests before they could minister in the Tabernacle. The first place in the Bible where we see the Ram as a substitute is in Genesis 22 when it was sent by God to be slain in the place of Isaac, the son of Abraham on Mt. Moriah.
This is all prophetic of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who became the LAMB OF GOD to take away the sin of the world as our substitute at Calvary.
When Jesus came the first time, His garments were DYED RED in the blood of ATONEMENT for sin. At His Second Coming, His garments will also be DYED RED but with the blood of HIS ENEMIES.
The last covering, over all and above all, was the covering of Badgers’ Skins. Even as the Rams’ Skins had no recorded measurements, so also we are given no measurements for this covering. Some scholars believe these badgers’ skins were seal or porpoise skins of a bluish-gray color. Whatever the case, these skins acted as the final PROTECTION from the storms, the weather and heat of the desert and wilderness life. Badgers’ Skins were used as a covering for all of the vessels of the Tabernacle when they were in transit.
Badgers’ skins were not a precious fur or skin. There was NO NATURAL beauty to the human eye in gazing upon the Tabernacle. Only the Priests who experienced the inside of the Tabernacle found out where the real beauty was.
This is the same that is true of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 53:1-5 says, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
Isaiah 52:14 says, "As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men…"
To the natural and unregenerate man, those outside the walls of Salvation, looking in from the vantage point of the world see nothing about Jesus that is beautiful or attractive. But to those who are IN CHRIST and belong to HIM - "He is altogether lovely," He is seen in great glory and beauty. Natural man cannot receive the things of God.
Those are the four curtains and coverings of the Tabernacle of Moses. In all, they represent the covering that Jesus has provided for each of us. Today we can enjoy being covered by the Blood and made free because of Jesus sacrifice upon the cross.
Isaiah 61:10 says, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
Thank God for the Curtains and Coverings over my life and my soul.
Next week we will be studying the Structure of the Tabernacle upon which these curtains and coverings were placed.
