EXODUS CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX ------------------------- Verses 1-14: The Curtained ceiling Brief description: Ten white curtains, richly ornamented, with angels embroidered into the curtains, each 28 cubits (42 ft) in length, and four cubits (6 ft) in width. These were coupled together in fives, breadth to breadth, thus giving a total length of 28 cubits (42 ft) and a breadth of 40 cubits (60 ft), which would not only reach across the Tabernacle, which was only 15 ft in width, but would overlap its sides. The two sets of five white curtains were linked together by 50 loops of blue in each, which were fastened with 50 taches or clasps of gold, thus firmly uniting the whole together in one solid piece. 1) The material: Notice in verse 1 it reads "MAKE THE TABERNACLE [WITH] ten curtains [of] fine twined linen" BUT in verse 15 when speaking of the boards, it reads "And thou shalt make boards FOR the tabernacle..." It appears that the curtains were the tabernacle and therefore represented the Lord's body when He tabernacled among us. Just as the tabernacle on earth was God's dwelling place among the Israelites, so to the incarnate Christ was God's dwelling place when He walked among men. These spotless curtains pointed to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and exhibited the holiness of His nature. a) made of FINE linen: not just linen but "FINE twined linen" compare: Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in FINE LINEN, CLEAN and WHITE: for the FINE LINEN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of saints. Here the colours are mentioned after the fine linen, but in other places where these colors are mentioned the blue is first. But here the Holy Spirit is emphasizing the sinless character and righteousness of our blessed Lord and Saviour. Contrast: Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Whether Rev 19 is speaking of the imputed righteousness that the saints have or a personal imparted righteousness, it is still the righteousness of Christ, whether given or imputed. MEN'S RIGHTEOUSNESS The best that men can do is "filthy rags." Even the Pharisees who had a righteousness that before men looked magnificent were but bearers of "filthy rags." They were the BEST that religion could produce. Jesus' testimony concerning them: Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS The thief's testimony concerning Christ: Lu 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done NOTHING AMISS. The Roman centurion testified: Lu 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a RIGHTEOUS MAN. Even a man who betrayed him and through that act showed his hatred for this man declared: Mt 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the INNOCENT blood. And they said, What [is that] to us? see thou [to that]. The wife of the man who's court Jesus was judged in said: Mt 27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that JUST MAN: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. Pilate who sat in judgement of Christ and had power to release him even said: Mt 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but [that] rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed [his] hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this JUST PERSON: see ye [to it]. Pilate said again after he allowed the soldiers to mock Him and smite Him: Joh 19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And [Pilate] saith unto them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify [him], crucify [him]. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify [him]: for I find no fault in him. 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; Paul who once persecuted those who followed Him said: 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; THOSE WHO KNEW HIM AND WERE WITH HIM DURING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY Peter's, who was by Christ's side for some 3 years declared: 1Pe 2:22 Who did NO SIN, neither was guile found in his mouth: John declared: 1Jo 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 1Jo 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. b) Its colors: "and blue, and purple, and scarlet..." (vs 1) These were for embroidering the cherubim upon the white curtains. Blue: speaks of heaven Ex 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and [there was] under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in [his] clearness. { sapphire, according to the dictionary is a blue stone } Ez 1:25 And there was a voice from the firmament that [was] over their heads, when they stood, [and] had let down their wings. 26 And above the firmament that [was] over their heads [was] the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne [was] the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. Purple: speaks of royalty. Joh 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged [him]. 2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put [it] on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Scarlet: as used in scriptures has a variety of symbolic meanings. Scarlet is the color of blood. This would point to the blood shed by our saviour, and the suffering that He went through to redeem us from our sins. Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Scarlet is the color of sin: Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Not that Christ had sinned, but that He was made to be sin for us, who Himself knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2Co 5:21) Example of the serpent on the pole in the wilderness, so in like manner Christ must be lifted up. (Joh 3:14) Scarlet is also a color of glory: Da 5:7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. [And] the king spake, and said to the wise [men] of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. c) Its ornamentation: "with cherubim" (vs 1) We see Cherubims in connection with God Almighty, perhaps because they are the highest of His created creatures and are around His throne. READ Ezekiel Chapter 1. Rev 4:6 And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, Speaking of Jehovah: Ps 61:4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. Ps 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler. Ps 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, We usually say that this is symbolic language for God does not have wings, and we would agree, but He does have Cherubim closely connected to Him and His throne. d) The dimensions: 28 is a multiple of 7 (4x7=28) SEVEN is the number for completeness. FOUR which was the breadth and 4x7 the length is the number for the earth. There are FOUR gospels which is good news for the earth. So perhaps this speaks of the perfect and completed man and His work that is to be preached to the whole world toward the four points on the compass (N,S,E,W). e) The loops of the curtains: They were used for coupling the TWO sets of curtains together (vs 3). TEN is the number for "LAW and responsibility" We have the TEN commandments. The FIVE that were Godward and the FIVE that were manward. They were written on TWO tables of stone. Actually the Fifth was Godward and Manward. We have the TEN plagues that were visited on the Egyptians for their failure to heed God's commandment to let Israel go. It was Christ who met the obligations of the LAW in our behalf. In him we have both halves of the LAW linked together in perfect unity. He loved God, His Father, with all His heart and His neighbour as Himself. The breadth and length were coupled together. Breadth speaks of the character of His life. Length speaks of the length of His days. So Christ fulfilled the law in His very character and for the length of His days. 50 loops: 50 is the number for the Holy Spirit and Jubilee. Pentecost = "the fiftieth day" 1) the second of the three great Jewish feasts, celebrated at Jerusalem yearly, the seventh week after the Passover, in grateful recognition of the completed harvest The 50 couplings were of GOLD: Gold speaks of divinity and only divinity could keep and couple both halves of the law together. It was these couplings that fastened the whole thing together. Christ had the spirit without measure and it was only the God-man who could keep the whole of the law. Verses 7-14: The Coverings The word for curtain is a feminine one and speaks of the union of the two curtains. They were sisters so to speak. a) their number: ELEVEN in verse 7 But God divides this number into two numbers, FIVE and SIX. FIVE speaks of grace. SIX speaks of man. God created man on the sixth day. 12 in to a foot (2x6) 36 in to a yard (6x6) 24 hours to a day (4x6) 60 min to a hour (6x10) 60 sec to a min (6x10) So Christ was crucified by evil men at the SIXTH hour (Joh 19:14). Re 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six. { 666 } So Christ was truly man full of grace and truth. Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. { In this verse we have the number SIX and FIVE in one. } b) Their dimensions: They were the same in breadth (4 cubits) but their length was 30 cubits. 30 can be 3x10, 5x6. Christ was 30 years old when he started His ministry (Lu 3:23). David was 30 years old when he began to reign (2sa 5:4). A man had to be 30 years and upward to perform the duties in the tabernacle (Nu 4:4,23,30,35,39,43,47) The Levities were numbered from 30 years upward (1Ch 23:3). c) Their meaning: Goats hair. Goats were used in connection with the sin offering. You will remember the goat that was offered on the day of atonement and the scapegoat that was set free, both pointing to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. d) The loops and taches: They were 50 in number but were made of brass instead of gold. Brass speaks of divine judgement in the scripture. The serpent that Moses was commanded to lift up in the wilderness was made of brass, showing God's judgement against sin in the person of Christ. Christ is shown as having feet of brass and eyes like a flame of fire in the book of Revelation (Re 2:18). The linked the curtains of goats hair, which points to Christ as the sin offering. So Christ as the sin offering was made sin for His people and suffered the divine judgement for our sin as our great substitute. e) The outer coverings: Ex 26:14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent [of] rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above [of] badgers' skins. The ram was the victim used in the consecration of the priests. (Ex 29:16-26) It was a ram that was substituted for Isaac when Abraham had bound his son on the altar ready to offer him to God. The ram being the head of the flock tells of strength and dignity. Ps 114:4 The mountains skipped like rams, [and] the little hills like lambs. Mountains were connected to rams and little hills like lambs. The ram skin was dyed red. This must speak of the sufferings that our Saviour went through in shedding His blood in our place. Over the rams skins were place the badger skins, and this was the outer covering of all. This alone would be seen by the eyes of men as Israel wandered in the wilderness. This speaks of how Christ appeared to men in the world. He was born in a manger; worked as a carpenter; despised by men. Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Ps 22:6 But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. Isa 49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. Isa 53:2 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. 3 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. Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Verses 15-30: The Boards 20 boards on the north side and 20 boards on the south side. Each board was 1.5 cubits in width so 20x1.5=30 cubits. The boards made up the entire wall of the tabernacle. Tenons = hands which were grasped by the sockets of silver. The boards stood upon the base of silver sockets. The bars were used in coupling the whole together. It is said that when it was all coupled together it stood solid and could not fall down, thus pointing to our Saviour as "the Rock of Ages." a) Their materials: acacia or shittim wood as we have already seen was an incorruptible wood and in the Septuagint actually has it "incorruptible wood"; thus pointing to Christ's incorruptible humanity. Let us not forget that Christ was truly man as well as truly God. He did not just assume a human body, or simply appear as a man as angels sometimes did, but that He became a man in the full sense, having a human spirit and soul and body. He was truly a man. Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. But in becoming a man He took upon himself a spotless and sinless humanity. He was the second Adam, but did not come from Adam. He did not inherit the curse of Adam as we did. He "did no sin" (1Pe 2:22) and that because "He knew no sin" (2Co 5:21) and again because "in Him was no sin" (1Jo 3:5). Christ, because of His character, was entirely incapable of sinning. He could have sinned only in that there was opportunity but His very nature would not have allowed it. However His humanity was no different than that of Adam, else how could He be our substitute. It was that He was also the eternal Son of God. Adam was only the son of God in creation, but Christ the Son of God from eternity. The gold of course speaks of His deity. His deity is INSEPARABLE from His humanity. It was His personality. It was not two persons that walked the earth. One who was human and another inside of him who was God. He was the Eternal Son of God in human flesh. Pink says, "None but a Divine Saviour could meet the deep need of fallen creatures: the endurance of God's curse was wholly beyond the resources of human weakness -- His Deity alone could sustain the weight of redemption. One might say that He could have sinned in His humanity but not in His deity; but the two natures are so intertwined and are so one that such a statement, although sounding intellectual, actually becomes absurd. Lu 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which IS CHRIST THE LORD. Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. b) Their sockets: In verses 19 we see that they were made of silver. There were 40 sockets for the 20 boards on the south side and 40 for the twenty boards on the north side and 16 for the 8 boards which were on the west side. So, there were 96 sockets in all. Pink says that the ninety-six sockets formed the foundation, and upon them rested the whole fabric of the tabernacle. Silver: What does it represent? READ: Ex 30:13-16. COMPARE with: Lev 27:3 We see that the "atonement money" was silver. The amount was the same no matter if rich or poor. No matter our station in life, it took the same price to redeem our souls. So silver speaks of the preciousness of redemption. And redemption is the BASIS on which Christ has become the meeting-place between a incomprehensibly Holy God and desperately wicked sinners. The blood of bulls and goats typified the mode of redemption, in that Christ would shed his blood, and silver typified the preciousness of redemption. 1Pe 1: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: c) Their meaning: The Boards. Pink says: "Without these boards there would have been no tabernacle to house its furniture and no place for the priests to serve in. Moreover, without them the beautiful curtains could not have been displayed. Upon the golden boards, held together by the golden bars, resting in their silver sockets, were sustained the weight of the curtains and coverings. So on the God-man was hung all the weight of the Divine government and all the glories of His Father's house. 48 boards and 96 sockets 48 = (6x8 or 4x12) and 96 = (12x8) Four = earth or world, things of the earth Six = man (atomic number of carbon, the link in protein of which all life here is made up of.) Eight = new beginning or creation, new birth (atomic number of oxygen) God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and it is the Holy Spirit who is likened unto the wind that regenerates and gives life anew. Twelve = Governmental Perfection, Divine Authority or Power Christ is the SECOND Adam (Adam, aw-dawm' means man). And Christ is the second aw-dawm' according to 1Co 15:47. he is the governmental head of a new race of people on the earth, a regenerated people. Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; It is impossible to preach (that is, preach correctly) the work of Christ without preaching the person of Christ. And it is equally impossible to preach the person of Christ without preaching His work. There is a tendency to separate His work from His person; to preach His death and not preach Him. However it is FAITH in HIM that is salvation. Joh 3:36 He that believeth ON THE SON hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth THE SON, and believeth ON HIM, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. d) Their distribution: Verse 18, 20 and 25. 20 for the south side, 20 for the north side, 2 for the corners and 6 for the back or west side. The most prominent number is 2, which is testimony or witness. The two witnesses in the Revelation, etc. The 2nd person of the Godhead is called "the faithful and true Witness" (Rev 3:14). The Lord Jesus Christ as the true witness had 2 natures; Divine and human. There were 40 boards for the north and south side. And 8 for the west (2 corners and 6 others). 40 = Trials, Probations and Testings So Christ underwent trials and testings in our behalf, to keep the law perfectly as our substitute. e) Their couplings: verse 17 speaks of tenons which mans "hands". These hands were used for holding the boards in place. Ps 80:17 Let thy HAND be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man [whom] thou madest strong for thyself. Lu 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy HANDS I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. f) The bars: described in verses 26-29 The bars were used to unite the boards together. There were 5 bars on each side. One in the middle and 2 above and 2 below the middle bar. The middle bar ran the length uniting all 20 boards together. There were 15 bars in all (3x5). 3 = the number of the Godhead and also resurrection 5 = grace So Christ is the resurrection and the life and the supplier of all grace. It is in Him that the Grace of God is manifested. The boards represented the two natures of Christ and the bars united these boards, which represented the two natures, together. In Christ we see the two natures in one. Verses 31-35, The veil a) The fine linen: Which again was white as we have seen before. This again speaks of the sinless character of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Of cunning work" was the fine linen. Pink says that this terminology was only used in describing the breastplate and the fine linen. the fine twined linen foreshadowed the sinless humanity of our saviour. The words "cunning work" literally mean "the work of a devisor." So we see that it was Divine Wisdom that prepared the Son of God a body. Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast THOU PREPARED me: (Notice, it was God the Father that prepared this body) b) Its meaning: This is defined for us in Heb 10:19-20 Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; The veil then spoke of the Son of God INCARNATE in human flesh. One side was seen by the human eyes of the Levites as the ministered in the sanctuary, the other side was seen by Jehovah. The veil prevented access to God. The priests could not go into the holy of holies. Only the high priest could and only once a year and not without blood. Heb 9:7 But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people: The veil, in OT times, announced that the way into God's presence was not yet made manifest. Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: The sinless humanity of Christ by itself did not open the way into the holy of holies. However Jehovah made know how the high priest could enter, and that was with the blood of a sacrifice; but an unrented veil signified that the true sacrifice had not yet come and the true high priest had not yet entered with the blood of that true sacrifice. In the NT, when Christ died the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom. I believe this shows several things. 1) That the sacrifice of Christ was that true sacrifice and that the way to God had now been made manifest. It was through the shedding of His blood that we now have access to God and entrance into heaven. Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 2) It also showed that there was NO MORE NEED for sacrifice nor a priesthood as before. Being that we have boldness to enter in, we are now all priests unto God. Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin. 1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1Pe 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Re 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Re 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Re 20:6 Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 3) That is was the renting of Christ that opened the way. At His death, his spirit was separated from His body. So perhaps the renting not only showed that the way was opened, but also spoke of His death. c) Its position: verse 33, in the middle under the taches. The veil was placed right over the entrance into the holy of holies. Thus God dwelt BEHIND the veil. The veil sets forth the "flesh" of Christ, and we are taught that Christ's humanity was the veil of the Godhead. Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. d) Its Supports: The FOUR pillars (vs 32). The pillars were made of "incorruptible wood" and overlaid with gold which again speaks of the two natures of the God-man. Of course FOUR is the number for the earth. So, it is Christ on earth that is in view. Pink points out that these four pillars were lacking the "fillets" and "chapiters" which adorned the five pillars at the door of the Tabernacle (36:38). A chapiter is the head, top or summit of the pillar. Fillets were binders. This tells us that the four pillars lacked the architectural completeness of a pillar; thus showing that our saviour was "cut-off" in the midst of his days. Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. The four pillars also were used to display the veil. Without them the veil would have just been folded up, but with them the full beauty of the veil was displayed. The veil spoke of God the Son, incarnate in human flesh. Thus the FOUR gospels reveal to us and display before our minds God the Son, incarnate in human flesh. It is in the four gospels that we see the "cunning work" of the Divine Designer. We see the Saviour as Son of David, the flawless Servant, the Son of man, and the Son of God, yet blended together in one person. Verses 36-37, The tabernacle door Pink points out that God's order in the scriptures is not always the chronological order. Here we have the "door" mentioned immediately after the description of the "veil." This door spanned the entire eastern side of the tabernacle. When Adam sinned God placed Cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, the place where man had communed with the living God. These Cherubim kept, or guarded, the way to the tree of Life which was in the midst of the garden. But now because of Christ, the Saviour, there was a door on the eastern side which allowed access to God via the High Priest. The priestly family had a door that they might enter into the tabernacle. Jesus is our Great High priest and we are members of that priestly family. He has made us a kingdom of priests (Rev 1:6). a) Its material: It was made of the same materials and quality as the veil and the curtains. "needle work" -- the Hebrew word was translated "embroiderer", "curiously wrought" With the Qal stem it means to variegate, mix colours, and a variation of the word was translated "divers colors" in Ez 17:3. b) Its colours: "blue, and purple, and scarlet. These three colors are mentioned no less than 24 times in connection with the tabernacle accessories and priesthood, yet the order is never varied. We have seen that blue speaks of heaven, which is where the Lord Jesus came down from. He was not from the earth. He was God wrapped in human flesh that His father had prepared for Him. Scarlet (red) speaks of the sufferings that our Saviour went through in spilling His Precious Blood for us. Only a man could die, thus we have the two natures again brought before us. Purple speaks of royalty and the kingship of Christ, but it also speaks of the two natures merged into one. Blue and scarlet are such a contrast for the eye, but with purple in between them the contrast is made to harmonize in a beautiful display. The eye passes with ease from the blue to the scarlet by aid of the blended color, purple. Purple is a colour formed by mingling the two other colors together. In Christ we have the two natures mingled together into one person. As a man he grieved and was troubled in spirit and as God He knew all men and what was in man and had created man. c) Its meaning: While is did shut out, it was also a door for the priesthood. In Christ we do have a door to our God. The cherubim are missing from the door, whereas they are present on the veil. The veil, unrented, prevented entrance into the most holy place without the blood of an innocent. Just as to the east of the garden the cherubim guarded the way to the tree of life. But the door was an entrance into. d) Its pillars: FIVE pillars of "incorruptible wood" overlaid with gold. FIVE is the number for grace. And the door is Christ presented in GRACE to those that are on the outside. It is the God-man, in wonderful grace, through whom we have entrance. Where in the NT is grace mostly unveiled to us? The Epistles, and they were FIVE Epistle-writers. Paul, James, Peter, John and Jude. Paul mentions three of them as being pillars in Galatians. Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. e) Its chapiters: It is a crown. Christ is here presented as the one who is "crowned with glory and honour." The Epistle writers point this out. Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. f) Its sockets: Five sockets of BRASS. Brass is symbolic of judgement. But why judgement when grace is in view here. remember is was the brass serpent that was lifted up in the wilderness, that if men would look to they were healed. It is only the Saviour smitten of God, judged for our sins, that we have salvation. So the brass speaks of our Saviour enduring the cross and judgement of God for our sins. taking the full brunt of the judgement that was our due, and by it giving us eternal redemption. Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].