There Is News In The Truth

(Exodus 26:26-28) And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. ²⁸ And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.

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These curtains of fine linen, goat’s hair, ram’s skins, and badger’s skins were held up by a massive framework of what the bible calls boards. They stood upright; vertically. There were twenty boards on either side, and eight in the back. At the bottom of these boards were silver sockets, a sort of base or pedestal that held the board in place. They were rather tall and thin; ten cubits tall by one and a half wide, roughly fifteen feet tall by two feet wide. Now to keep all these boards together, God required the Israelites to make bars. These bars ran horizontally, across the outside of these board, tying each board together. The bars ran through golden rings that were affixed to the outside of the boards. (Exodus 26:29) Make their rings of gold for places for the bars. 

The boards speak to us of the assembling of God’s people; the church. We introduced that previously in And thou shalt make boards…. And the silver sockets in which they stand speak to us regarding the foundation of the disciples and the prophets to which the church stands. We explored that in Sockets of silver… But now we come to these bars; these bars that bind the boards together. I’m reminded of two things:

Firstly, when Judah Ben Hur sat below the deck of that Roman galley, and the Roman’s enemy had been sighted, and they were on a course to meet them in battle, those painful words were uttered, “Chain the rowers!” There was an iron ring on the leg of every rower. And the gaurds proceeded to run chains through those rings and bind those rowers together and to the ship. They were Roman slaves to the galley. Seeing those bars slip through those rings on those boards reminds me of this. Paul asked this question: (Romans 6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? When we were the servants of sin, we were bound to it and together. We all worked and laboured and treasured up for ourselves wrath for the day of wrath.

But to God be the glory, things are different now that you’re saved. (Romans 6:17-18) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. We’re still servants. But praise God, we’ve changed masters. And now instead of shackles and chains, it’s golden rings and cords of love that bind us together and to him.

Which brings me to my second thought. I installed some kitchen cabinets the other day and, of course, read the installation instructions after I had installed them, and saw that there was one step I failed to perform. The instructions explained that after the cabinets were up and fastened to the wall, that they were to be fastened together by running a #8 woods screw across the two side walls towards the front of the cabinet. My first thought was, “It’s strong enough. Those cabinets aren’t going anywhere.”

But then I started to consider the wisdom in fastening them together. If a child hangs on just one of those cabinets, and the back of the cabinet to which it is fastened to the wall gives way, that cabinet is coming down. And that is very much possible. The particle board in those cabinets is pretty weak nowdays. However, if the cabinets are tied together, that single cabinet will not come down. That child would have to bring the whole assembly of cabinets down. Each and every cabinet’s connection to the wall would have to fail for just one of those cabinets to come down. Or the entire wall would have to come down. The chances of that happening are pretty slim.

(Romans 15:1) We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak… Every member of the church is tied together. Christ has put a lasso of love around all his church and there are none that stand without. Now we’re not going down with the ship like Romans slaves, but we’re all going up with the ship as servants of the most High God. (Ephesians 4:16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. It’s love that binds us together. It’s through love that we edify one another, strengthen one another, hold each other up. For one to fall, all would have to fall. If we’re all bound together in Christ, for one to fall, Christ would need to fall! (Galatians 6:2) Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Christ’s law? Jesus said (John 13:34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. It’s His church and His law; the law of love. (Colossians 2:19) And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. We are knit together and to Christ by love. This is the mechanism and means in which Christ has ordained for us that we might increase, grow, and develop. (1 Corinthians 9:19) For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. This is not just for the benefit of others, but for your own benefit, for your own good and gain. Learn to love.

As Preacher Allen has said, charity represents the strongest Greek word in your King James Bible for love. Paul says (1 Corinthians 8:1) Charity edifieth. And without it, (1 Corinthians 13:2) I am nothing. And all our good works, all our dedication to God, all our spiritual efforts, Paul said that if I (1 Corinthians 13:3) have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. It’s for our profit and it’s for assurance. (1 John 3:14) We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. The assurance of the salvation of God is the golden bar of love that pierces the ring of our hearts and binds us one to another.

And one last thought. The bible says And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. The love of God reaches from one end of the church to the other end of the church, from the youngest to the oldest, the richest to the poorest, the novice to the wisest, the shyest to the loudest. We are bound together from end to end. God help us.

Exodus 26:19-21 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. ²⁰ And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: ²¹ And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

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So I’ve waited for a revelation that would uphold the tabernacle as a type of the individual believer like we have in the other devotionals, but to no avail. They always told me that types just never hold up so you can’t get carried away with them. My heart right now really is on the church and the doctrine of the church. Ecclesiology. I can’t get away from (Ephesians 2:19-22) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²² In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. So let’s just go with it.

It’s two sockets under one board. And that’s perfect because Ephesians says that the saint sets upon the foundation of two sets of individuals: the apostles and the prophets. One tenon in one socket and the other tenon in the other socket. We stand with one foot in the apostles and one foot in the prophets. And I still think that this gives us the reality of worshiping God, and the presence of God.

When I consider the disciples, I think of how they gathered around Jesus feet and listened intently to every word that fell from his lips; his doctrine, his parables, his prayers. They followed him wherever he would go; in the sea, up the mount, in the desert place. They did whatever he said; cast the nets, fetch the colt, prepare the Passover. They were the closet people on earth to walk with Jesus and witness him firsthand; they were exceedingly amazed, they marvelled, they were astonished. They feared, they worshipped, they rejoiced. They called him Rabbi, Master, Lord. O Lord, that we might walk in the ways of your precious and loved disciples. (John 6:68) Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. This one thing is needful, that we might sit at the master’s feet. (Luke 24:32) And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

One foot in the disciples’ socket and the other in the prophets’. The bible says (Revelation 19:10) The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It was right after that in which John wrote the most anticipated words in the Holy Bible.

(Revelation 19:11-16) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ¹² His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ¹³ And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The second coming of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! To plug one tenon into the socket of the holy prophets is to tap in to (Titus 2:13) that blessed hope. To walk the path of prophets is to (Luke 21:28) lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh; to (1 Thessalonians 5:6) watch and be sober. Like Rebekah, may we from atop God’s providential camels, lift up our eyes and look across the fields of this quickly fleeting life, and catch the eye of our Isaac!  (Genesis 24:65) What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? O Glory to God it won’t be long! (Philippians 3:20) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

May we lay them down and stand upon these, the foundation of the apostles and prophets, in our worship and service to God, and be not ashamed. This is the habitation of God; the holy temple in the Lord. And may God fill his temple. This is no wood, hay, and stubble. These silver sockets will endure. They most assuredly (1 Corinthians 3:13) shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire… What an amazing thought of our reality in Christ; to walk in the footsteps of the apostles and prophets; to walk the path that they once trod. What a comfort to know that this path is not obscure and uncertain, but others have gone before. And then also, that there’s more boards in this tabernacle, standing side by side, in the same silver sockets that you stand. And that God dwells in the midst of these. Praise the Lord for the His glorious marvelous church!

¹⁵ And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. ¹⁶ Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.

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These boards were the solid hard structure in which the curtains were to cover. I find it curious that the curtains were covered first. If I were instructing someone on how to build the tabernacle, I probably would have started with the boards and sockets, since these probably went down first; kind of like a foundation. But instead, God gave instruction first on what was inside the structure, then what was outside the structure, and then finally the structure. Am I the only one that thinks this odd? I can’t help but think of Ezekiel. First it was bones, then skin outside, and finally the breathe inside.

(Ezekiel 37:7-10) So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. ⁸ And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

So I wonder if there is any significance in all that. Maybe that first things should be first. What is the skeleton and the flesh without the breath? Is it possible that the instructions of the tabernacle may also layout an order of importance? Or an order of reality? Make sure the inside is in order first. Then worry about the rest. Maybe?

The boards are ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. If a cubit is 18 inches (as most believe), then that makes the board 27 inches wide. That’s a wide board! You can’t find solid wood at Home Depot that wide. You’d have to buy plywood. So that makes me wonder if these were solid boards, or were they pieced together, maybe like a butcher block? Also, the bible doesn’t say how thick they were. Or maybe they were framed to that size with lighter wood around it? They did have to carry these things. Or maybe something similar to how a door is constructed; a frame with panels. Some people think that they were only frames and not solid; in order to see the beautiful tapestries on the sides. There has got to be some explanation because a 27 inch solid board by 15 feet long is a serious problem. It’s like trying to get 6 foot wide 20 gauge stainless. Good luck!

If it was indeed solid, then they would have had to find 46 of the biggest, oldest, straightest trees in all the land. So God is definitely not a tree-hugger. Even pictures of the largest shittim trees just aren’t big enough. It may be possible that larger ones existed in abundance 4000 years ago, but the sheer weight would just be nuts. So I’m not trying to change badger to sea-cow. I just think that most likely, the boards were not solid boards. They were some kind of fabricated structure that was formed to the given size. I think also the word board back in 1600’s could be used to describe a table; which no doubt could be made of several boards.

Anyhow, the scripture that comes to mind is this:  (Ephesians 2:19-22) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²² In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Now to use this verse will begin to push us away from our type of the tabernacle that we’ve been exploring of late; a picture of the individual believer and the indwelling state of the Holy Ghost. Perhaps, it reveals another glorious picture in that of the church. The individual believer is the temple of the Holy Ghost; an holy temple in the Lord; an habitation of God through the Spirit. But this verse deals not with just the individual, but the entire church. In fact, this area of Ephesians is really dealing with the merging of both Jews and Gentiles into one body. We see in this verse, and cannot deny, that the Holy Ghost dwells also in the body of Christ as a conglomeration; or a congregation; or an assembly.

Now is this to be viewed as an abiding presence as the indwelling of the Spirit? Can the body be filled with the Spirit as an individual can be filled with the Spirit? I most assuredly believe so; Pentecost being our primary example. (Acts 2:4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And after Peter and John were released from custody and prayed with the disicples, the bible says (Acts 4:31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. There’s individual worship and corporate worship. And in Acts 4:31, we see there’s individual service and corporate service for it says that they spake the word of God with boldness.

Let me say this and I’ll quit. I enjoy when the Spirit of God moves through the congregation; when the wind blows across the tabernacle, and each board begins to shake, the embroidered angel’s wings begin to flap, and the smell of incense is spread all around. Each board, each saint, 27 inches wide and 15 feet tall, cannot help but move as the wind passes by. Those angels tells us that all heaven takes notice at the worship of Jesus. All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall. The incense, of course, is the prayers of the saints going up into the nostrils of God. There ain’t nothing like it. May our church meetings be an holy temple in the Lord; an habitation of God through the Spirit. Grant it Lord, that there may always be your abiding presence in our sacred assembly.

We’ll definitely come back and look at more details regarding the boards. I’m not ready anyhow to leave the application to the individual. So I’m still studying.

And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.

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Trying to get through the entire tabernacle, I’ve grown impatient having to cover half of verse in one week. However, we covered the first half last week and that I feel went well.

Now, there’s seems to be a universal doubt and skepticism regarding term badger which the King James translators rendered from the word tachash. Most commentaries and dictionaries and things like that don’t think that it was an actual badger that was referred. What exactly is a badger?

This little cute guy is a badger. It looks like a cross between a skunk and a chupacabra. Badgers apparently are not commonly thought to be found in bible lands so consequently people have found other meanings for the word tachash. Some think that it comes from the Arab word duchash or tufchash which was likely a dolphin or a seal of some sort. Some think it is the Dugong which is the modern day sea cow. Most of those that disagree that tachash was an actual badger seem to all agree that it was some sort of sea animal.

One dictionary said that it was a color that was denoted and not an animal; and that it was most likely black or (get this!) sky-blue. Are you kidding me? How do you get sky-blue out of the same color as black? One dictionary even admits that, yes, badgers are found in Southern Palestine, but no, the King James must have mistranslated it.

Now I have to admit, when these professors start trying to tear apart the King James Bible, my flags start going off and my alarms start sounding. Do you really think that the bible scholars back in early 1600’s didn’t have to deal with this back then?

Interestingly, the hare that the bible speaks about in Leviticus 11:6 was also known as a coney and they were commonly known as rock badgers. I’m not saying that they decked the tabernacle with rabbit skins. I’m just saying that it is possible that the King James translators knew quite a bit about manners and customs and the Jewish language back then that they saw fit to use the word badger instead of one that denoted a sea animal. I doubt seriously they haphazardly put that word in there.

Something more uncommonly known is the term badger game or badger baiting. This is a method of blackmailing by decoying a person into a compromising situation and extorting money by threats of exposure. Where did that come from? Why badger? Well, nobody really knows now. But somebody knew at some point in time. There may be a behavior associated with this type of animal that was used to characterize this type of blackmailing. Even the verb to badger means something that most likely came from an animal behavior. Badgering is also defined as the practice of buying food in one place and selling them in another for a profit. Go figure.

This is much like the gospel’s description of how the Holy Ghost descended upon Jesus. All four gospels say the descent of the Spirit was like a dove. And they used the word peristeran. There was something about the manner in which the Spirit descended that caused the writers to say PERISTERAN! If you study it out, you’ll find that birds associated with that name peristeran were well known as diving birds. So why would a rabbit be called a rock badger? I don’t know. But I do have a hunch that the King James translators knew what they were doing when they chose the phrase badgers’ skins.

So what is the significance in regard to our studies, being that we are the temple of God, the dwelling place of God. So far all the other items of the tabernacle have helped us to understand the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. How about these badgers’ skins? Not sure. But I will leave you with just a few thoughts.

(Ezekiel 16:10) I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. These are words describing the mercy of God upon Jerusalem. He speaks of how she was forsaken and found polluted in her own blood. But then he washed her from the blood and anointed her with oil. He clothed her and covered her. And the bible says that God shod thee with badgers’ skin. He put shoes on her feet; and apparently good shoes. This brings to mind the prodigal son. When that son came back in humility, the father said (Luke 15:22) Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  Paul said we should have (Ephesians 6:15) Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Maybe it speaks of the honor and duty to preach the gospel. (Romans 10:15) And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Badgers’ skins were also used as covering for many of the items of the tabernacle as they were travelling. Maybe this all says one thing to us and that is to go! There is something that the centurion (in Luke 7 that Jesus commended) said that has stuck with me. He was explaining to Jesus that he understood what it meant to be set under authority. He said (Luke 7:8) I say unto one, Go, and he goeth. Jesus said (Matthew 28:19) Go! Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, a home and a resting place for the ark of the covenant and the vessels of the sanctuary. But it didn’t start like that. It was a tabernacle; a tent, a mobile unit. It was made to move; made to go. They took their worship with them. I think badgers’ skins made that possible. It was tough, like leather.

Elijah was a rough man on the move girt in leather! (2 Kings 1:8) And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. John the Baptist was also a rough man on the move girt in leather. (Matthew 3:4) And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. I’ve got five boys. Unless you get some good leather shoes, they won’t last six months on young rough men on the move. Only leather endures. So here’s the lesson for today: (Matthew 10:22) He that endureth to the end shall be saved. This tabernacle is not of our making. It is made of God. And God has made it to endure to the end of this journey, until it is set up permanently in the New Jerusalem.

 

And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.

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Well.. I guess there’s only one verse concerning these coverings. I’ve always wondered about these coverings, especially the badgers’ skins. Apparently, so has everybody else because there’s nothing out there on this. All the commentaries say about the same thing: to keep out the weather. The rams’ skins dyed red are a type of Christ; the sufferings of Christ; the blood of Christ. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not belittling it or saying it isn’t so. I’m just looking for something a bit different. Something we can relate to being that we are the temple of God, or the tabernacle of God. So all bets are off! My guess is as good as theirs.

Why did God command that they be dyed red? It’s simple. God likes the color red. Do you know God? Do you know his favorite color? It’s Red. Wouldn’t you decorate your dwelling place in the color that you preferred? God likes red. That is why when you cut yourself, red blood comes out. The blood is important to God and he colored it red. If God’s favorite color was green, you’d probably bleed green. (Leviticus 17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Red is also the color that God prefers to work with. (Isaiah 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.

Red is God’s universal color for mercy and protection. Rahab the harlot asked the spies that they would show her and her family kindness and deliver their lives from death. And the spies agreed and said (Joshua 2:18) Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. When the destroyer passed over the land of Egypt, only one thing would stay the hand of death upon the firstborn. That was the crimson blood upon the lintels and the door posts. (Exodus 12:23) For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. Red was the color of the stop sign, to stop the judgement of God from coming.

The water used for purification back in the times of the tabernacle and the temple was made of water and the ashes of a special sacrifice. It was an heifer that was slain outside the camp and wholly burned. Guess what color that heifer was? (Numbers 19:2) This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: That’s right! She was red.

Even David, a man after God’s own heart, the mighty King of Israel, when God chose him, he was red.  (1 Samuel 16:12) And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. That word ruddy means red; and the bible says that ruddy is purdy! Now, God said specifically that (16:7) the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. Be it as it may; but he did choose the red one.

I’m just saying that God likes the color red. And he said that he wanted his tabernacle, his dwelling place, covered with rams’ skins and he wanted them dyed red. So, what’s the lesson in all this, being that (1 Corinthians 6:19) Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? Here it is: If God said dye it red, then DYE IT RED! It’s his temple, isn’t it? Shouldn’t he have it the color that he wants. The rest of verse says (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) And ye are not your own? ²⁰ For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. It’s not your temple. It’s his temple. It ought to be covered and adorned as he sees fit. And to glorify God is to do it the way God wants it. Now I’m not saying you need to paint yourself red or stay in the sun all day. I’m just saying that God is very particular in some things. And some things God wants done a certain way. I suppose that if it didn’t matter, then he would have said so.

The funny thing is that even that covering was covered up. So even though he wanted it a particular color, he was going to cover it up anyway with the badgers’ skins. So what are you saying preacher? It’s not to please everybody else, the church, the world, or whoever. It’s to please God. It’s between you and God. He is (Matthew 6:6) Thy Father which seeth in secret. I’m done.

 

And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

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Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever thought of the existence of a goat hair curtain. I didn’t know that you can make fabric out of goat’s hair. Why not? Wool is made of sheep’s hair. (Exodus 25:26) And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair. There you go. Just like sheep! So, I’ll share a few things about the goat hair curtains that are interesting.

It’s thought that a goat hair curtain was used to protect the fine linen curtain of angels that was first placed over the tabernacle. The fine linen would not hold up to the weather; and would not have kept out the weather. So something more rugged and durable was needed to go over that. We don’t know if this is reason behind it, but God did see fit to have Israel make this curtain to go on next over the linen one.

The goat’s hair curtain was fabricated in a similar fashion as the linen one, but it was definitely a little bigger. It consisted of 11 curtains instead of 10, and was 30 cubits long instead of 28. So, its boundaries most definitely exceeded the boundaries of the fine linen curtain, thus completely covering it. And you should not have seen the curtain of angels from the outside. You had to go inside.

I want to say this before I get started. I know we associate goats with the world and sheep with God’s people. The judgement of the nations upholds that typology. (Matthew 25:33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. I can still hear Lester Roloff preaching You wordly goat! The lamb is the perfect sacrifice. Sure. But let me take you all the way to Exodus; when God was giving instructions for the Passover. A lamb was a youngling from the flock. And that could be a flock of sheep or goats. (Exodus 12:5) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: So goats are not all that bad. This giant goat hair curtain split in two may very well be a memorial to the covenant that God made with Abraham (Genesis 15:9,10) Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: And we know that God passed between those pieces and made a covenant with Abraham. So the goat doesn’t always represent something bad or second rate.

Let me say this: Look at yourself. You are the temple of God. But you are covered in hair. You are human, man, flesh and blood… and hair. If the articles of the tabernacle, as we’ve seen in previous things like the ark, the candlestick, shewbread, etc., are representative of the reality of our standing as the temple of God, the tabernacle of God, then the goat hair curtain should also tell us of our reality in Christ; perhaps in some manner. For we are the dwelling place of God (Colossians 1:27) which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The bride said (Song of Solomon 1:5) I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Those tents of Kedar were goat hair tents, black and rough and rugged. She was embarrassed of her skin, her covering, her condition; for she goes on to explain (1:6) Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me. But the bridegroom doesn’t seem to notice; for he then calls her (1:8) O thou fairest among women!

He judges not by what is on the outside (Psalm 45:13) The king’s daughter is all glorious within… There’s something different on the inside that he sees instead. (1 Peter 3:4) But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. We know that God’s people ought to look different on the outside (from this old world). But we also know that clothes truly don’t make the man. The real difference is the inside.

So other than the clothes, and maybe the hair, God’s people don’t really look much different than lost folk; human and hairy! But God saw fit to make his abode in man. He saw fit to carry out his work here on earth through hairy beasts like us. He saw fit that his people would worship him with these earthly coverings upon us. I know I’ve said this before, but I don’t mind saying it again. That veil of flesh that we wear does not change what God has wrought inside of us. One day, what’s inside, what is covered up to every corner, will soon be revealed. (Romans 8:18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

(1 Corinthians 6:20) Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. The spirit is the inside, but the body is the outside. And by God’s word, it is possible to glorify God in these bodies. That’s why we established earlier that the goat was not always to be considered a symbol of something bad. Something temporal? Yes. Something corruptible? Yes. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t glorify our God with it. In fact, God meant that we should.

Quit fretting over your hair! When you are young, you are concerned about what your hair looks like. When you get older you lose hair where you want hair and gain hair where you don’t want it. It’s a life long battle that will never end. Though our bodies at time seem to be a curse to us, they can be a blessing to God. Consider Mary (John 12:3) Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

And one last thought. Of course, everything of the tabernacle is a picture of Christ, or the work of Christ, or the character of God. Jesus had hair too. Considering the ruggedness and crudeness of a goat hair curtain compared to the fine linen angel strewn curtain, here’s a good view of Christ in the curtains by John Gill:

…these curtains of goats’ hair denote the outward appearance of Christ in human nature, who, attended with all human infirmities, excepting sin, was in the form of a servant, in great meanness and poverty, covered with reproach, and had in the greatest contempt, and especially at the time of his sufferings and death; though all rich and glorious within, full of grace, and of all the blessings of grace, of righteousness and life, of light, joy, peace, and comfort for his people…

Now that being said, when I picture in my mind the tabernacle going up, the fine linen curtain being slipped over the frame, and this goat hair curtain being thrown over and pinned together like a coat, this is the verse that comes to mind: (Romans 13:14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ… The world did not see what Peter, James, and John saw on the mount of transfiguration, they saw the man Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 53:2) He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Yet as he prayed, he said (John 17:1) That thy Son also may glorify thee..

(1 Corinthians 6:19,20) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

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We’ve covered just a little about the furniture of the tabernacle. The bible proceeds now into the fabrication of the curtains that cover the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. I must admit once again, the vagueness of this construction is troubling. There is much variance (out there) as to the understanding of all these things.

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. 

2 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. 

3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 

4 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. 

5 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. 

6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle. (Exodus 26:1-6)

The best I can tell is that these ten curtains were coupled together into two separate curtains; each consisting of five of the curtains coupled together. How the five curtains were coupled together I don’t believe is explained. The explanation that follows (verse 4 and 5) is describing how the two bigger curtains are coupled together in verse 6. Otherwise, if the explanation was referring to the coupled curtains of verse 3, then there would be 450 taches needed; and there is not. There is only 50 taches. So I am assuming that the these 50 taches were used to tie the 50 loops on each of the two bigger curtains together.

These taches used to connect the two together were made of gold. If we use 18 inches per cubit, then the connection ran roughly 10″ apart. Fifty connections running down the middle of that huge curtain was sufficient to connect the two curtains together; sufficient enough that God would say it shall be one tabernacle. So it wasn’t at first one huge curtain. It was a combination of ten curtains made into two, then these two made into one. But they were bound in such a way that God considered it one tabernacle.

Now it is believed that once the walls of the tabernacle were erected with the boards, the sockets, the bar, and the pillars, then this was the first curtain to go over this structure. If you walked into the tabernacle on each side of you would be the boards that were overlaid with gold, so you wouldn’t see the curtain. But if you looked up, you’d see the angels embroidered all over the curtain that was stretched across. Moses was told (Exodus 25:9) According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. More and more I am convinced that this pattern which Moses was shown is the original. Moses was given a glimpse of what it looked like in glory. When John went up hither, he wrote (Revelation 5:11,12) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb…

John heard a great voice from heaven saying (Revelation 21:3) Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men… Paul said (1 Corinthians 3:17) For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. The angels and heavenly creatures surround the dwelling place of God. I see these things and I don’t understand how people can be tempted in to believing that we can lose what Jesus has so wonderfully wrought. God told Peter (Acts 10:15) What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. There is nothing common about the tabernacle of God. It’s God’s dwelling place, surrounded and adorned with heavenly cherubims.

(Psalm 34:7) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (Psalm 91:11) For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. O to be a child of God, to be the temple of the Holy Ghost, is to enjoy the presence of a heavenly host. Paul said (Hebrews 12:22) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.

I love to read about Elisha and the king of Syria. Elisha kept telling the king of Isreal where the king of Syria was gonna show up. So Israel would prevail over Syria. Well the king of Syria got fed up and said Who’s ratting on me?! And his servant said to him (2 Kings 6:12) None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. So the king of Syria sends horses and chariots and a great host after one man, Elisha.

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17)

O that we may see we have no need to fear for God has surrounded us, clothed us with ten curtains of angels. You think you are alone in the secret place? I think angels like to hang around God. So this huge one tabernacle that is covered with cheribums speaks to us of the abiding protection of God. It conveys to us the picture of an impenetrable defense that God has hedged around us. But let us remember that this is about the temple of God. (1 Corinthians 3:17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. The worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, the fellowship with the Holy Ghost, the prayers to God are all under the mighty protection of heavenly hosts. (Psalm 91:1) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

And finally a last thought.Have you ever been in the house of God, and some saintly women sitting right behind you gets in the glory, gets the can’t-help-its and just starts praising God? Wooooooooo! Wooooooooo! Wooooooooo! There ain’t nothing like it. Can you imagine getting around them heavenly hosts praising God? John got to hear the voice of an angel. (Revelation 10:3) And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. I wonder what the praise of angels sounds like. We’re gonna have to have glorified bodies to handle what’s in heaven. Worthy is the Lamb… Jesus is worthy to be praised in such manner in heaven. He’s worthy down here on earth. (1 Corinthians 6:20) Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. We ought to be clothed and wrapped in a curtain of the praises of God.

 

 

 

 

 

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

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As I was saying before, I never thought of myself as the temple of God more than just the simple doctrine that the Holy Ghost dwells in me. I never thought the dwelling place of the Holy Ghost to still be patterned after the tabernacle, with the instruments, the vessels, the furniture and such. So, I’m really trying to study this in that light. Here’s the passage in it’s entirety.

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25:31-40)

So I know that there are several common types regarding the candlestick. Jesus is the light of the world. The lamps on the candlestick are of course powered by oil which is a type of the Holy Ghost. Beaten gold speak of the sufferings of Christ. The branches from the side of the candlestick are the church that came from the side of Christ. It’s all good stuff but we’re not necessarily going to go that route with types and all.

If you were to look at pictures and representations of what the tabernacle was believed to look like: drawings, models, paintings, etc., one thing you would notice is that the holy place and the most holy place were together under one tent, separated by a veil. This tent-like place though was covered in many curtains and veils; too many to name right now. Lord willing, we’ll look at that later. But I say all this to say this: It was dark. The candlestick and the lamps were a necessity. You needed light to do the service of the priest, even during the day I would think. You wouldn’t want to accidentally stumble into the most holy place and touch the ark. You know that would be bad.  I would personally prefer some light in there.

The tabernacle was the house of God; and of prayer and worship. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Ye are the temple of God, the tabernacle of God, a place of prayer and worship; communion and fellowship. And the light of the candlestick is within; behind the curtains. So this is not (Matthew 5:16) Let your light so shine before men. No. This light is for holy place. This light is for the secret place. The verse that comes to mind in this is (Psalm 139:23,24) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Oh Yes! Lord turn on the lights! (John 3:21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest.

The Israelites were instructed And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof. Seven lamps to light the temple of God; even the hidden part of the sinner saved by grace. David said (Psalm 56:13) That I may walk before God in the light of the living. I’m glad that God has turned on the lights on the inside. Seven lamps to reveal the inner parts of man. (Genesis 16:13) Thou God seest me…

The seven lamps speaks to us of God’s perfect knowledge of us. The bible says of Jesus (Luke 6:8) But he knew their thoughts… We cannot hide from God in the holy place. Worship of God is a time of truth and openness; to bare one’s soul before God. Now there is a negative side to this in that (Psalm 90:8) Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. God sees and knows all, so why the lamps? Are they for God? Or is that for us? God knows our sins, our faults, our failures. We’re the ones that are without understanding. (Psalm 19:12) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. But when God shines the light, it’s so that we could see the truth about ourselves; and not our brother or our sister. But God says (2 Samuel 12:7) Thou art the man.

But there’s also the positive side of what light reveals. (Proverbs 15:3) The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Can I just say this? Maybe the lamps are in the temple of a necessity so that we might see God. When God shines the light, it’s not just to see the truth about ourselves, but the truth about God. (1 John 1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light… If we can just get hold of that; that He is in the light. He is in the light, and I am in the light! (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness… Ye are all the children of light… Thank God for the revealing power of the candlestick and the seven lamps in this temple of God. Paul said (Romans 8:10) And if Christ be in you… It’s very hard to locate something, to find it, without light. God has got to provide that light. Back in Exodus, it was thou shalt make a candlestick. But this temple is a work of God. (Philippians 1:6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

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Now, the things of the tabernacle (the furniture, vessels, and instruments) are the same items of the temple. And Paul has said adamantly that (1 Corinthians 3:16) Ye are the temple of God. God has set up a place of worship; a place to do the service of God. And we are (1 Peter 2:9) A royal priesthood. God said then to build an ark and hide the commandments in there. Now God says to us (Romans 10:8) The word is nigh thee… in thy heart… And also (Psalm 119:11) Thy word have I hid in mine heart… God said then to build a mercy seat, place it on the ark and that he’d commune with his people from above that mercy seat. Now God wills that (2 Corinthians 13:14) the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Now it’s Christ in you, the hope of glory.

After all the vessels of the tabernacle were made, Moses consecrated them for the service of God. He took the blood of calves and goats and (Hebrews 9:21,22) He sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry… All things are by the law purged with blood… And now of this temple that God has wrought from us, the bible says (Revelation 1:5,6) Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us… priests unto God and his Father.

God has always desired a place to be with his people. (Exodus 25:8) And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. And yes now, God has set up a place of worship; a place to do the priestly service of God; a place of communion; a holy temple. He has done this in us. So in that light we approach again the word of God to see what we can better understand.

Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway. (Exodus 25:23-30)

I read this verse, and it brings this verse to mind (Psalm 23:5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies… And it reminds me of that verse (Song of Solomon 2:4) He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.  I remember the words of that verse put to song were He brought me to his banqueting table and his banner over me is love. That’s what you do at a banquet. You eat at the table.

Now on this table was placed what is called the shewbread. And here are the instructions on how this shewbread was made. (Leviticus 24:5-7) And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row… Fine flour and frankincense? Meal and oil. What was it that Elijah said to that widow woman? (1 Kings 17:14) For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 

Likewise, the shewbread was a continual, perpetual offering. It was to never end. (Exodus 25:30) And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway. Alway is short for all the way! The bible goes on to say about the shewbread (Leviticus 24:8) Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. God will always sustain! He’ll alway freely give us bread from heaven! (John 6:33) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven. (John 6:35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger… 

This speaks to us of God’s all-sufficient providence; his loving and bountiful provisions. Man shall not live by bread alone. God feeds and satisfies the hungry soul. He fills the deepest voids. The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail! David said (Psalm 37:25) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Surely David was not speaking of an earthly bread. (John 6:27) Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth. I believe that meat which endureth is the perpetual bread that is in the temple. It’s the bread that sits upon the golden table in the holy place.

(Leviticus 24:9) And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place… There we are; the royal priesthood! Know ye not that ye are the temple of God? And we shall eat in the holy place; the holy place of worship; the house of prayer. Jesus said that when we pray we should say (Matthew 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread. In the secret place of prayer does God give his sustaining Son to us. (Psalm 91:1) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. And we can truly say (Song of Solomon 2:3) I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

The bible says the shewbread belongs to the priests and they shall eat it in the holy place because (Leviticus 24:9) It is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute. It is the most holy. How magnificent the table that God has spread before his people! And in love, he invites us to come and dine. What a picture of prayer! It’s not come and ask. (John 21:12) Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

 

And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

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The mercy seat. Kapporeth. (The engish rendering of the Hewbrew word) This is a separate item of the tabernacle that rested upon the ark of the convenant. There really is not a whole lot, once again, explained as to the construction of this mercy seat. Notice that most of the description of it speaks of the two cherubims that are to be placed on it.

And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 25:17-22)

So the mercy seat is this big slab of gold. Some people believe that the thickness, which the law does not give us, was about a hand’s width.

 Aben Ezra observes, that there is no mention made of the thickness of the mercy seat; and the same Jarchi takes notice of, but adds, that, according to their Rabbins, it was an hand’s breadth, and the Targum of Jonathan says,”and its thickness an hand’s breadth.” (John Gill)

My hand is about 3 5/8″ at the palm, not counting the thumb. Let’s round that off to 3 1/2″; nobody likes fractions. That’s a lot of gold. Pure gold. The mercy seat was 2 1/2 cubits by 1 1/2 cubits which by modern standards is approximately 52″ x 31″. Have you ever tried to pick up a solid piece of steel 3 1/2″ thick that is that big? Well you can’t. It would weight 1600 lbs. That’s steel. Gold is much more dense than steel and would weigh 3938 lbs; that just at about 2 tons. So I don’t see that practical. I doubt seriously that the mercy seat was a solid slab a hand’s width.

Some commentaries place the weight of the mercy seat at 750 lbs. That would make it only 11/16″ thick. Even 750 lbs is pretty heavy. A bag of concrete weighs 80 lbs. How far can you walk with a bag of concrete? Not far.

So, I’m inclined to believe that the mercy seat was made of solid gold just as the bible says, of course. But I have a hunch that is it was more than just a flat piece of metal. I think it might have been very similar to how we make countertops at the shop that have no wooden substrate. There has to be some type of lip coming down the side to stiffen it; and also some type of ribs going across the bottom to give the surface some rigidity. It’s got depth, but it’s not solid throughout that depth. It could have been maybe more of a frame-like structure that was cladded with golden panels. So it is very possible that it may have truly been a hand’s breath in thickness; just not solid.

Considering that the details of how these things were to be built are left out of the bible, I’m inclined to think that weight may have been a very serious issue in construction. They could have easily used more men to carry it, but would have been very limited according to the strength of those wooden staves. You can only pick up so much with wood. So I would think that they probably made all this as light as they could.

Besides, they didn’t have much gold to work with. When Moses finally came down from the mount they had already gathered all the gold to make the calf. And that gold was ground up, strewn upon the water, and they had to drink it. So I think most of their gold was gone by the time they started this project.

Besides, the whole design of the tabernacle was one of a collapsible, movable tent-type structure. It was all made to break down and transport easily. There were no roads out there in the wilderness. So I’m really picturing a very light-weight construction of the mercy seat and even of the ark to ease the transport of this cherished work.

So what’s the lesson today? Keep it light! That mercy seat was the place that God had chosen to meet with his people. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony. Think about those men that had to carry the ark and the mercy seat. Why put more on them that is necessary. They should bear the ark with joy and enthusiasm. If that thing weighed 2 tons, nobody was going to be happy when it was time to move.

Keep it light! Same scripture as last week: (Hebrews 12:1) Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. How can we serve God with unnecessary weight upon us? Many times I’ve designed products for customers that I have regretted. They’re functional and they look nice, but they’re just too heavy. We call this an overkill.

Don’t overkill it. Keep it light! At the judgement seat of Christ, there will the wood, hay, stubble be revealed by fire. Be careful in your construction. Paul said (1 Corinthians 3:10) Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. Remember the purpose of the mercy seat: And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat. We only need enough for that. Jesus said (Matthew 11:28-30) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.