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