Lecture 6 The Curtains of the Tabernacle: The Uniformity of the Measure of the Curtains

The Uniformity of the Measure of the Curtains

The eleven curtains shall be all of one measure {Ex. 26:8}.

As each curtain of the tabernacle represents all those believers who, in any particular place, form the Church of God in Spirit in that place, so each distinct curtain of the tent represents those saints of God, and disciples of Christ, who may be associated together around the person, and to the confession of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in a given locality; forming a local Church there, such as was the Church at Ephesus, or at Philippi, or at Colosse.

But it is the will of God, and according to the Word of God, that each distinct gathering of believers should have the same principles of association and of discipline; so that a person received in any one place as a believer, who is walking consistently and confessing the truth, should be admitted into full communion in every other assembly of God's saints, not as a member of any particular church, but as a member of the Body of Christ.

And an evangelist, a pastor, or a teacher, labouring acceptably in any one place, should be received in every other place, and be perfectly at liberty to perform his service there, as one under responsibility to Christ, and a steward in the household of God.

So, on the other hand, any person not received on sufficient grounds in one place, or put out of communion by the assembly there, with the sanction of Christ, and under the guidance of his Spirit, should be regarded as outside every other gathering of saints everywhere. That the godly discipline of one assembly may not be nullified by the ungodly laxity of another.

And there is another thing. There is a fellowship of churches as well as of individuals; and the same principles which apply to individuals, will apply with accumulated force to assemblies.

If we are to avoid communion with a person who refuses to judge or to renounce evil in conduct or doctrine, how much more are we called on to refuse communion with assemblies which refuse to judge evil or heresy, and to maintain collectively the holiness and truth which becomes the house of God, and the honour and authority of Christ.

The Coupling Together Of the Curtains

And thou shalt couple the five curtains by themselves, and the six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent {Ex. 26:9}.

How beautifully and expressively this sets forth the happy fellowship of assemblies, where holiness, and truth, and subjection to Jesus has been maintained! And God would have this fellowship experimentally and practically realized.

"Thou shalt couple the five curtains by themselves, and the six curtains by themselves." And does not this also express the communion together which God would have enjoyed by assemblies of believers in any particular district, more or less extended? — such as between the Churches of Galatia, or the Seven Churches of Asia; while provision is made, as we shall see presently, that all may be one.

The Loops and Brazen Taches

And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the coupling which coupleth the second. And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one {Ex. 26:10, 11}.

We have just seen the arrangement of God, that the curtains may be united. We have here his provision, that the tent may be one; for church union is not only an association of churches, but ONE CHURCH.

Bezaleel and his companions were endued with skill and wisdom from God, to make the tabernacle and the tent according to the pattern shown to Moses in the Mount — one tabernacle and one tent.

The Spirit of God baptizes into one body all believers in Jesus {Christ}, as the tabernacle or dwelling-place of God; and the apostles and their fellow-labourers, under the direct guidance and control of the Spirit, carried out the Divine thought in the original formation of the outward Church; for it was one, in a manifest and unbroken outward unity, one tent.

And God had made full provision for the continuance of this oneness, in the one doctrine of his Word, the one teaching of his Spirit, and the supreme Lordship of his Son. But human traditions having been permitted to mingle with, and to supersede the pure doctrines of the Word; and the teachings of the so-called Church to interfere with the teaching of the Spirit; and the authority of man to set aside the sole Lordship of Christ in his Church, the outward oneness which once existed, exists no longer.

But God's principles are unchangeably the same. The Word of God continues to be the depository and criterion of revealed truth; the Comforter remains, and the Lord Jesus retains his supremacy; and the blessing, and the privilege, and the profit, is to be realized and enjoyed still, whenever two or three are found to carry into practice God's original instructions, by meeting together on God's principles. The testimony of the Lord Jesus to the Church in Philadelphia is the witness of this (Rev. 3:7-13).

There were one hundred loops, (of what material or colour we are not told, probably of the same material as the curtains,) forming one hundred links of union, but not of blue, not of heavenly perfectness. And fifty taches of brass, strong and enduring, but not taches of gold, the emblem of Divine and eternal oneness.

The loops of blue and taches of gold uniting in one the tabernacle of God, prefigured the oneness of the Church in Spirit, in the bond of charity or love — a bond Divine, heavenly, and perfect.

These loops of goats' hair and taches of brass coupling the tent together that it might be one, shows the outward

Church united in the bond of brotherly kindness, a bond strong and lasting indeed, but still human.

This distinction is marked in 2 Pet. 1:5-7:

Giving all diligence - add to your brotherly kindness, charity.

The tache of gold never lets go, for it is the emblem of Divine charity. The loop of blue never gives way, for it is the figure of perfect love. Not so the taches of brass and the loops of the tent, for they represent the human affections; the brotherly kindness which, by the command of God, we are to manifest the one to another, as belonging to the family of God and the household of faith, whilst walking worthy of God.

If any man obey not the Word of God, we are to have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. (See 2 Thess. 3:14).

The outward expression of brotherly love has received a check;

yet we are not to count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (See 2 Thess. 3:15).

The tache of gold remains intwined with the loops of blue. That is, in the exercise of Divine charity, we are to be perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect.

In the deep love of our hearts we may grieve over, pray for, and seek the restoration of our erring brother; but if he bring not the pure doctrine of a true Christ, we are not to receive him into our house, neither bid him God speed, for in bidding him God speed we should be partakers of his evil deeds (2 John 10, 11).

John was the disciple whom Jesus loved; one who was wont to lie in the bosom of Jesus, and whose heart there learnt to beat in unison with the heart of him in whom Divine love, in all its fulness, dwelt. Yet we hear John saying,

I wrote unto the Church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth (3 John 9, 10).

John was one of those, and prominent among them, whose constant effort it was to maintain the truth of the Person of Christ, and who would admit of no compromise.

Diotrephes was one who sought to maintain his own place in the Church, in indifference to the truth of Christ. This is manifest, for rather than have his own influence interfered with, he kept the witnesses for the truth of Christ outside.

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good (3 John 11).

Divine love led the Father to give his Son to die for sinners. The same love leads him to chasten his children for their sins. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it. But he himself says,

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten (Rev. 3:19).

Divine love led Jesus to be a sacrifice for sin. The same love constrained him to pray,

If it be possible, let this cup pass from me {Matt. 26:39};

for contact with sin, and to be numbered with transgressors, is intolerable to Divine love in its intrinsic holiness.

Divine love in a believer clings to a brother with an undying grasp; but Divine love will never allow him to rejoice in his iniquity, nor to have fellowship with his untruthfulness.

For it is love in the truth for the truth's sake which Divine charity manifests.

Jesus prayed for his Church, that it might be one, and it is one, divinely, perfectly, and for ever one. Jesus commanded his disciples that they should love one another, and they are taught of God to do so. He who does not love, gives no evidence that he is born of God. And we do love one another, just in proportion as the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, and as we are thus made partakers of the Divine nature, for God is love, and love is of God. But in the manifestation of this love, and in the exercise of brotherly kindness, there is need of Divine wisdom, for real love can neither connive at sin, nor be indifferent to error.

Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth (1 Cor. 13:6).

It manifests itself in faithfulness; faithfulness to God, to Christ, and to the brethren.

The Tent Covering the Tabernacle

And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back side of the tabernacle. And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it {Ex. 26:12, 13}.

By this arrangement, the beautifully-wrought curtains forming the tabernacle were entirely enclosed and hidden by the curtains of the tent; the tabernacle, as we have shown, representing the Church inwardly in Spirit, and the tent the Church in outward manifestation.

The Coverin s of the Tent

EXODUS 26:14

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

The Covering of Rams' Skins

And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red {Ex. 26:14}.

It is not called a covering for the tabernacle, though in one sense that is true, but a covering for the tent; for it is not the Church in Spirit, but the Church in testimony, that especially needs this covering. The curtains of goats' hair formed a tent upon the tabernacle (Ex. 26:7). These rams' skins dyed red form a covering for the tent {Ex. 26:14}.

The lamb was the type of the Lord Jesus in the meekness, gentleness, and lowliness of his character; the ram the type of him in the strength, firmness, and decision of his testimony.

The rams' skins being dyed red add another thought, that of the atoning death and precious blood of the Lamb of God.

The tent under the covering of the rams' skins dyed red shows the Church as accepted in the person, and under the cover and shelter of the blood of the Lamb.

When the first intimation of gospel grace was given by God himself to our first parents in the garden of Eden, in those words,

The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head {Gen. 3:15},

Adam, on the part of himself and of his wife, made his confession of faith, by calling his wife's name Eve, the mother of all living, though the sentence of death had just been pronounced on himself and his posterity on account of sin. Yet he calls her not the mother of all dying, but of all living, for faith laid hold on the promise, and associated in life and victory with the virgin's seed who was to come, all who should believe in him. Thereupon God made, as a substitute for the aprons of fig leaves, which unbelief had sewed together, coats of skins, and clothed them. Thus Adam and Eve no longer appeared in their nakedness and shame, but clothed and covered by God himself in the skins of those victims which probably were the first sacrifices, foreshadowing the bruising of the heel, and the atoning death of the woman's promised seed.

rams skins myd red, shes, the Cred ei in this feiminy af seen in Christ,

in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God's grace {Eph. 1:73.

And, as thus seen, notwithstanding all the failure in testimony of those composing it, and their unworthiness in themselves, what was said of Israel may be applied to them,

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel (Num. 23:21).

While, at the same time, we know that there was no iniquity or perverseness that God did not discover and deal with, as walking in their midst.

It is important to remember this, that the Church's completeness in Christ above does not exempt her from God's fatherly discipline, and the judgment of the Lord Jesus down here. Totally the reverse. We are called to walk worthy of God unto all well pleasing, and to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. And we are dealt with on the ground of this high responsibility.

You only have I known,

says God to Israel,

of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities (Amos 3:2).

The more God's presence is manifested in the assembly, the more will it be felt that he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot look on sin.

The Outer Covering

And a covering above of badgers' skins {Ex. 26:14}.

This typifies the Church in its outward appearance, as seen by man.

As the tents of Kedar (S of S 1:5).

I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin (Ezek. 16:10).

It is the pilgrim aspect of the Church, which is thus presented, in which it is conformed to the lowly appearance of Jesus when on earth, having no form nor comeliness, and no beauty that man should desire him (Isa. 53:2, 3). And therefore, whilst walking in conformity with the pattern thus set us by our Lord,

the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not (1 John 3:1).

Solomon's Temple was "exceeding magnificent," for it was the type of the redeemed in glory. The tabernacle, though all glorious within, was covered with a covering of badgers' skins; for it is the figure of the Church in the wilderness.

Every thing externally gaudy and attractive to the natural eye is entirely out of character with the present dispensation.

How much this truth has been lost sight of!

When the mustard plant became a tree, its original distinctive character was gone.

A spreading vine of low stature {Ezek. 17:6}

best comports with the Church's true design. Lowliness and humility best suit its spirit, and unpretending simplicity its external form.

Those upper rooms and private dwellings in which the disciples originally met, witnessed the presence of God, the manifestation of Christ, and the power of the Spirit, blessedly and gloriously beyond compare. While the finger of God, since then, has been often employed in writing "Ichabod" on the plaister of the interior walls of many of the ecclesiastical masterpieces of human skill (Dan. 5:5).

The wearing of gold, and the putting on of apparel, gives the lie to the profession of discipleship; and the embellishment of the places of assembly contradicts the acknowledgment that we are pilgrims and strangers here.

The world's livery does not look well on the servants of Christ; and the architecture of an idol's temple is not necessary to secure the presence of Jesus with the two or three assembled in his name. On the other hand, away with the thought that any thing is good enough for God and Christ. No! no!

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase {Prov. 3:9};

but let it be suitable - let it be in accordance with God's mind and word.

Let all things be done decently, and in order {1 Cor. 14:40}.

Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, let us think on these things.

A disciple's outward appearance should be so consistent with the position in which God in his providence has placed him, as to give no occasion for remark; and the places of assembly for God's saints should leave the hearers and worshippers while there in entire freedom to wait on the Lord without distraction.

The tent of the congregation was not left without a covering: a suitable and substantial one was provided.

And will our God and Saviour leave us destitute of decent clothing, or of suitable places of assembly? Surely not. Our

heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of these things {Matt. 6:32}.

Summary of the Curtains

Looking on the Lord Jesus while on earth as typified by the tabernacle (John 1:14), the inner wrought curtains answer to him as the Son of God, in his excellency and beauty.

Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4).

The goats' hair curtains, as the Son of Mary (Luke 1:35), made in the likeness of men; yet personally that holy thing, born of the Virgin.

The rams' skins dyed red present him as the Son of Man, who gave his life a ransom for many — God's spotless Lamb.

And the badgers' skin covering, as Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph, the stranger here, to whom the world was a wilderness wide, and life one weary pilgrimage from the manger to the Cross.

But regarding the tabernacle and tent, with its coverings, as typical of the Church of God, the curtains of fine linen represent the Church in spirit, as the workmanship of the Holy Ghost.

The goats' hair curtains, the Church in testimony, and in outward responsibility.

The rams' skins dyed red, the Church as seen of God in Christ, and under the cover of his atoning blood.

And the badgers' skin, the Church as seen by the world in their pilgrimage character, and their outward condition here.

In resurrection glory, however, the internal workmanship of the Holy Spirit, as typified by the curtains of the tabernacle, will appear in all its Divine perfection and beauty.

The flesh, with all its imperfections, will be done away for ever, these vile bodies fashioned like Christ's glorious body, this mortal will have put on immortality, and this corruptible incorruption. The goats' hair tent will be exchanged for the

building of God, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Cor. 5:1).

But the Church will ever appear as accepted in God's beloved, their robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

While the pilgrim garb will be exchanged for the becoming robes of royalty and triumph, the priestly garments of glory and of beauty. No longer the badgers' skin covering externally visible, but

having the glory of God (Rev. 21:11).

The Boards of the Tabernacle

EXODUS26:15-25

And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. Two tenons shall tl ere be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. And thou shalt m ke the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 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. And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets unc ler one board, and two sockets under another board. And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. An d two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. And they shall be coupled together beneath, and t hey shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. I und they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under ar other board.

The Boards of Shittim Wood others, growing wild in nature's forest; but they had been selected by Divine grace, and had been brought low by the And thou shalt make the 5 boards for the tabernacle of convictions of the Spirit, and they are here seen standing in

shittim wood standing up {Ex. 26:15}.

grace (Rom. 5:2). Their feet, as it were, set upon a rock, and Regarding the tabernacle as typical of Christ, these boards of their goings established (Psa. 40:2).

shittim wood overlaid with gold, the framework of the tabernacle, represent him in the combination of the human and the Divine natures in his blessed person, the foundation truth The Design of Christianity,

Boards for the tabernacle {Ex. 26:15}.

God manifest in the flesh {1 Tim. 3:16}.

Representing true believers, prepared to confess Christ, and But, taking the tabernacle as typical of the Church, these to meet together in the confession of his name.

boards represent the individual believers of whom the Church

Not only by one Spirit baptized into one Body, which is of God is composed.

true of all believers, but also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:22), which is outwardly true only of those who are united together in the