December | 2014 | Grace and Truth

source: templestudy.com

This post follows on from The Tabernacle of Moses and the Cross

Firstly it is important to note that it is possible to study the Tabernacle in 2 ways:

God unto man: From the Holy of Holies out to the Outer Court. This is the path of Sovereign grace
Man unto God: From the Outer court into the Holy of Holies. This is the walk of faith

source: tabernacleofmoses.org

The first approach, God unto man, shows that unless God first comes to man, man can in no way approach God and stand in His holy presence. This is the order of Sovereign grace – where God comes out from His throne in Heaven to earth to meet the sinner in redeeming love.

However we will study it the second way – man’s walk of faith unto God. “As man comes to God he must begin at the Gate, accept the Blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. From there on he progresses step by step, line upon line, until he comes to the ultimate, the full Glory of God, as seen in the Most Holy Place.” (KJ Conner)

The Materials Used in the Construction of the Tabernacle

Nothing is by accident, coincidence or haphazard with God. He is ordered and everything has a definite purpose. Everything in His Word is there for a reason. Even the materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle communicate to us His eternal truths.

As we saw at the end of The Tabernacle of Moses and the Cross the materials used in the Tabernacle were willingly offered to God by the children of Israel:

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²“Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. ³And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁴blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ⁵ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; ⁶oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; ⁷onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. ⁸And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. ⁹According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” Exodus 25:1-9

Each material used speaks to us something important. As we look at each, something becomes apparent :

They all represent something about Jesus Christ and His atonement and point forward to Him.

Let us take a look at each material used:

Material	Represents
Gold	Deity, divine nature of Christ
Silver	Redemption (the atonement of Christ, the money paid to Judas to betray Him, who is the ransom for us)
Brass	Judgment against sin
Precious stones	The gifts of the Holy Spirit, the preciousness of God’s own people
Fine linen	Righteousness
Shittim (acacia) wood	The Humanity of Christ
Oil	The Holy Spirit
Spices	Used in the anointing oil and the incense: represent Christ and His nature and the imparting of Christ’s nature to the believer. The incense represents prayer (See Jesus and Incense for more info on this)
Blue	Heavenly/divine nature – like the colour of the heavens
Purple	Royalty, Kingship – this was the most precious colour in ancient times
Scarlet	Sacrifice – the colour of blood
Goats’ hair	Atonement for sin – ie. a goat died to provide its hair
Rams skins	Atonement for sin – ie. a ram died to provide its skin
Badgers’ skins	The humanity or the outward appearance of Christ; atonement