In response to Moses’ intercession on behalf of the children of Israel, God promised Moses that his angel would guide them on, but that he himself could not dwell among them, lest in his wrath he consume them.

Exod. 32:34 – “Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee, behold, mine Angel shall go before thee.”

Exod. 33:3 – “I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiff necked people; lest I consume thee in the way.”

Accordingly, Moses removed his tent out of, i.e. beyond the camp of Israel, as we read:

Exod. 33:7 – “And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation.”

So too, has it been throughout this Gospel Age, the Church, the antitypical Tabernacle of God, in which he has dwelt by his spirit, has been “pitched without the camp, afar off from the camp,” away from the stiff- necked and idolatrous generations. It is comforting, however, to know that as a result of the mediatorial work of the great intercessor, the tabernacle of God will soon again be established in the midst of the camp. Anent this, Pastor Russell in his Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices has the following to say:

“…When the work of reconciliation is complete, God will recognize the world of mankind, and place his sanctuary among men. Then will be fulfilled that which was Written: “the tabernacle of God (God’s dwelling, the glorified Church) is with men, and they shall be (become) his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God’.” (T76)

There was a very remarkable difference between that tabernacle which Moses removed from the camp, and that one which was subsequently erected in the midst thereof. Just so remarkable is the difference between the church in her present state, the spirit-begotten condition, and her future glorious state, the spirit-born condition.

As the ancient tabernacle’s specifications and design were drawn up by God himself, and his instructions to Moses were that he was to make it “according to the pattern shown thee in the mount” just so has God also purposed and designed the antitypical structure, whose erection must also be according to the heavenly pattern.

We are reminded that incidental to the erection of the ancient structure, God specially called and endowed two artisans, Bezaleel and Aholiab, for the work. The two artisans especially called and endowed of God to erect the antitypical tabernacle are Christ and his Church. It is interesting to note how God himself through the Prophet Isaiah identifies Christ as the antitypical Bezaleel. Let us observe this in the parallel readings which follow:

“And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, See I have called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, etc.” (Exod. 31:1-4)

“And there shall come forth a root out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord.” (Isa. 11:1, 2)Thus, he, who in his pre-human existence was of the praised in glory, in order to become the light of the world, in the nobility of his character, humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, became the man Christ Jesus, entered the grave (cavern) state, tasting death for every man, and has now been highly exalted of God,

But the identification does not end here! The Scriptures indicate that God called Bezaleel by name. This is but another way by which the Holy Spirit of God would direct our attention to the deeper significance of the name. Now it is not merely coincidence that:

Bezaleel means “the shadow of God.”

Could any description of Christ be any more forceful than this? Does not the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews speak of Christ as being “the express image” of the Father’s person? (Heb. 1:1-3) Was the son of Uri, and –

Uri means “light.”
John bears this testimony of Jesus, that he “was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9) And Jesus himself declared, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) Was the son of Hur, and –

Hur means, according to Cyrus Potts’ Dictionary of Bible Proper Names, “Noble.” According to the Oxford University Press Dictionary of Proper Names “Cavern.”

Both of these thoughts serve to establish the identity of the antitypical Bezaleel. Who will deny the nobility of Jesus, the one who was rich, but for our sakes be- came poor, the one who left the realms of light to enter the shades of night, thus to taste death for every man? Only the truly noble make such sacrifices! The shades of night involved not only an existence upon this sin-cursed globe, but a passing into the cavern, the grave, the state of death, by the only human creature who had a right to live everlastingly. What a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord.
Was of the tribe of Judah, and –

Judah means “praised.”

How significant! Jesus in his pre-human existence in the realms of heavenly glory, being the highest and noblest of all of God’s creatures, received the homage and praise of all the spiritual and angelic hosts. All during the Gospel Age he has received the praise of all God’s truly consecrated saints, and throughout all the ages of eternity he will be praised of all creatures in heaven and in earth.

Thus, he, who in his pre-human existence was of the praised in glory, in order to become the light of the world, in the nobility of his character, humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, became the man Christ Jesus, entered the grave (cavern) state, tasting death for every man, and has now been highly exalted of God, made a partaker of the divine nature, is in no uncertain sense the express image of his (the Father’s) person. To such an one, has God committed the major responsibility of preparing the materials for the great antitypical tabernacle which is to be among men. made a partaker of the divine nature, is in no uncertain sense the express image of his (the Father’s) person. To such an one, has God committed the major responsibility of preparing the materials for the great antitypical tabernacle which is to be among men.

After declaring (Exod. 31:4, 5) how that he had endowed Bezaleel “to work in gold, and in silver, and in copper, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and carving of timber, to work all manner of workmanship,” God adds:

Exod. 31:6 – “And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.” Here too, we believe the identity of the church as the antitypical Aholiab is clearly indicated, for –

Aholiab means “The Father’s tent.”
Can there be anything which more strikingly sets forth the Church’s true function during this age as the tabernacle of God, in which he dwells by his spirit? That which is true of the Church collectively, is of necessity true of each member individually. We are, even as the Apostle declares “sanctuaries of God.” “Know ye not, that ye are a sanctuary of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16) Was the son of Ahisamach, and –

Ahisamach means “my brother has supported.”
How true! we say, for without the support of Jesus, our elder brother, we could do absolutely nothing. We are but the branches and must look to the vine for our support. “I am the vine, ye are the branches…without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Was of the tribe of Dan, and –

Dan means “judge.”
God has ordained that the Church shall in due time judge the world, (1 Cor. 6:2) but all those who shall be of that Church are admonished to judge themselves now. Under the caption, “Proper Judging of Ourselves,” Pastor Russell in the sixth volume of Scriptures Studies, Page 409 says: “The Apostle Paul refers to our proper growth as a New Creation and our proper judging or criticizing of ourselves, saying, ‘Having therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the reverence of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 7:1) ‘Let a man examine himself’ – let him note the weaknesses and filthiness of his fallen fleshly nature and seek to cleanse himself, ‘putting off’ the deeds of the ‘old man’ and being renewed, changed from glory to glory, more and more into the image of God’s dear Son, who is our Exemplar as well as our Redeemer and Lord. But the Apostle Paul urges that we cleanse not only our flesh as much as possible, but also our spirits, or minds, that the new mind, the holy resolutions, or will, be given full control, and that every thought be brought into captivity to the will of God as expressed by and illustrated in Christ.”

So does the holy spirit portray for us, amid these Wilderness Wanderings of Israel, the beauty of character, mind, will and disposition of those called of God, to be builders of his own tabernacle-to-be, Christ and his Church.

But there are still other lessons which we may draw from this particular section of God’s Word. Among these are such as are corroborative of the doctrines of the ransom and the sin-offering. It is our purpose to pause here for a moment, and in the presence of the ancient tabernacle to meditate upon just such features of the divine plan of the ages.

We do recognize that the care with which Moses was instructed to make the Tabernacle is in itself an evidence of the fact, that every feature had a particular significance, for those for whom it was intended – the saints of God. These saints are the children of God, whom he would teach and edify through the medium of pictures. Surely, the tabernacle is a part of that great scheme of things which happened to Israel for ensamples, but were written for us, for our admonition, for our edification.

We shall confine ourselves in this study to the tabernacle and its coverings. Let us then first consider the instructions issued by God in regard to these:

“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.

“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.

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

“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.

“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.

“And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and IT SHALL BE ONE TABERNACLE.

“And thou shalt make curtains of goat’s hair, to be a covering upon the tabernacle; eleven curtains shalt thou make.

“The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits; and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure.

“And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.

“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 curtain which coupleth the second.

“And thou shalt make fifty taches of copper, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, THAT IT MAY BE ONE.

“And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.…

“And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of seals’ skins.” (Exod. 26:1-12, 14)

It is well for us to be reminded that Jehovah purposed the glorious plan of redemption – the divine plan of the ages, the eternal purpose, in Christ Jesus. In Eph 3:11 we read; “…according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord…” Let us carefully note that it was not purposed in the Logos, the Word of God, who was in the beginning with God. Quite to the contrary, the Word had to leave the glory he had with the Father, had to become flesh, (John 1:14) ere he could be that Christ Jesus in whom the plan of God was purposed. Christ means anointed, and in his pre-human existence, our Lord was not the anointed of the Father.

The plan as conceived in the mind of God ever lies beyond the grasp of all finite creatures. Yet God would reveal this plan, but in his own way. Accordingly, he first caused holy men of old to write as they were moved by his Holy Spirit, (2 Pet. 1:21) later, he sent his Son, as the arm of his power unto salvation. But the messages and reports of the prophets were not believed, as these testified of the sufferings and humiliation of the Messiah that was to come to reveal God to Man. Israel did not want to see it so. Their natural desire was for a great, mighty, honorable and glorious Messiah, a warrior, who would reestablish the Kingdom for Israel. They were so blinded by these desires, that when Jesus came to his own, his own received him not. (John 1:11) Nor is the preaching of the Apostles, and all the consecrated saints of God of this Gospel Age, to the antitypical Israel rewarded with any greater response. Very, very few, of the millions of professed Christians, have ever really accepted the Christ of God as the arm of his power unto salvation.

One reason why the people did not accept Christ at his first advent was that he did not come as a glorious king, but rather as a meek and lowly Nazarene, a plant too tender, in the world’s estimation, for any practical purposes. Yea, he was even as a root out of dried ground. It did seem as though the Davidic Line had lost its virility. When all this is considered, it becomes quite apparent that it was Jesus’ flesh, his humanity, and all that this implies, that hid away from the eyes of the people this arm of the Lord. Who could discern that in this humble man of Galilee, Jehovah God was reconciling the world unto himself. Not even the Scribes and the Pharisees would allow that the spirit of God dwelled within the fleshly tabernacle of this Nazarene. Thus it was that the man Christ Jesus, in whom God had concealed the mystery of the Atonement, was not acceptable to those who should have been the first to recognize and receive him. It was his lowliness, and his meekness which though admirable in the sight of God, were hated and despised and rejected of men. Yea, he had not the form nor comeliness nor beauty desirable. Let us read, in this connection, Isaiah’s prophecy:

Isa. 53:1-6 – “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Now compare the exalted position of Jesus as the Logos, and his glory on the spirit plane, with the humble position of the man Christ Jesus; consider the difference between the spirit nature and the human nature, the honor and esteem he received on the spirit plane, then his rejection by men on the human plane. You will then have a picture of what the outermost covering of the tabernacle, the seals’ skins covering represented; “from the realms of light to the shades of night!”

The seals’ skins covering of the tabernacle was really the only one visible from the outside of the tabernacle, and it was not a thing of beauty, but to the contrary, was one of those rough, unsightly skins of which Brother Russell wrote in the Tabernacle Shadows as follows:

“It has been a matter of surprise to some that the glory and beauty of the tabernacle, its golden walls, its golden and beautifully engraved furniture, and its vails of curious work, were so completely covered and hidden from view of the people; even the sunlight from without being excluded, its only light being the lamp in the Holy and the Shekinah glory in the Most Holy. But this is perfectly in keeping with the lesson we have received from its services. As God covered the type and hid its beauty under curtains and rough, unsightly skins, so the glories and beauties of spiritual things are seen only by those who enter the consecrated condition, the ‘Royal Priesthood.’ These enter a hidden but glorious state which the world and all outside fail to appreciate. Their glorious hopes and also their standing as new creatures are hidden from their fellow men.” (T127)

It should be noted that the seal is an aquatic, or marine, animal. All other animals used in connection with the coverings were land animals. This to our minds very beautifully sets forth, how that even as the seal had to be taken out of its natural element (water) and by its death to this, furnished the first covering of the tabernacle, so the identity of the Logos had to be taken out of its natural element (the spirit plane) to become the man Christ Jesus in whom God hid the mystery of the Atonement.

Nor was there any other way in which Jesus could have carried out the divine plan of his Father, for in order to redeem man, to bring about an atonement, a reconciliation, he had to become a man, the man Christ Jesus. Only so could he give himself a ransom for all. (1 Tim. 2:5, 6)

It was not necessary for Jesus to suffer, but only that he die, the just for the unjust. However, the New Creature, begotten in Jesus at the time of his consecration, needed to be perfected, and this could only be through suffering. (Heb. 2:10) In these sufferings he became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief! So too, we are privileged to make up, as it were, that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, to suffer with him, to be perfected even as he was through suffering, then in due time also to share his glory. But ere we could suffer with him, it was necessary that we received unto ourselves the merit of this ransom sacrifice. Only so could we be acceptable as joint-sacrificers together with Jesus. Thus do we recognize that he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, and that the chastisement of our peace was upon him. What an expression this, the chastisement of our peace! Well ought we be able to recognize that we were guilty of chastisements, that we should have borne the results of our iniquities, that we were undeserving of the peace of God. But Jesus bore it all for us, and now by faith in the merit of his sacrifice we are justified (made right), and have peace with God. How wonderful! Yea, we all like sheep had gone astray every one turned to his own way, but God laid upon him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, persecuted, and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth, nor did he rebel against the providences of God. Let us again hear the prophet:

Isa. 53:7-9 – “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted; yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

It is in these verses that we find the suggestion as to the significance of the second covering of the tabernacle, the rams’ skins dyed red.

When Jesus reached the age of thirty, he was an exact equivalent of the first man Adam. He was a perfect man and could thus give his life a ransom for Adam and the whole race condemned in him. Accordingly he presented himself in consecration to do the father’s will, to carry out that plan which God had purposed in Christ Jesus, in which he was to be “the lamb slain.” (Rev. 13:8) Well did Jesus know that unto God, obedience was better than sacrifice, yet by his consecration, his obedience would

have to be unto death! But Jesus was not reluctant about the matter so we find him presenting himself to John for baptism, not for the remission of sins, (for he had none), but to symbolize that consecration to the Father’s will, by which he was dead unto himself (and accordingly buried – as John submerged him under the water) unto God, and unto him alone. Let us note the testimony of John on this occasion, “Behold the lamb of God (the ram provided by God himself), that taketh away the sin of the world.”

Jesus never murmured, but in humble submission, ever subjected himself completely to the will of God. His death as the lamb of God was for the sins of the world, so that all who were condemned in Adam might thus be redeemed, might again have life. To accomplish this, it was necessary for the Word to become flesh, to become the man Christ Jesus, and then to lay down that humanity in death. This it is, that is set forth in the Rams’ skins covering dyed red. It is the only covering which points directly to the blood, the meritorious sacrifice of Christ.

But while we know that the ransom price for the sins of the world has been paid, we also know that it has not yet been so applied. Nor is the world to receive that merit until all who shall constitute the church shall have had it applied unto them, enabling them thereby to lay down their justified humanity as a part of the great sin-offering of Jesus, and thus, together with Jesus to become the seed of Abraham that is to bless all the families of the earth. (Gal. 3:29) Let us observe that the merit of reconciliation, the merit of the atonement, lies entirely in the Ransom sacrifice, yet the channel of its application to the world of mankind is the sin-offering. In the tabernacle types, two animals were slain on the Atonement Day, two sin-offerings, a bullock and a goat, the former of these represented Christ Jesus and the latter, the church. It is not difficult, however, to recognize from the type, wherein the merit of the atonement really lay. In fact, it is quite evident that the goat’s share in the sin-offering might have been entirely eliminated without impairing the blessings of atonement for the people. On this point we again quote from the pen of Pastor Russell:

“And Moses said, this is the thing which the Lord commanded that we should do: and the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you. And Moses said unto Aaron, go unto the altar and offer thy sin- offering and burnt-offering and make an atonement for thyself (those to be called to be members of “his body” required it) and for the people (the world).

“This type illustrated the fact that our Lord Jesus (the bullock sacrifice for sins) was sufficient to redeem both “his body” the “little flock, “ and also the whole world of mankind. The Church’s share in the sin-offering could have been dispensed with entirely: we might have been spared the special trials of our “narrow way, “ spared the sacrificial sufferings, and could have been restored to perfection of human nature, just as all mankind will be. But it pleased Jehovah not only to choose Jesus to this great work of sacrifice, but also to make him the Captain or Head of ‘the Church which is his body,’ and that these as well as their Captain, should be made perfect as spiritual beings, by sufferings in the flesh as sin-offerings.” (Heb. 2:10; Col. 1:24) (T79)

Jesus’ flesh, i.e. his humanity, made possible the ransom sacrifice. The grace of God, and the imputation of the merit of this sacrifice to us now, made possible our sharing with Jesus in the sin-offerings of Atonement. Accordingly, since Jesus is represented in the bullock of the sin-offering the church must be represented in the Lord’s goat. Neither the bullock nor the goat offered itself in sacrifice, but were both offered by one and the same high priest, thus they are constituted his sin-offerings.

The covering below the rams’ skins was of goats’ hair. This we believe to be symbolic of our Lord’s sin-offerings, since a goat was used for this purpose in the Atonement Day ritual. The Lord’s own share in the sin-offerings, the only share which had intrinsic merit, was that set forth in the death of the bullock, and this we have already seen corresponds to that ransom sacrifice by which all the remaining features of the atonement are made possible. In this sense, Jesus’ share in the sin-offering is more particularly represented in the rams’ skins covering, leaving the goat’s hair covering to represent the Church’s share therein. It is most interesting to note that the perimeter of this covering of goat’s hair, with the “sixth curtain” doubled over in the forefront of the tabernacle (Exod. 26:9) measures exactly 144 cubits, which when multi- plied by 1000 (God’s number in the tabernacle), gives the number of those who will share with Jesus in the sin- offering of atonement, 144,000.

However, in a more general picture, this goats’ hair covering represents both parts of the one sin-offering of our high priest, viz. his own and the church’s. The inequality of these two parts is indicated by the fact that the one unit of the covering was made up of six curtains, and the other of but five. The one of six curtains might well set forth that Jesus share in the sin-offering is the greater. And yet, because of the coupling of the two units together they became one covering, (Exod. 26:11) so also the two parts of the sin-offering are constituted one sacrifice in the antitype. The bond which binds or unites Jesus and his Church together in the one sin-offering is the perfect human nature, possessed by them in common and offered as an acceptable sacrifice to Jehovah. This does not imply that the church actually possessed perfect human nature, but that through the imputation of Christ’s merit, is in God’s sight accounted as possessing it. This is most beautifully set forth by the fact that the taches

which were used to couple the two units of the Tabernacle’s goats’ hair covering together were made of copper. Copper, as Pastor Russell suggests represents human perfection; we quote from Tabernacle Shadows, Page 18, “…copper representing the human nature in its perfection…” The oneness of this sacrifice is also suggested by the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 10:16 which reads, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (common union) of the body of Christ?” Let us continue with Isaiah’s prophecy:

Isa. 53:10, 11 – “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

We would again have it noted that the rams’ skins covering, dyed red, is the only one which speaks of the merit of the blood, and clearly shows that this lies wholly within the sacrifice of Jesus alone. Neither this covering nor the seals’ skins covering above it, had any measure- ments given for it. As if to say that the love of God manifested toward the world, in the sending of his son “out of the realms of light into the shades of night,” to become the man Christ Jesus and thus to give himself a ransom for all is immeasurable!! Who can measure it? Then too, these two coverings were not divided into units as were the two remaining ones, and here their testimony seems to be that while the Church shares together with Jesus in the sin-offering and in the glory of the kingdom, it cannot and does not share either in the humiliation of the Logos in leaving his glory to become the man Christ Jesus, nor in his death as the ransom sacrifice for the sins of the world. How evident it becomes then that even the application of the merit of that ransom sacrifice on behalf of the world is made possible by the faithfulness of Christ Jesus alone! Our sufferings have merit only because they are his sufferings, and so the glory which shall be ours, will be ours only because it is his glory, and he shares it with us. At least that appears to be the way that God himself looks at it. All the honor and glory must ever trace themselves back to the faithfulness of Jesus. Note how this thought is suggested in the words of the prophet:

Isa. 53:12 – “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

The honor which God bestows upon Christ Jesus is the glory of the divine nature. What an honor this is, to share with God his portion! This glory involves the exaltation to the royal, the kingly office, with a name that is above every name. How beautifully this whole story of Christ’s faithfulness and consequent exaltation is brought to our attention in the words of the Apostle Paul, in –

Phil. 2:6-11 – “Who being in the form of God, thought not by usurpation (Turnbull and the Diaglott) to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father.”

All of this is also reflected in those ten linen curtains (Exod. 26:1) which constituted the Tabernacle itself. Thus the fine twined linen, and its beautiful whiteness, testify to the basic purity and righteousness of Jesus. The blue and the scarlet bespeak of his faithfulness even unto death. The purple in turn declares his exaltation to the royal, the kingly honor. The dividing of “the spoil with the strong,” (the overcoming church), is indicated by the fact that these ten curtains were coupled together into two units of five curtains each. Here, however, the coupling of the two units was by means of golden taches, this in contradistinction to the copper ones uniting the goats’ hair units. The bond which binds Jesus and his Church together in the glory of the kingdom is no longer the human nature however perfect his might have been accounted, but the divine nature itself. Thus through the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus the Church has been enabled to offer a justified humanity, faithfully, even unto death, as an acceptable sin-offering unto God. For their faithfulness, all who shall constitute this Church of God, will be privileged to share Jesus’ exaltation, for “if we suffer with him” (Rom. 8:17) “we shall also be glorified together.” Their glory shall be that of the Royal Priesthood. No wonder then they sing:

Rev. 1:5, 6 – “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings, and priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Even as the ten curtains of the ancient tabernacle were themselves set apart to be the dwelling place, the abode of God, so too, shall Jesus and his church (so beautifully depicted in those curtains) be constituted the antitypical tabernacle of God which is to be among men. (Rev. 21:3)

“Ah these are of a royal line,
All children of a King,
Heirs of immortal crowns divine,
And lo, for joy they sing!

“Why do they then appear so mean,
And why so much despised,
Because of their rich robes unseen
The world is not apprised.”