EXODUS 27
9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. 10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. 13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. 15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. – Exodus 27:9-15
EXODUS 27 INSTRUCTIONS ON THE OUTER WALLS OF THE TABERNACLE
The following verses narrates God’s instructions on the outer walls of the tabernacle. He wanted fine twined linens of hundred cubits long for one side with bases of bronze and the hooks of the pillars made of silver. Both the north and south side have equal number of pillars, bases and hooks. The west and the east side have the same fifty cubits in its breadth with ten pillars and ten bases.
What do these outer walls of the tabernacle symbolize in the life of Christians? The twined linens symbolized “righteous acts of the saints” according to a commentary. As Rev.19:8 says, the bride was granted to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure. Without Jesus, we cannot be cleansed because we are all sinners. Linen was white and reflects the light, which makes sense why the Lord God wanted it to be used in the outer walls of the tabernacle. We cannot enter the holiness of God when we are unclean. In the book of Matthew 5:14-16, we are reminded of what Jesus said in the sermon on the mount. We are supposed to be the light shining in this dark world.
Bronze symbolizes judgment and because Jesus took the judgment of God on us when we broke God’s laws, we cannot flee from God’s judgment unless we come through Christ. Silver is a symbol of redemption and refinement. It is good for us to be reminded that as we are being redeemed, we are also being refined into the image of God. He made us out of love and righteousness. Let us live in this imprint he gave us.
REFLECTION
- How can one protect oneself from the automated sinful nature?
