The construction of the Tabernacle probably took six or seven months.  According to our previous lesson, the enthusiastic response of the people to donate all the required materials seemed almost immediate. Under the competent craftsmanship of Bezalel and Oholiab, the project was completed. Everything was put in its proper place, and by the time you read Exodus 40, the mobile meeting place was about to become operational. In fact, Chapter 40 describes the commissioning of the completed tabernacle.

It must have been breathtaking for the millions to observe the cloud move. Yes, the cloud from the top of Mount Sinai permanently migrated to the tabernacle to hover over it in the wilderness every day. And imagine the campers waking up in the middle of the night and slipping outside their tent, and staring at the pillar of fire over the tabernacle. Unmistakably, God! His Presence with them was so real.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel. Exodus 40:34-38 NASB

The location changed from time to time, as they camped in different parts of the wilderness – but the format and formation of the large camp always remained the same, and the presence of the tabernacle was always in the very center.

Most would say there is nothing particularly beautiful about a wilderness or a desert other than a rugged landscape as far as the eye can see. The Sinai is noted for its arid conditions, scattered shrubs and scrubby vegetation, rocks and some mountains. As far as the eye could see, it would just be more of the same.

But every day, the campers would lift their heads and see something very unique.  It was the 7 1/2 feet high, all-white, finely woven, rectangle fence – glistening in the desert sunshine. Yes, it was the hub of their campground. Even on their tiptoes, the six-footers would still only see the white-linen-curtain wall. It was actually a large rectangle fence 150 feet long by 75 feet wide encasing the tabernacle-proper.

You can read the details in Exodus 27. If you find the NKJV or ESV or NASB a little too complicated to read when it comes to the detailed measurements – try reading Exodus 27 in the NLT.

Exodus 27 NLT (9) “Then make the courtyard for the Tabernacle, enclosed with curtains made of finely woven linen… (18) So the entire courtyard will be 150 feet long and 75 feet wide, with curtain walls 7½ feet high, made from finely woven linen…

So let’s think about the finely woven linen specified by the Lord. Think about it – finely woven. No flaws or irregularities in the material, no coarseness or imperfections. They didn’t pick this linen up at their local Fabric-by-the-Bolt Discount Warehouse. This had to be perfectly woven and, most likely, purest white linen.

Now turn your eyes to Jesus. Think deeply about the perfect, righteous, flawless and balanced life of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a beautiful contrast to our flawed, unbalanced and imperfect hearts. We all “fall short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23) That ‘glory’ was displayed in the righteous life of Christ. He is God’s only acceptable standard. We could never approach God on our own merit. There was only one life lived here on Planet Earth that met and reflected God’s righteous standard – and that life, in contrast to ours, reveals how far short we have all come.

The Israelites, as much as they were so privileged to have in the middle of their camp the presence of the Lord, were conscious of the fence – the barrier. They couldn’t come into God’s Presence from any old angle they wanted. There was only one way to God – not many. The pure white linen fence was a barrier. If you read Exodus 27:16, there was only one access gate to the entire tabernacle courtyard – and it was made out of finely woven linen too – but it had blue and purple and scarlet coloured threads also woven into it. Pause and think about the one Gate – the one Man and the one sacrifice as the only route providing access to God. Beautiful scarlet threads of love.

Before the lesson on the white fine linen fence concludes, think about how it was all held in place. Sixty acacia-wood pillars, totally covered with bronze and spaced seven and a half feet apart. Each bronze-covered acacia-wood pillar sat in a bronze base with cords fastened at the top and tied to the bronze stake in the ground. To strengthen the entire curtain-fence structure, a silver bar connected each pillar near the top, and they became the rods for the hanging linen curtains. Each pillar was capped with a silver crown.

As this study progresses, the Christ-centered symbolic significance of the details in the paragraph above will become more obvious. Perhaps you already have some ideas – especially if you refer back to the Index Key provided in Lesson 3.

One final thought: every day, the people would observe the striking beauty of the white linen perimeter wall. Every day people observed something of the beauty of Jesus as He visited the cities and villages. They didn’t know Him intimately as you do, but they saw something very unique about His character and behaviour. Do you remember the officers coming back to the Pharisees with their surveillance report? They said: “Never has a man spoken the way this Man speaks.” John 7:46 They weren’t insiders, but they knew they were observing something beautiful.

There is nothing wrong with bowing your head just now to offer up your appreciation and adoration for Christ.

Sources:

A J Higgins, Monday Meditations on the Tabernacle
David M. Levy, The Tabernacle – Shadows of the Messiah