EXODUS 36 TO 39
It will hardly be necessary to go again into the detail of the various types which we had before us in considering chapters 25 - 31. But it is noticeable that the order in which things are presented is different when it comes to the construction. That is, we have first the tabernacle with its coverings and boards, sockets, etc., and the veil and entrance curtain, before we have any of the furniture. The structure is introduced first, and afterwards the precious things — the ark and mercy-seat, the table, the candlestick, and the incense altar — which are to be enshrined there. The first exercise of “every wise-hearted man” was that, in figure, the saints should take character from Christ, and that they should come into relation to one another in a divine way, so that there may be suitable conditions for the cherishing and safeguarding of all that God has made known of Himself in Christ, and of all that He has secured for His own delight, and for the blessing of His saints and of the universe, in Christ.
[p. 310] The saints are, in the mind of God, the spiritual structure in which all this is enshrined so as to become pleasurable to Him, whether in priestly service or in testimony.
The spinning and weaving, and the work of the embroiderer, and all the coupling together of the curtains and of the boards, indicate how much spiritual exercise and labour are requisite that saints may be formed in the appreciation of Christ, and brought into true unity. “So that the tabernacle became one ... that it might be one” (verses 13, 18). Whatever each one of us appreciates in Christ is characteristic of that one before God, and it is really because we have the Spirit of Christ that we can affectionately appreciate Him. And it is in cultivating those appreciations that each divine fibre is drawn together and strengthened, and believers are knit together and unity is promoted. What is of Christ in one saint will easily and naturally link itself with what is of Christ in another. It is as being in the life of Christ morally — that is, in obedience, and dependence, and separation, and the love of the saints (see Psalm 16) — that we can come into true contact with one another.
Spiritual labour is to the end that the saints may be enlarged in the appreciation of Christ, so as to take character from what He is, and that they may be drawn together in that appreciation. There is nothing more distressing than to see how easily saints can get apart from one another. It indicates that the spinning and weaving have not been well done, and the fabric is not firm in texture! Paul delighted to recognize what was in the Philippians — comfort in Christ, consolation of love, fellowship of the Spirit, bowels [p. 311] and compassions — but he laboured to add some threads, as it were, to bind them together. “That ye may think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking one thing” (Philippians 2: 1, 2). Two brothers might be able to say Amen to all that each other prayed for, and yet there might be personal feelings between them. They know the “fellowship of the Spirit” but are not “joined in soul”. Then the two sisters in Philippians 4: 2 needed to be brought closer together, and in exhorting them to be of the same mind in the Lord, Paul was doing “the work of the tent of meeting”.
Now the question is, Have we made anything for the tabernacle? The things have to be made. That is, the mind of God in Christ has to be taken up in wisdom and spiritual understanding so that, through self-judgment, it takes form with us for the pleasure of God, and we really contribute something that is the product of our own exercises. The smallest thing mentioned, perhaps, is a “peg” or a “clasp”. Making a “peg” would typify that you so hold the truth in love that you help to keep others from being “carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the sleight of men” (Ephesians 4: 14). Making a “clasp” would indicate such a formation in the divine nature that your presence amongst saints tends to hold them together according to God.
All is looked at here as the product of wisely directed spiritual diligence and labour. Everything that we really make involves some displacement of the fleshly and the natural by the bringing in of what is spiritual and according to God. A brother may be a trial to me; I may even have a just complaint against him; my natural patience is exhausted, and I feel I want [p. 312] to have nothing more to do with him. But if I take up the exercise of this with God, and give place to the Spirit of Christ, I learn to judge the self-importance which is generally at the root of our irritations and annoyances with one another. And as “bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering” come in there is ability to forbear one another and forgive one another “even as the Christ has forgiven you”. Something is really made which is in accord with the mind of God, and which can be incorporated in the divine system.
When we come to the veil, the curtain for the entrance, the ark and mercy-seat, etc., we come to what is typical of Christ. The making in reference to these things is figurative of Christ being so known by the saints in the different characters thus typically set forth that they can serve God in a priestly way in relation to it all. It has taken such definite form with them spiritually that they can serve God with intelligent affections, as those who have by the Spirit apprehended His mind in Christ. All spiritual labour and exercises in the assembly are to this end.
At least some part of the divine system has taken form in each believer who has the Spirit. But it needs all the varied parts of that system to complete the tabernacle — to constitute a suited dwelling place for God. Therefore it should be a continuous and progressive exercise with all saints that no part of “the labour of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” should be left incomplete; that it may not have to be said of us, as the Lord had to say of the assembly in Sardis, “I have not found thy works complete before my God”.
Chapter 37 gives us all that is within, then in [p. 313] chapter 38 we come to things which are more external or public — the altar of burnt-offering, the laver, and the court. We have already considered these things in detail, and have only to note that here the things are seen as actually made. It typifies that what is set forth has taken definite form with saints so that it gives character to their walk and testimony. It must be left with each one to say how far this has really come to pass. I trust that the consideration of it may lead to more spiritual diligence and labour with each one of us!
Then all the things were numbered and counted (verse 21). It was the work of the Levites under priestly direction to take account of all, and to see that nothing was missing. This is important. There has been a great lack of this. Many things which are clearly the commandment of the Lord are often missing. The Levites have failed to count, and things have dropped out. But every detail of the divine system is part of the glory of Christ, and is really essential to the true knowledge of God; we cannot afford to lose account of anything. If we let one detail drop out of account we have lost a ray of the glory of Christ and of the glory of God. People talk of essentials and non-essentials, but when they do you may be sure they are only thinking of man’s side. Every detail of the divine mind is essential to the glory of God in Christ. A missing peg would mean a slack cord, and a slack cord would mean a curtain out of place, and so the disorder would spread. Indeed the whole tabernacle would suffer if one detail were out of place. How often do we find the words in these chapters, “As Jehovah had commanded Moses”! A brother who can put in a word [p. 314] to prevent things getting slack, and a Levite who can count and see what is missing, render valuable service. When the remnant returned with Ezra from Babylon, the silver and the gold and the vessels were numbered and weighed at the river Ahava, and again when they came to Jerusalem. It was a day of weakness — a remnant time — but they regarded the principle of numbering and weighing, and they were exercised that nothing should be lost by the way.
Then the gold and silver and copper were all taken account of by weight. It suggests to me that we should not be content with terms and statements, but that we should have in our souls the true value and weight of things. We may have a good deal to say in relation to Divine Persons, but there needs exercise that all such things should have their due weight. So that what we say represents not merely what we have heard or read, but what we truly know of God. This alone has weight “according to the shekel of the sanctuary”.
Chapter 39 is largely taken up with the “garments of service ... the holy garments for Aaron”. It sets forth divinely-given ability to take in God’s thoughts as to Christ as Priest, and to have them so definitely in our souls by the Spirit that we can affectionately and intelligently clothe Him with every glory and ornament that rightly belongs to Him. There are many antichrists today doing their utmost to unclothe Him, but there are those, thank God! who take pleasure in tracing, by the Spirit of God, every feature of personal or moral or official glory that belongs to Him. And as all those features take form in the skilful affections of His saints they become [p. 315] able to invest Him with them. Do you not covet to have Him before your heart in all His priestly grace and glory, and to know the character of His priestly service, so as to be able to hold Him in your affections as invested with all that these holy garments speak of? What must it be to God to have those in this world who can do so!
The last thing mentioned is the thin plate of pure gold, here called for the first time “the holy diadem”, inscribed with “Holiness to Jehovah” (chapter 39: 30, 31). The “diadem” was a mark of absolute authority, and on the brow of a man it spoke of the subjection of all to his despotic will. But on the brow of Christ it speaks of His power to maintain all that is in accord with the holiness of God. It will be so in that coming day when as Priest upon His throne He will so secure “Holiness unto Jehovah” that it will be on the bells of the horses, and every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be “holiness unto Jehovah” (Zechariah 6: 13; Zechariah 14: 20, 21). He will “reign in righteousness”; that is the Kingly side; but as Priest He will maintain holiness — a character of things suited to the sanctuary. Holiness gives character to the whole order of things where the dignity and glory of Christ as Priest is recognized. So He presents Himself to Philadelphia as “the holy”, and the overcomer will take character from Him. He is supreme in holy power; everything that stands in relation to Him must take character from Him; He is able to bring about that it shall.
It seems to be very fitting that this figurative representation of the divine system, viewed as having taken form in the intelligent affections of spiritual [p. 316] persons, should end with the diadem on the brow of Christ!
It is of deep interest to see the place which Moses holds in these closing chapters. When all the labour was ended it was brought to Moses that he might appraise it. He represents the Lord as acting with priestly discernment as to what is suitable to God. Everything that forms part of the true tabernacle must pass His scrutiny.
But what we find here is that there had been no disobedience and no inadvertence. “And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as Jehovah had commanded — so had they done it; and Moses blessed them”. All had been brought about under divine conditions. The people, as subjects of mercy, had been made willing-hearted under the influence of the covenant, and wise-hearted as having the Spirit. Every part of the will of God had been considered, and carried out in obedience by a people acting, typically, in the Spirit of Christ.
It is a blessed picture of what can be wrought by the grace of God and the power of His Spirit. A faithful and obedient people responding in divinely quickened affections to God, and endowed with spiritual competency to take up all that is in His will, and to give it form for His pleasure and glory! Such is the assembly viewed normally as composed of those quickened by the Lord as the Spirit of the new covenant, and indwelt by the Spirit of God. May we learn under divine teaching, and through spiritual exercise, the true import of all this, and be found in our measure answering to it in affection and faithfulness!