The Pattern. Exodus 25:8-9 God had a gracious purpose when He gave the design and list of materials to Moses. He intended to create a place where He could dwell with His people and enjoy fellowship with those who share His spirit. Displaying His glory physically everywhere would be impossible because of His holiness. In our natural state, we could not survive in the presence of His absolute holiness. The pattern was given to Moses and had to be followed, from the most visible part, the hanging curtains that formed the fence, to the smallest instruments used in the service of the Tabernacle.
No independent decisions were meant to be made about this place where God would dwell with His people. Today, we face conflicting situations as "evangelical" churches have moved away from the model of God's dwelling place—currently, the Church—and have replaced it with what appeals to people. For some reason, people want to keep their "Christian commitment" casual so those coming to God as sinners will feel 'comfortable,' as if they were in the presence of a kind grandfather. People prefer to feel happy in a church service rather than confront their guilt and the need for salvation. Sin must be removed by personally accepting Christ's sacrifice for the lost soul before the joy of forgiveness can be experienced.
We must remember that God's holiness has not diminished in any way. He is still "of holier eyes than to look upon sin." Our access to God remains through our Great High Priest. There is still only "One Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." As the Tabernacle was to be made "after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so, shall ye make it" [v 9], what we do in God's dwelling place today must follow the pattern of Scripture as it relates to the assembly. The importance of this pattern is tied to what it symbolizes. Just as the Tabernacle was more than a house for living—it was a type of the Living God Himself in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ—so is the Church and the house of God today.
God dwells in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. "In Him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily." In the Church, He is the Head, and we are members of His body. "Now ye are body of Christ and members in particular." Likewise, the "house of God," the local church, visibly displays what is true in spiritual form. The Tabernacle wasn't God; it was a type of Him who is unseen. The same is true with the assembly of God's people. We are a type in visible form of what is true in the church made up of all believers in this age of grace.
Hebrews 8:5 refers to the Tabernacle and priesthood as examples and shadows of heavenly things, so Moses was "to make all things according to the pattern." Hebrews 9:24 tells us that the Tabernacle was "the pattern of things in the heavens." Hebrews 10:1 says the system of law, including the Tabernacle, was a "shadow of good things to come." In the Tabernacle, we see examples of God's salvation, His plan for how we live and act, worship, grow in Christ, and our understanding of Him. The seeker for God could find Him in those days as they sought to approach Him "according to God's pattern."
Someone who earnestly desired to know God could approach the Tabernacle and would only be able to see a few of the badger skins covering the top of the seven-and-a-half-foot fence of hanging curtains set on posts with brass plates (sockets). The curtains were held together with silver hooks and bands, and the tops of the posts were covered with silver caps. The posts were held upright by ropes connected to brass pegs. Someone approaching from the west looking east toward the sunrise would have found no gate there. They would find only one gate on the east side, and that was unmistakable as it was a linen curtain made of blue, purple, and scarlet colors.
The posts holding the curtain were separated from the ground by brass sockets, symbolizing judgment that occurred in the heat of suffering. The posts, capped with silver and curtains held together by silver clasps, remind us of Divine grace in redeeming us and uniting individuals into one complete whole. Outside the fence, one was lost; inside, he was saved, and there was only one gate to enter. There would be no confusion about where the gate was, as the colors made it obvious. It was clear whether someone was in or out. Blue represents the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord from heaven. Purple signifies Him as the kingly Person with authority on earth. Scarlet shows Him as the Christ who has "redeemed us with the precious blood of Christ"—the Son of Man.
No symbolic figures were woven into the gate. The God of grace invites everyone to enter. Lifting up that gate or pulling back the curtain to enter would reveal the Tabernacle that a person could admire. A glimpse of Christ today may cause us to admire Him and even share Him with others. However, unless someone enters, they will not be saved [Jn.10:9; Acts 4:12]. The gate was wide enough for "whosoever" to enter. Those outside the gate are there because they choose to stay outside.
A person seeking salvation must come to God through His established way via the One gate, the Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot choose his own path to God. A sinful person cannot approach a sinless God; he must follow God's pattern, which cannot be changed to fit man's wishes. God's way of salvation is unchangeable. Once a person enters that gate, things will open up to him, and he will see what he has never seen or understood.
The first step a person could take to approach God was to move that curtain alone by faith and enter voluntarily. They would enter because they wanted to, trusting in the Living God in faith. The shadow and type are now gone. The reality is that Christ is the Door. When we enter, we are saved. The Tabernacle was portable. The ark never stopped moving until it was placed in Solomon's temple. The opportunity to enter the door of salvation will soon be gone.