EXODUS 25:3-8 MATERIALS AND MEANINGS When the Israelite slaves were freed from Egyptian bondage, they didn't go out empty-handed but laden down with wealth. The wealth of Egypt went with them in great amounts of gold, silver and brass. There were richly dyed skeins of threads and cloth, and the notable fine white Egyptian linen cloth. The precious stones and perhaps even some of the spices came from the Egyptians who were anxious for the Israelites to leave fearing for their own survival. As the Lord gave instructions for the building of the Tabernacle to Moses, He gave a list of the treasures that people had that would be used to represent the value of the One they were gathered to and who lived among them. Those materials had a meaning to them and the way each was used, was to be significant to them. That significance shouldn't be lost on us either.
The three metals used were not just randomly chosen out of all other metals found then and now. The word "gold" means "shimmering; yellow." The shimmering yellow of the sun has always been a source of awe to mankind. The worship of the sun was quite common in the Middle East in ancient times. Men can be blinded by the sun with its light, heat and glory. Without the sun all life would die. It is a representation of all that is divine. "The judgments (ordinances) of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Most to be desired are they than gold, yea, then fine gold" [Ps 19:10]. "Who being the brightness of His glory..." [Heb 3:1]. "The city was pure gold, like clear glass..." [Rev 21:18]. The deity of Christ and the glory that is always His, was temporarily veiled when He was here on earth. But that never changed the eternal character of His nature. He was, is and always will be the Eternal God.
Silver was, and to a degree, still is the metal used for coins. Before coins were made there was the use of silver pieces even then in transactions made when there was no way to exchange goods. To make and exchange labor for goods a piece of silver was used. In some cases, one piece of silver represented a day's labor. The silver used in specially designated places in the Tabernacle represented God's divine grace that was made manifest in redemption. The Israelite who worshipped had to give a half shekel (a weight measure) of silver when making an offering to the Lord [Ex.30:12-16]. The silver speaks to us of our Redeemer who made atonement for us. "We are not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold ... but with the precious blood of Christ..." [1Pet 1:18-19].
The precious metals of gold and silver melt under heat and flame, so brass was used in the making of the altar where there was perpetual fire. It was also used as pins to keep the fence up and for clasps to keep the goats' hair curtain together. The laver for cleansing was made of brass. Perhaps the mirror-like shining brass allowed the priests to make sure their cleansing was complete after they washed. We could not come to God if our judgment was not past nor can we have fellowship with Him if the cleansing by confession of sin has not been dealt with. The brass represents divine righteous and holy judgment. The Lord Jesus "endured the cross" [Heb 12:2]; "Christ also hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God" [1Pet 2:24]. In His enduring strength, He sustained all of God's righteous judgment against us.
The colorful threads to make cloth were used also representing various characteristics of the unseen God. Blue is the heavenly color directing our attention to the heavenly nature of our Lord Jesus Christ and the fact that He is the Lord from heaven. The Hebrew word for "blue" means "perfectness." The sapphire (blue) color beneath the feet of the "God of Israel" was like the "body of heaven in his clearness" [Ex 24:10]. The Lord Jesus was the One who "came down from heaven" [Jn 3:13], and "is the Lord from heaven" [1Cor 15:47]. The blue speaks of God's love to man. Royal families in most countries wear purple as a sign of their high position among the people [Es 8:15]. The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That will be seen publicly in a day to come but presently that is veiled from the eyes of unregenerate people. When put together, blue and scarlet make purple, a symbol of heavenly and earthly glory together. Scarlet immediately brings to mind the color of blood. Blood in turn indicates in the Tabernacle ceremonies, the fact of sacrifice that claims a sinless life. The Hebrew word for "scarlet" means "the splendor of a worm" referring to a creature the scarlet came from. Even though the Lord Jesus was "found in fashion as a man," there was a dignity and glory in "the man, Christ Jesus."
I have read Egyptian linen was noted for being of the finest quality. When a person was clothed in white linen, there was a special connotation of righteousness seen in that person. White is almost universally accepted as symbolizing purity. The perfect, righteous Mediator between God and men is "the man, Christ Jesus" who is "the propitiation for our sins" [1Jn.2:2]. He is "the righteousness of One" who gives to His own people "imputed" righteousness - His own righteousness. Purity and righteousness characterize "Jesus Christ, the Righteous."
Other materials were used to cover the Tabernacle - goat's hair, ram skins dyed red and badgers' skins. Prophets often used goats' hair as a garment that set them apart from the people they prophesied to. It would indicate that because of the death of an innocent substitute, we are separated to God. Sin has been put away. Christ the undefiled One accomplished that work. Those skins were attached to each other by brass clasps. The teaching by type is judgment has provided the basis of unity for God's people. That fact is visible only to God's eyes. The rams' skins that were dyed red teaches us that the One who was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," was devoted to do the Father's will. Because of that, we have been consecrated unto God. Only God can see the reality of that consecration. The grey colored badgers' skins would be the only outward sight that people could see of the Tabernacle. They could see the fence that separated them from intruding into the presence of God, and would be able to see the badgers' skins above the top of the fence. The only way they could see the Tabernacle was if they entered by the one gate - the only way in. The world's view of Christ and His people are that we are colorless and unattractive. "There is no form nor comeliness..." was written of Him. The pilgrim character of God's people is all that can be seen by the eyes of those without faith in God. Most only want to see an outward glory, so great edifices have been made with spires pointing to heaven to attract the flesh.
A special wood grows in the harsh climate of the desert. Acacia (shittim) wood is hard and very long lasting because it comes from a "root out of a dry ground." Even though it was all going to be covered with gold, it was necessary that the nature of the wood would be incorruptible by the effects of passing time or any insects that would seek to claim it. The holy humanity of the Lord was seen externally in His life on earth, but there was also the great truth that there was nothing inwardly in His nature that was corruptible. "He did no sin," "He knew no sin;" "In Him was no sin." By the blessing of the divine nature given to us, the saints of God are given an incorruptible new nature.
The oil for the lampstand produced light that would never go out. There is power in testimony that is produced by the Holy Spirit and that is not hit and miss, but is constant and unceasing. The spices the people brought testify to the many graces of the Holy Spirit and the beauties of the character of the Lord Jesus. Those spices would lend fragrance to the burning oil. For us that produces light externally and joy internally as we learn more of our Lord Jesus Christ day after day. The many precious stones, the onyx for engraving and the colorful ones for identification would remind us of the perfections and moral glories of Christ that are so significant to us. "We are accepted in the Beloved." Those representations of God's people were always on the body of the high priest when he was about God's work or in the presence of God. How close and personal is our association with our Lord as He intercedes for us before God!
Everywhere we look there are meaningful lessons to learn. The things we possess, even the things that we burn Produce thoughts that affect us because they are types Of things we believe based on faith, not on sight.
This is not new, it happened in days of old When God gave directions and men did what they were told A design from God's mind was to reveal to men His nature That is better understood by inner sight rather than some visible creature.
So a building with materials applied in significant ways Gives a better understanding as we hear what God says About the variety of metals used for our sake to depict The unique design of holiness and how each piece fits.
The gold teaches us of deity, the silver - redemption The brass tells of judgment; rams' skins of consecration. Whether animals' skins or cloth threads, there is a reason God chose things to teach us, that we might honor and please Him.
What a great divergence of things the all-wise God uses To give understanding of Himself to those people He chooses To be the children of God and He will dwell with them All those Tabernacle materials He chose reveals more of Him.
"Father in heaven, the impression that has impacted me when reading of these materials used in the Tabernacle, is that of Thy great holiness. Rather than giving visible impressions of what people have of Thee, these moral characteristics stand out in revealing the Person of God dwelling among men. I praise Thee for this unfolding of Thyself, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."