Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 40:2-5

2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the veil.

4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.

5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.

The tabernacle was to be constructed from the inside out. First the tabernacle and all of its elements would be placed, and then the elements of the courtyard and its walls. Thus, the first step is to erect the tabernacle with its pillars and walls and curtains and coverings of linen and skin. Apparently, though, the curtain door was not yet to be added. Next came the Ark of the Testimony in the most holy place, and on the other side of the inner veil the table of shewbread, the menorah, and the incense altar. Now that the interior was complete, the curtain door was added, and the tabernacle portion was complete.

When we first read about the structure of the tabernacle with its bones of wood and its outer coverings of hair and skin, it seemed clear to me that it was meant to represent a person’s body. It is a symbol for each of us individually. With that in mind, the bringing in of the spiritual artifacts represents the introduction of spirituality to our own person. First comes in the Ark of the Covenant, which represents the presence of God within us, the spark of divinity that all of us are born with. The table of shewbread is spiritual nourishment, the menorah is spiritual light, and the incense altar is our continual prayers. We must maintain in our dead flesh a living spirit, nourishing it by light and prayer, and we must set a door before us that keeps the material out so that the inner spiritual is uncorrupted.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 37:1-9

1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:

2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.

4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

6 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.

We continue the record of the tabernacle’s creation, today by hearing the description of Bezaleel crafting the Ark of the Covenant. I would say that this was the single most sacred piece in all of the tabernacle, and an interesting question is at what point did the ark become holy?

Was it holy back when it was a tree in the middle of the desert? Or when it was half-carved on the carpenter’s workbench, with shavings still littering the floor? Or after the main piece was fully formed and overlaid with gold? Or only after the lid, rings and staves were finally attached?

I believe the answer is none of those moments. Those were all stages in the development of a worthy vessel, but I believe that vessel did not become sacred until God’s presence rested within the tabernacle and sanctified everything therein. Before that moment of divine touch, it was just beautiful workmanship. After that moment, it was dedicated to the work of the Lord.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 25:16

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

Yesterday we discussed the materials and design of the ark of the covenant, and I said that I saw in it a symbolism of structured order overlaid with natural, pure beauty. Today we learn that the words of God’s law, the testimony that He had been delivering to Moses, would be the first items to be housed within the ark. Eventually other spiritual relics would be kept there as well, such as Moses’s staff and a jar of manna.

Thus, the words and signs of God are the elements housed within His structure and His beauty. One could view this from the outside in: The order and beauty of God are protecting His inner word, or from the inside out: God’s word is the beating heart within the body of His order and beauty.

With the outer body and the inner word, we are almost finished with the description of the ark. There yet remains one part: the lid that sits on top of it all. We’ll examine that portion next time.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 25:10-15

10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.

13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

The first thing the Lord details for the tabernacle is the Ark of the Covenant that will be housed there. He gives precise measurements for its dimensions and dictates the materials that it will be made of. The body of the box and the staves will be made of shittim wood, which will then be covered in a layer of gold. The rings and the crown of the box will also be fashioned of pure gold.

Shittim wood is described as being strong and sturdy, close-grained and dense. Gold is a precious metal that is also a single chemical element, not a compound of different materials. Thus, the ark will have a structure of strength and resilience, carved to precise specifications. And over that precise structure shall be a layer of pure, natural beauty. There can be seen in this a representation of order being the foundation upon which beauty may thrive. This is a truth we can see repeated many times throughout our societies. A stable law provides the security for an artistic culture to thrive, a well-governed home gives its children the courage to dare, and a strong moral code is the basis for beautiful acts of charity. Order and beauty in one.