CHAPTER ONE ~ A QUICK OVERVIEW:

THE MATERIALS USED IN THE TABERNACLE HAD MEANING;

GOLD always signifies that which is divine. That which is pure gold is wholly divine and when used in connection with other materials it shows a union of the divine and that which is not.

SILVER. Its first use in connection with the tabernacle was the redemption money brought by the males from twenty years upward. It pictures some aspect of redemption

BRASS. Shows judgment met and satisfied.

SCARLET. This was a red dye made from either a worm or an insect. The color plainly indicates its meaning. It always presents something about the blood of Christ.

BLUE; This, being the heavenly color is used to present Christ as the Son of God from heaven. 1 Cor 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

PURPLE; Both Purple and blue were obtained from a shellfish of the area. The color has always been associated with royalty. In the case of types of Christ it shows him as King.

It is not a coincidence that in the color spectrum, purple is a hue made by the combining of red and blue. It took the Heavenly Son and his blood to qualify him as King of Kings as shown in 1 Tim 6:15 Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful

WHITE. This is usually mentioned as white linen and pictures righteousness. Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

WOOD. This being a natural growth is used to show forth that which is human. In the use of wood being overlaid with gold, God is picturing the union of the human and divine.
This will have great importance when we look at such items as the ark, altar of incense and the Boards of the Tabernacle.

BADGER SKINS. Some say these were actually seal skins but whatever they were they provided a protective cover which safeguarded the tabernacle from the sandblasting effect of the "howling wilderness" and they vividly portray the tough, unyielding nature of Christ as he withstood temptation in order that he might minister to us. Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

BIBLE NUMBERS
It has long been acknowledged that the use of Bible numbers has significance. Here are but a few of the numbers which will have a bearing on the study of these types.
THREE - Represents the Trinity.
FOUR - The number of those things created.
FIVE - A number which always depicts some aspect of Grace.
SIX - Things which relate to man or things pertaining to man.
SEVEN - The number of divine perfection or completeness.
EIGHT - The number of regeneration or a new beginning.
TEN - A number used to signify human government.
TWELVE - Specifies divine government,
FORTY - A number associated with testing or judgment.

THE TABERNACLE AND ITS FURNISHINGS
In broad and general terms the types are as follows:

The COURTYARD -
From the outside it pictured salvation available, and from the inside, salvation assured.
The white linen was held upright by pillars of brass which were crowned with silver.
This showed a combination of righteousness, judgment and redemption to be found in Christ. It separated the place of worship and service from the camp of the people, while the wide gates seemed to invite all who will to come on God's terms with the proper sacrifice.

The TABERNACLE- Jacob had named a place in an open field, ‘Bethel’ or 'the House of God’. The first structure ever erected to be known as His house was the Tabernacle. It was built by God's order and to his specifications. Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exo 25:9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
And , Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.

This Tabernacle prefigured the present day house of God and Paul tells us exactly what this is. 1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The HOLY OF HOLIES - Pictured the present throne of God. As only the High Priest entered into this place, even so, now our high priest alone can enter but we can go through him. Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The BOARDS OF THE TABERNACLE - A wonderful picture of the members of a New Testament Church! Humans made partakers of the divine nature through the new birth and fitted for service.

The SILVER SOCKETS - The redemption upon which every member securely rests.

The BARS – Represented the fellowship and specific doctrines which hold the church together against the storms of heresy which rage outside.

The ALTAR of BRASS- This was the place of sacrifice and pictured the cross of Christ.

The LAVER - The upper part shows the position of baptism, between the cross and church membership; the lower part or foot typifies a place of daily spiritual cleansing.

The CURTAINS - There can be no doubt that the curtains at the outer gate and at the door of the tent and into the Holy of Holies each picture Christ, the Door.

SOCKETS of BRASS - At the entrance to the Tabernacle.
Here is judgment at the door of the church. John the Baptist was only carrying out that which was pictured here when he demanded that those who would be baptized bear 'fruits meet for repentance'.

The TABLE OF SHEWBREAD - It illustrates the position of the Lord's supper placed on the inside of the Lord's Church and available only to those priests who qualified.

The CANDLESTICK or LAMPSTAND- The Word of God giving light on the INSIDE of the church,

The GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE. - A special place of prayer on the inside of the church and accessible only to those meeting the requirements to serve there.

The CLOUD - The Holy Spirit as He leads the church.
The personal presence of God in Christ with his special people.

THE SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS
Each of the sacrifices and offerings is a special view of the work of Christ in our behalf.

A BULLOCK- A male of the herd. The strong, dominant, burden bearing one
A RAM - pictures Christ as the leader of his flock.
A DOVE- The gentle, inoffensive Son of God from heaven.
A GOAT- Shows Christ as our substitute.

The HYSSOP - This was a desert shrub that had cleansing or detergent qualities when soaked in water. It has other uses but this is the primary one in types.
Its use to sprinkle the blood, showed forth the cleansing power of the blood of Christ.

The PASSOVER - typifies Christ as the lamb slain for us. 1 Cor 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

The ASHES of the RED HEIFER- Christ as the cleansing agent preparing us for communion with God. Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.]

The SIN OFFERING - This was an offering for 'sins done ignorantly'. We often sin without realizing it. Infants and the mentally deficient do wrong but are not aware of it. This law covers the 'Adamic' sin, as well as those of us who are often not aware of the wrong we do.

The TRESPASS OFFERING - After salvation, we sometimes sin knowingly in spite of the Spirit within and our best intentions. To provide for this kind of offense we have Christ as he is typified in the Trespass Offering. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The ATONEMENT OFFERING - On this day, two goats were used. Together they illustrated the work of Christ as he took away the sin of the world. One goat died and the other lived. It took them both to show forth the one who died and yet lives to make intercession for us.

THE PRIESTHOOD
Though the Tabernacle was magnificent and the offerings sufficient, neither was of any benefit until a priesthood was appointed to offer the sacrifices and minister in the tabernacle. Aaron was chosen by God to be the High Priest. While he lived, no other could fill the office. His ministry is compared to Christ, our High priest both by similarity and in contrast.
Aaron's sons ministered daily about the tabernacle and were typical of the members of the Lord's churches as they labor in His service.

The white linen worn by both Aaron and his sons showed the perfect righteousness of our priest and that which he imputes to us. The 'robes of Glory and Beauty' [Exo 28:2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty..] illustrate that for which Christ prayed; John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify the me with thine own self with the glory which I had with the before the world was.

On the day they were to enter their life's work as priests, Aaron and his sons had the anointing oil poured over their heads as a part of the ceremony. The 133rd Psalm makes this declaration; Psa 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
How could we better describe and picture the precious fellowship between our High Priest and those who labor in his service?

The FEASTS AND HOLY DAYS

Rounding out the religious lives of Israel were the various feasts and Holy Days.

The PASSOVER had been initiated in Egypt and was to be observed annually.
Lev 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover.

This feast served to remind them of God's provision in providing both protection and delivery from the land of bondage. It also served to foreshadow the Lamb of God that was to take away the sin of the world. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
I Cor.5:7 For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
They were instructed as to the offerings to be offered after they entered the Promised Land.

The OFFERING OF THE FIRST FRUITS
Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Lev 23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

This was called a 'Sheaf Offering' and consisted of a handful of the first grain of the harvest. It was to be waved before the Lord, that he might accept it and through it, bless the entire harvest. Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection [Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Lev 23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. Christ, as the firstfruits of the resurrection, has appeared before God and now we have the assurance of our own resurrection and acceptance in our glorified bodies, through him.

The Feast of PENTECOST; Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
Lev 23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
Lev 23:19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
Lev 23:20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
Lev 23:21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
This feast prefigured the events recorded in the second chapter of Acts.

Following the instructions for the Feast of Pentecost, God gave the instructions for the main harvest. Lev 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Jesus told the church in John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
He also told them in Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
When he said this, the resurrection [First fruits] was over and Pentecost had not come, but when PENTECOST was past then the harvest was to begin in earnest. We are now laboring in it.

The MEMORIAL OF THE BLOWING OF TRUMPETS;
Lev 23:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Here is a happy time for those who hear the sound of the trumpet! The harvest is over and we shall hear the trumpet sound. 1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

DAYS of ATONEMENT AND AFFLICTION; Lev 23:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
Lev 23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
Lev 23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

Following the Resurrection, there will come a time for Israel, known as the time of Jacob's trouble. This will be the time to finally make an end of Israel’s punishment for their rejection of the Messiah and disobedience to God. Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. This is the tribulation, which shall end with Israel finally brought back to their full relationship with God. Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

The FEAST of TABERNACLES; Lev 23:33 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

This was the most joyous of all the feasts. After the affliction of the previous feast, this was quite a contrast. Neh.8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

What a happy time awaits us as we enter the glorious thousand-year reign of our Christ!
Then we shall rejoice as we sit down, look back and recall all he did for us on the journey and through the long harvest.

All of these feasts and memorials were to be observed at their appointed times annually, and were types of those events which were to take place once and only once in
God's great plan. This was true also of those offerings, which were to be offered annually, such as the

PASSOVER and the DAY OF ATONEMENT.
These showed forth the offering of Christ for sin and we are told in Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Other sacrifices were to be offered daily or continually. These pictured his continual work for us and our daily obligations to him.

SALT was to be added to every offering. [Lev 2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.] From our own experience we know that salt enhances the flavor of our food. We know too, of its preserving qualities and the need of our bodies for it in the proper amounts. The most significant thing about this requirement of the Law however, was the significance of salt in the customs of the area and people. When salt was eaten with a meal in company with another, a covenant of friendship was established. It is to this covenant that God refers in
Num 18:19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

In such a covenant the parties will never do harm to one another, nor will they go against their promises.
[2 Chr 13:5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?]

God will keep his side of the bargain, and the seriousness with which he looks upon our keeping it, is illustrated in the account of the broken vows of Ananias and Sapphira in the 5th chapter of the book of Acts.
Num 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Deu 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
Eccl 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Eccl 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Perhaps we should all take stock of the promises we've made to God over the years.
Even if we forget them, God doesn't, and sooner or later he WILL demand an accounting!.