Understanding The Bible
STUDY REFERENCE
W. W. RUGH, "Christ In The Tabernacle"
2nd Printing of 1912 Devotional Guide
Part 12 - Typical Teaching of the Tabernacle
"The Tabernacle"

W. W. Rugh, Bible Institute of Philadelphia
40 Page Printed Devotional Guide
1st Edition 1912

The Tabernacle.

Ex. 26:1-6. Ten curtains of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, with Cherubim, made the Tabernacle proper.

The one measure of every curtain was twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. They were coupled together in two large curtains of five each.

Fifty clasps of gold fastened in the fifty loops of blue on one edge of each of the large curtains, coupled the curtains together as one Tabernacle.

The Holy Place, God's dwelling place, was made by hanging these ten curtains, thus fastened together, over the Boards.

For us, the typical meaning of these curtains is found by turning to the key verses in Hebrews 8:5; 9:24. Here we learn that these Holy Places are figures of the true Tabernacle, or heaven, where Christ, as our great High Priest is appearing in the presence of God for us.

The material of which the curtains were made, the fine linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, foreshadows Christ as the Righteous One, the Heavenly One, the Royal One, and the One who Suffered. But it is Christ "as He is" in heaven, who is pictured to us in these curtains.

The figures of the Cherubim embroidered in the curtains typify our union with Christ in heaven, the glorious result of His humbling Himself and becoming obedient unto death. Not simply cleansing from sin, but oneness with Him in glory are the blessed results of His finished work on Calvary. Hebrews 2:9-11; Romans 7:4; Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 2:13-16.

The fifty clasps of gold and loops of blue which bound the Tabernacle together as one, speak to us typically of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Sonship, the Spirit of the glorified Christ, which was poured out upon the Church on Pentecost, the fiftieth day. It is this blessed Spirit of our risen
Lord which binds us together as one in Christ In heaven, which oneness we now enjoy as we live "in the Spirit." Hallelujah! Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 4:4-6; 5:26; Ephesians 2:18; 3:16; 1 Peter 4:14; John 17:21-33.

Our standing before God in Christ in the heavenlies is beautifully foreshadowed by the ten curtains of the Tabernacle.

"Every curtain of one measure," like the Boards of equal length, typifies the equal standing of every believer before God in Christ. Ephesians 4:13; Romans 8:29. A difference in rewards for service, there will be in heaven, but no difference as to standing before God. He loves every one of us alike, just as much .as He does Jesus Christ, in whom He has accepted us. John 17:23; Eph. 1:6.

What marks the difference in God's children here is our love for Him, the proof of which is our obedience to His word and Spirit. The result of the marked difference here will make a marked difference in rewards for service, at the coming of our Lord. Matthew 25:14-23; Luke 19:15-19.

The fine linen, with the Cherubim, typifies our oneness with Christ as righteous ones, as holy ones before God, for He was made unto us righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:30.

The blue, with the Cherubim, is typical of our union with the Heavenly One, with whom we have been made to sit in the heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6.

The purple, with the Cherubim, illustrates our oneness with Him who is to rule over all the work of God's hands, for in Him we have been made kings unto God. Psalms 8:4-8; Revelation 1:6.

The scarlet, with the Cherubim, foreshadows "the fellowship of His sufferings," which is for us in Him. Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 2:20, 23.

He was perfected through suffering, Hebrews 2:10; 5:8, 9. Suffering precedes glory, and we are partakers of Christ's sufferings that we may rejoice with exceeding joy at the revelation of His glory. Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 4:17, 18; 1 Peter 4:12-19.

Nothing which we do as believers affects our standing, or our standing is not affected by our state. But oh how the knowledge of our standing affects our state. Our state is to be conformed to our standing, for it is God's purpose to conform every believer to the image of His son. Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2.

By W. W. RUGH, Associate Dean, Bible Institute of Pennsylvania
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2011-11-20