Numbers part 3 | The Orderly Work of the Tabernacle

Today, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper which is the ordinance we have that points us to the sacrifice of Christ and His Second Coming. The bread and wine represent His body and blood sacrificed to establish the new covenant we can enter through faith in Him. Jesus told the disciples to continue celebrating the Supper until He returns, and so it points us forward in time, also. We look forward to the day our faith becomes sight, and we celebrate the Supper with King Jesus in the New Creation.

It is a physical picture of spiritual realities. It is also a typology of what heaven will be like. When we read Revelation 21, we are given a glimpse into the New Creation that will be a reality.

Today, we are also looking at the construction and transportation of the tabernacle in Numbers. It, too, has a spiritual reality behind the physical construction. In fact, we would be horribly mistaken to find ourselves with the same belief as some who say, “Christians have no need to study the tabernacle. We are done with that.” The truth is, the whole thing points to Jesus! We better understand what Christ has done for us when we better understand the tabernacle. We also see the journey of faith we are taking now. Though we may be in the Outer Court now, we will one day make our trek into the Holy of Holies that is the very presence of God.

The Tabernacle’s Construction | Exodus 26 & 36:8-38

In Exodus 26, the LORD tells Moses exactly how he is to build the tabernacle. Sometimes when we read the description, we fail to grasp the grandeur and scale of the tabernacle. The tabernacle itself was about 45 feet long, 15 feet wide and 15 feet tall. The Outer Court was about 150 feet, which is half a football field. A linen fence encircled the courtyard and was built 7.5 feet high. The walls of the tabernacle were made from wood covered in gold, and each section of the wall had two footings that were stabilized in silver bases.

One animator has built a 3D model and a video tour you can see here.

This building would have been a bright building in the wilderness fields, except the whole thing was to be covered with four layers of cloth. The innermost layer was made of the same woven linen as the veil and the doorway (we’ll discuss in a bit). The second layer was from goat hair. The third was ram skins dyed red, and last, they covered the whole thing with tachash skins—probably porpoise skins, though the KJV states “badger skins.”

The outer layer is probably more pragmatic than anything. Whether badger skins, dolphin skins, or a sea cow, the material would be very durable and waterproof. Even still, it is worth noting the skin used to create this covering was from an aquatic creature. The same God of Israel is the same God of the chaotic deep ocean.

Moving inward, the ram is certainly symbolic being the same animal that would be sacrificed for the sin of the people. It is dyed red because red is the color of the blood that would cover the sins of the people. In the blood is life, and the animal’s life was payment for the human life. Ultimately, though, we know this points us to Jesus whose blood would take away sins permanently.

The goat hair’s color is debatable. Local goats typically were brown or black, but white goats were available, as well. The significance of the goat’s covering probably lies in the animal itself. We are God’s flock. He is our Shepherd. Though the golden insides point to His Divine Royalty, the goat coverings remind us God is a Shepherd King, and we are His flock.

Now, the inside layer is one of the most fascinating layers. The same material was used for the Holy curtain, as well as the veil for the Holy of Holies. It is a woven yarn made of four colors—blue, purple, red, and white. The blue represented the sky and water. The purple is for royalty and kingdom authority. The red, once again, for the blood and life. The white is for heaven and the heavenly creatures, the cherubim. Now, the actual design of the fabric is a bit debatable, but the Bible does specify the fabric consisted of these colors, and it was adorn with cherubim.

And so, with these layers in mind, we have a visual representation of what is happening at the tabernacle. The earthen space is being marked out for a heavenly space. The outer court of the tabernacle had a linen fence that marks the first separation. Then, the outer layer represents the water—the depths of the sea. The ram’s skin, a land beast moves us closer to the earth, but also being dyed red points us to the necessity of blood to cover sin. Then, the layers move us to the Lord. We draw closer to God’s presence through the Shepherd. Finally, we approach the presence of the Lord and are greeted with the guardians of heaven—the Cherubim.

The layout and construction of the tabernacle pointed the Israelites to the reality of moving from earth to the heavenly presence of the Lord.

Jewish tradition even holds the layout of the tabernacle mirrored the layout of the Garden of Eden. That is why the tabernacle faced the East. When Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden, they must travel to the East. As the Israelites approached God’s presence, they would move westward reversing the trajectory of the Fall. There is certainly something to this symbolism, as well.

Regardless, the many layers of symbolism (pun intended) demonstrate this travel from earth and lostness to the very presence of God. The problem, however, is that as we move from the outer court towards the holiest sanctuary, we are constantly reminded of the necessity of holiness and sacrifice. The people could not travel inward without both the spiritual cleansing of sacrifice and God’s approval.

Once again, we are reminded of the work of Christ.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 9:11-14

At the tabernacle, we see the price and necessity of holiness in order to enter the presence of God, and in Christ, we see God paying that price for us.

Now, let’s turn our attention back to Numbers and read how the Levites are to transport the tabernacle and the items within it.

Transporting the Holy Items | Numbers 4:1-4 & 15-20

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers' houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting. This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things.

…

And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.

“And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of the whole tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels.”

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites, but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.”

Numbers 4:1-4 & 15-20

Aaron and the priests themselves were allowed in the holy places of the tabernacle, but they required help in transporting everything as the Lord guided them through the wilderness. Unfortunately, the Kohathites were called to transport everything, but were not allowed to see anything. How could they fulfill their duties? The priests would cover everything in goatskins and wrap up the furnishings. It would all be wrapped up and placed on carriers. The flat carriers would have places to slide poles through, so that the Kohathites never touched any of the artifacts nor would they even see them. As verse 20 says, if they even caught a glimpse they would die.

The Lord appointed the sons of Kohath with the responsibility of carrying the holiest items, but these items were dangerous. God provides a means for them to fulfill their work through the priests and through the coverings of goatskins.

Hopefully, the symbolism of the coverings is not too great a stretch. How can those who are unworthy to serve in the presence of the Lord be made worthy? They become worthy through God’s call and a sacrifice.

It is at this point we can move ahead in time to today. It would be easy to read this chapter, as well as the Exodus description, and simply walk away with the literal understanding of the text. When we add the allegorical symbolism, we see the spiritual meaning behind it all. The tabernacle is the Garden reborn. Our entrance into the Garden requires holiness and sacrifice. These are profound mysteries that were revealed in Christ who has opened the gates of heaven to us. The Cherubim no longer block the entrance to the Garden because Christ has paid the price for our sin.

Now, what do these truths tell us about how to live today? What is the tropological meaning within these passages?

Understanding the path of the priests into God’s presence and understanding Christ’s work that allows us to walk the same path tells us no one is too far from God.

No matter how spiritually dry you feel, no matter how weighed down by sin you crawl, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

David declares in Psalm 34,

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.

The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 34:15-19

When you feel brokenhearted, when you feel you have gone astray, and when you feel like the Lord has abandoned you, there is good news! The path to God, the source of life and light, has been laid out for us. Under the Law, we understand the path to God requires sacrifice and holiness. In Christ, we understand God walked that path for us. He comes to us!

This point drives home the complete misunderstanding people have about the Old Testament. They believe there is no grace—that God doesn’t operate under grace until Jesus. No, there is tremendous grace in Numbers. The boundaries of the Law is grace. Rather than allow the people to wallow in sin and death, the Lord gives them a way towards life. The problem is people need help to walk in the right way. The Lord provides that help—through Moses, through the priests, and then ultimately through Jesus Christ.

The path from the Outer Courts to the Holy of Holies typifies the path Jesus takes for us—from Heaven to Earth and back again.

Even more, Jesus promised to take this path once again. As we look to the future and the heavenly meaning, we see in this path the Return of Christ. One day, Jesus will descend from Heaven once again to the earth making all things new. Heaven and Earth will join again as it was in the Garden.

Our Work Until the Tabernacle Returns | Numbers 4:46-49

Looking further down, verses 21-28 explain the roles of the Gershonites who would care for the curtains of the tabernacle. Verses 29-33 explain the sons of Merari would care for the walls and frames of the tabernacle. These two groups are not given the same warning of touching the holy things, because there would be no reason for them to be near those items. Then, from 34-45, Numbers records the actual numbers of the clans.

Then, the section ends by summing up the census.

All those who were listed of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of Israel listed, by their clans and their fathers' houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come to do the service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, those listed were 8,580. According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:46-49

Each group of Levites had a job to do. Each job was commanded by God to Moses, and each job was fulfilled orderly. I mentioned last week, Christians have more in common with the priests and Levites of the Old Testament than they do of the other tribes. One of the problems of our modern world is we tend to think of pastors and ministers as the priests, and the congregation is the “common folk” of Israel.

Again, this is simply not accurate. The New Testament, at several places, remind us we all are the Temple of God. If the Holy Spirit is in you, you are the temple of the Lord. Peter says it well,

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:4-5

One day, the Heavenly Temple will descend to earth, and there will be a new Jerusalem with a New Heaven and New Earth. Until that day comes, the temple of God on earth consists of every believer who has surrendered to Christ.

As the people of God, we are both temple and priest in this world.

So, what is our work? To answer this question, I want to do a bit of a word study as we close. There are four Hebrew words that describe the work of the priests and Levites.

The first is mishmeret—literally “guard.” The Levites were to guard the sanctity of the tabernacle by acting as the boundary between the Holy Places and the people. It is not that God needed protecting—He’s God, after all. The people needed protecting from going where they ought not go and die.

Today, we can guard in the Church by guarding our doctrine from false doctrine, helping others guard their hearts from sinful influences, and guarding those younger than us from following the same paths of sin we did.

The second is melayka—“skilled labor.” People who were gifted were needed to hammer the gold onto the pieces, sew the curtains and coverings, and tend to the myriad of activities that require time and care.

Today, we still need skilled labor in the Church. The Lord provides us various gifts and talents, and those gifts are for the benefit of the congregation. We tend to see how these gifts can be used to build a career and a vocation, but we must remember they can also be used for the Kingdom. Missions, ministry, fellowship, and discipleship all function very well (usually even better) within the context of “everyday labor.”

The third is abad—literally “to labor as a servant.” This type of work is not necessarily a skilled labor, but it is work that needs done. One example is the work of the Merari who would take down the walls and carry them to the next location. It’s not exactly mentally taxing work, but it’s still a big job to do.

Today, there is a tendency in our society to look down on such work. “Oh, you’re just a …” It’s interesting how society will look down on general laborers, or those who have “dirty jobs,” but the moment these laborers disappear, the world creeps to a halt. I purposefully have not named a specific job because I want to ask you to consider what would be the job you would hate doing. What is the dirtiest, low brow job you can think of? Now, what if no one ever did that job again? What would happen?

The same is true in the local church. There are jobs that some people just don’t want to do, but these jobs have to get done. If you feel as though you are too good for such a job, or excuse me, “You aren’t called to that,” then be sure to encourage and thank the person that is doing the job. Because, not only are we priests and temples in the Kingdom of God, we are also called to be servants. Paul puts three metaphors altogether for us in 1 Corinthians.

For we are Gods’ fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3:9

No matter which Scripture metaphor you prefer, we are all called to serve in the Kingdom of God.

This point leads us to the last word, sheret. It is a general word that means “to serve” and in many cases “to worship.” Our service to the Lord is an act of worship. The Levites and priests served in the tabernacle of the Lord.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

The types of service required by the Levites point us to this truth:

There is a place of service for every child of God in His Kingdom.