Exodus 36:1-38 - L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

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In response to the call of God, Bezaleel and Aholiab and other capable artisans presented themselves willingly for this work (vs.1-2). Then Moses gave into their hand the offerings the children of Israel had brought and were still bringing for some time. But as is always the case when the grace of God works effectively in hearts, the people's sacrifices were much greater than was necessary for the project (vs.4-5). Moses therefore commanded a proclamation to be made throughout the camp. that the people should give no more (v.6).

MAKING OF THE CURTAINS

(vs.8-19)

The curtains (or coverings) of the tabernacle are spoken of as being first made. All of these speak of Christ in some way. First the ten curtains if fine linen speak of the purity of His Humanity. The interwoven blue speaks of His heavenly glory, the purple, of His kingly dignity, the scarlet, of His world-wide attracting character. Also cherubim were woven into these, symbolizing governmental authority. This was the first covering, and therefore visible on the inside at the top. Each of the ten curtains was four cubits wide and 28 cubits long. They formed two groups of five, coupled to one another by means of loops of blue, indicating a heavenly unity in the person of the Lord. Clasps of gold were also used to fasten the loops. The gold reminds us of the divine glory of the Lord Jesus.

Above the attractively colored curtains were the curtains of goats' hair (v.14), not ten, but eleven, which would enable the joined edges to be removed from the edges of the first curtains, which they covered. The length of these curtains was thirty cubits, so that they would extend at the bottom one cubit lower than the first curtains These curtains were divided into two groups of six and five. Forty loops were made to attach to the edge of each curtain on both sides, and fifty copper clasps were used to secure them together. These curtains of goats' hair speak of Christ as the substitutionary sacrifice for His people, and copper speaks of the holiness of this sacrifice.

Then the covering of rams' skins dyed red was made to be placed above the other two coverings. These red ram skins speak of the redeeming power of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. The details of these are not mentioned, nor of the covering of badger skins (or seal skins) that was seen when the tabernacle was set up. This speaks of Christ as the One in whom, when people first saw Him, "there is no beauty" (Isaiah 53:2), a contrast indeed to the beauty seen from the inside of the tabernacle, and seen in Christ by those who have been brought near to Him.

THE BOARDS

(vs.20-34)

The boards, to stand upright, were ten cubits long (or high) and one and a half cubits wide. On the sides (both north and south) were twenty boards each, with two sockets of silver underneath to support the boards. On the west end six boards were placed, but added to these were two more at the corners.

The boards were of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The acacia wood symbolizes humanity and the gold, divine glory. But since the boards stood on silver sockets, speaking of redemption, they do not speak of Christ, but of believers who are identified with Christ in His humanity and also partake by grace of His divine nature, as He Himself says to the Father, "the glory which You gave Me I have given them" (John 17:22). Thus we are partakers, not of deity, but of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Each board had two tenons which were inserted into the sockets. Then five bars were made of acacia wood covered with gold for each side of the tabernacle, north, south and west. The middle bar stretched the full distance of each side, while four bars were only half the length, so that two were placed above the middle long bar, and two beneath it, each of the two being end to end, to cover the whole distance. They passed through gold rings that were in each of the boards. This emphasizes the unity together of believers to form one house.

THE VEIL AND THE ENTRY CURTAIN

(vs.35-37)

The veil that separated the holy and the most holy place was woven of fine linen and blue, purple and scarlet, with a design of cherubim included. The veil does not speak of believers in any way, but of Christ, asHebrews 10:20 tells us, "the veil, that is to say, His flesh." This involves the perfections of the Lord's Manhood, not His deity, for no gold was seen in the veil. Thus, when the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom (Mt 28:51) there was no question of the Lord's deity being involved, but the tearing of the veil signifies the death of the Lord as the Man Christ Jesus, by which alone the way into the holiest is opened for us.

Again, the fine linen speaks of the purity of the Lord's Manhood; the blue speaks of His heavenly character; the purple, of His royal dignity; and scarlet, of its universal attraction. But the four pillars of acacia wood overlain with gold, by which the veil was upheld, were set on sockets of silver, therefore signifying believers on the foundation of redemption, but upholding Christ as the only way of access to God.

The door curtain was made of the same materials, therefore speaking of Christ, the door of access even into the elementary truths of the Word of God. This was upheld by similar pillars, five in number, but resting on copper sockets, thus emphasizing the holiness of God, so that these pillars do not signify believers, but the principle of holiness which is imperative to be maintained in any approach to God.

The length of the ark was two and one half cubits, the number two inferring its clear witness for God, while the additional half suggests the truth "the half was not told me" (1 Kings 10:7), therefore indicating that the person of Christ is infinitely greater than our understanding. The width, one and a half cubits, infers the unity of His person (number one). but again having glory above all our knowledge (the half). The height was the same with the same significance.

Two rings were put on each side of the ark, through which the carrying poles (also of acacia wood covered with gold) were inserted, for it was to be carried by priests, not on a vehicle. Today all believers are priests, and are expected to bear the Lord Jesus in testimony before the world.

The mercy seat was typically the throne of God, but called a mercy seat because when the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on it and before it, the throne became the very place from which God dispensed His mercy to Israel, -- thus mercy being beautifully blended with His authority. The cherubim are symbolical of the principle of divine righteousness in government, the two of these indicating its even balance.

Related Commentaries of Exodus 36:1

Exodus 36:1-38

1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

2 And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:

3 And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.

4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;

5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

8 And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.

9 The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.

10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.

11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

12 Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.

13 And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.

14 And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.

15 The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size.

16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.

17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.

19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.

20 And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.

21 The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.

22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:

24 And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

25 And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,

26 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.

28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

29 And they were coupleda beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners.

30 And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.

31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

32 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward.

33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.

34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35 And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.

36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.

37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework;b

38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.