The Tabernacle, The Curtains Of The Tabernacle, Exodus 26:1-6, Part 4 - Lesson 40

We have completed our study of the first layer of the 4 ply roof of the tabernacle, namely the layer of embroidered linen curtains, that layer which could be seen inside the Holy Places.

Now above this first layer God commanded Moses to make a covering of Goat’s Hair curtains.

This command is in Exodus 26:7-13,  And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain, which couples the second. And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

Goat’s hair, as is true with other fibers is woven into a curtain after goat’s hair is made into a yarn by a spinning process using a spinning wheel.

My grandmother would have been well acquainted with this process for during our trip to Norway I saw the actual family spinning wheel.

Of course she would have been spinning wool but the idea is the same concerning the spinning of goat’s hair into yarn.

So over the 10 curtains of fine linen were placed eleven Curtains of Goats' Hair.

Now this eleven is composed of two groups of 5 curtains and 6 curtains attached together by loops and taches similar to how the linen curtains were attached.

So what is the significance of goat’s hair as the second layer?

The Goat was one of the animals used in Israel for sacrifice.

It was used primarily in connection with the sin offering on the Day of Atonement and the cleansing of the Sanctuary:

Leviticus 5:6,  And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.

Leviticus 9:3,  And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;

The Goat was used in connection with three FEASTS OF ISRAEL.

It was used in the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles.

On the Day of Atonement, two Goats were to be taken.

One was to be killed for a sin offering, the other was to be preserved alive to be used as the scapegoat.

In connection with the Feast of Passover, the Israelites were instructed to offer "one Goat for a Sin offering to make atonement for you." (Numbers 28:22).

The goat is always used in connection with the SIN OFFERING (Lev. 4:23)

It was used for a sin offering:

For the common people (Lev. 4:27-28)

For the Consecration of the Priesthood (Lev. 9:2-3)

For the dedication of the Altar - (Numbers 7)

For the sins of ignorance (Numbers 15:24,27)

For each new month (Numbers 28:11-15)

Jesus gives us a picture of unrepentant sinners in Matthew 25 and labeled them as "goats."

So in this covering of goats' hair, we see the thought of sin and rebellion.

The curtains speak to us of the fact that Jesus became sin for us that we might be "covered" from the wrath of God that is upon all who sin so that we might have the righteousness of Christ.

He was offered to bear the sins of many!

2 Corinthians. 5:19-21,  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now the length of these curtains was to be 30 cubits.

Thirty is the number of the consecration of the Priesthood.

Each priest had to be 30 years of age before he could minister.

Numbers 4:3,  From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Jesus was 30 years of age when He began His Priestly ministry, which consummated with His being offered as a SIN OFFERING for us at Calvary.

Jesus was consecrated to the Father's Will, even to the death of the CROSS and therefore He was both Priest and He was himself the offering for sin.

The 11 curtains were to be in two sets, a set of five and a set of six and joined by 50 taches and loops.

Once again, this speaks to us of the number 50 in scripture, which is the number of LIBERTY, FREEDOM, PENTECOST and JUBILEE.

These taches (clasps) were to be made of BRASS, which is a type of judgment against SIN.

Brass is linked to the SIN OFFERING.

As God is righteous, sin must always be judged for the wages of sin is death.

But our God does not stop there for He tells us that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So in this covering we find the message of Romans 6:23, the message that Christ and Christ alone is our covering for sin.

The third covering of four coverings is a covering of Ram’s skins dyed red.

Linen first, goat’s hair next and now Ram’s skins dyed red.

Exodus 26:14,  And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.

So this third layer of Rams' Skins is spoken of expressly as a "Covering."

The RAM was used as a TRESPASS OFFERING, for Burnt Offerings and for Peace Offerings:

Trespass Offering: Leviticus 5:15,  If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:

Burnt Offering: Leviticus 8:18,  And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

Peace Offering: Leviticus 9:4,  Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the Lord will appear unto you.

The animal was also called "The Ram of Consecration."

It spoke of substitution for it was the Ram, which was used in the consecration of the Priests to minister (Lev. 8:22).

The first place in the Bible we see the Ram is in Genesis 22 when it was used as a SUBSTITUTE for ISAAC, the son of Abraham on Mt. Moriah (Genesis 22:8-13)

This is all prophetic of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who became the subsitute to take away the sin of the world (John 1:28, 36).

The covering of Ram’s skin reveals Christ as the:

The SACRIFICIAL ONE who was offered to God (Hebrews 9:26-28)

The SUBSTITUTE ONE who died in our stead (1 Corinthians 15:4; Galatians 1:4)

The CONSECRATED ONE who was committed to God's will. (Hebrews 7:25-28)

Hebrews 9:26-28,  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. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 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.

Hebrews 7:25-28,  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law makes men high priests who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

This Rams' covering is a type of the covering Christ has provided for the Church that we may partake of HIS NATURE and SPIRIT!.

We are to give ourselves to receive HIM!

Romans 12:1-2,  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

These Rams' skins were to be DYED RED.

RED is the color of sacrificial blood and is identified in the cleansing of sin.

The Rams' Skins dyed red were the central covering of the Tabernacle pointing to the central figure of the GODHEAD - JESUS CHRIST.

They are typical of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and His shed blood for our sin.

He is our Redeemer.

He is that Ram of Consecration who was sold out to the will of the Father and brought to us an EVERLASTING COVENANT OF SALVATION!

His blood has cleansed us from our sins!

Isaiah 1:18,  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

In our Lord's first coming, His garments were DYED RED in the blood of ATONEMENT.

In His second coming, His garments are also DYED RED in the blood of HIS ENEMIES.

Here the dyed Red Garments of the Lord speak not of Atonement, but of judgment on sinners.

There is coming a day when the GRACE of the Lord Jesus will end and VENGEANCE will be poured out upon all the ungodly and unrepentant:

Isaiah 63:1-3,  Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treads in the wine fat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

Revelation 19:11-14,  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. [12] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. [13] And he was clothed with vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. [14] And the armies, which were in heaven, followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Now the outer and final covering, over all and above all, was the covering of Badgers' Skins.

Exodus 26:14,  And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.

God records no measurements for the ram’s skins nor does He do that for the Badger’s skins.

Some scholars believe these badgers' skins were seal or porpoise skins of a bluish-gray color for the Hebrew word used here is indefinite.

The Septuagint translates from "skins of a blue color."

Whatever the case, these skins acted as the final PROTECTION from the storms, the weather and heat of the desert and wilderness life.

Badgers' Skins were used as a covering for all of the vessels of the Tabernacle when they were moving through the wilderness.

Badgers' skins were not a precious fur or skin.

There was no natural beauty to the human eye in gazing upon the Tabernacle.

Only the Priests who experienced the inside of the Tabernacle found out where the real beauty was.

This is the same that is true of Jesus Christ.

To the natural and unregenerate man - nothing about Him is beautiful or attractive.

The natural man uses His name to curse!

But to those who are IN CHRIST and belong to HIM - "He is altogether lovely,"

Song 5:16,  His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Only those who are endowed with His Spirit can see His great glory and beauty for this is shielded from the natural man for the natural man cannot receive the things of God.

The natural man cannot see the kingdom of God for he is blind and walks in darkness.

And in the same manner God does not look on the outward but he looks on the inward, He looks on the heart.

In Summary:

These are the four curtains and coverings of the Tabernacle of Moses. Each covering is a type of Christ for Christ is our:

Linen Curtain, He is our Righteousness

Goats' Hair Curtain, He is our Sin Offering And Rebellion Punisher

Rams' Skin Dyed Red, He is our Substitution And Avenger Of The Saints

Badgers' Skin, and He is our - Protection and Covering

Isaiah 61:10,  I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.