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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim the work of the skilful workman shalt thou make them. |
With ten curtains – Evidently forming the ceiling, and hanging down each side within the Tabernacle. R100:2*
Fine twined linen – Symbol of righteousness. T29, T30, T36
And blue – Symbol of faithfulness. T30
And purple – Symbol of royalty. T34
And scarlet – Symbol of the blood of the ransom. T34, T109
With cherubims – Symbol of divine love and power. T125
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| 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure. |
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| 3 Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. |
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| 4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling. |
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| 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling; the loops shall be opposite one to another. |
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| 6 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tabernacle shall be one whole. |
Taches of gold – Representing the divine nature. T18, T20
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| 7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make them. |
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| 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure. |
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| 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent. |
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| 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling. |
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| 11 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of copper, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. |
Taches of brass – Copper, symbol of perfect human nature. T18
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| 12 And the overhanging part that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half |
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| curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. |
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| 13 And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. |
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| 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above. |
Of badgers' skins – As God covered the Tabernacle with unsightly skins, so the glories and beauties of spiritual things are seen only by the "Royal Priesthood." T127
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| 15 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up. |
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| 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board. |
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| 17 Two tenons shall there be in each board, joined one to another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. |
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| 18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward. |
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| 19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons: |
Of silver – Symbol of truth. T114
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| 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, |
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| 21 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. |
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| 22 And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. |
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| 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part. |
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| 24 And they shall be double beneath, and in like manner they shall be entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. |
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| 25 And there shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. |
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| 26 And thou shalt make bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, |
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| 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the hinder part westward. |
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| 28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end. |
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| 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. |
Boards with gold – Showing that all within the Holy and Most Holy pertain to the divine nature. R1944:1
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| 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been showed thee in the mount. |
Which was shewed thee – Moses thus attributes the origin of the Mosaic Law to God, not to himself. A54
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| 31 And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim the work of the skilful workman shalt thou make it: |
Shalt make a veil – The passing of the second veil represented the death of the human body. T21
Of blue – Symbol of faithfulness. T30
And purple – Symbol of royalty. T34
And scarlet – Symbol of the blood of the ransom. T34, T109
Fine twined linen – Symbol of righteousness. T29, T30, T36
With cherubims – Symbol of divine love and power. T125
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| 32 and thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, upon four sockets of silver. |
Shall be of gold – Representing the divine nature. T18, T20
Sockets of silver – Reality, truth, verity; seeming to say that inside this veil you will be perfect, really and truly New Creatures. T115
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| 33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the clasps, and shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the most holy. |
The ark – It represented the eternal purpose of God for mankind in The Christ, Head and Body. T121
The holy – Representing the condition of all those who as justified believers have consecrated to death. T19
Only the priests will be in the Holy. Only the Levites will be in the Court. The Great Company is represented by "silver" in contradistinction to the Church, who are represented in the gold of the Holy and Most Holy. R4745:6
Corresponds to Plane M on the Chart of the Ages. R276:5; A244
Place – Omit this word; not in the Hebrew text. T13
And the most holy – The condition of the overcomers who attain to the divine nature. T19
Corresponds to Plane L on the Chart of the Ages. R276:4; A244
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| 34 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. |
Put the mercy seat – The Mercy Seat, glory-light and cherubim together represented Jehovah God. T123
Both a mercy-seat and a justice-seat. R641:1
Upon the ark – "The head of Christ is God." (1 Cor. 11:3) T124
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| 35 And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. |
Shalt set the table – Representing the Church as a whole, holding forth the word of life. T115; R5418:5
And the candlestick – Representing the entire Church, the true lightbearers. T116
Representing the light of God's truth. R5621:6, R5418:5
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| 36 And thou shalt make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer. |
Hanging for the door – Symbol of the death of the human will. T21
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| 37 And thou shalt make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of copper for them. |
Five pillars – The door posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle represented the "New Creatures in Christ"-the consecrated saints. The difference between these and the posts in the "Court" represents the difference between the condition of the justified believers and the sanctified believers. T114
Sockets of brass – Copper, representing our justified humanity; showing that while in the first apartment of the Tabernacle we have this treasure in earthen vessels. T114
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