| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And thou shalt make the altar of acacia wood,–of five cubits length, and five cubits breadth, four square, shall the altar be, and three cubits the height thereof. |
Shalt make an altar – Representing Christ's ransom sacrifice. T22
Five cubits long and five – Being square, it typified the perfection of Christ. R101:1*
Three cubits – Comparatively low, typifying one who is easy of access, and a free salvation. R101:1
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| 2 And thou shalt make its horns upon its four corners, of the same, shall be its horns,–and thou shalt overlay it with copper. |
Make the horns – Symbols of power. T42
Pointing to Christ as our refuge and his abundance of power and grace to all. R101:1*
Upon the four corners – In every direction; so God's power to all men is unlimited. R96:1
Overlay it with brass – Copper, symbol of perfect human nature. T18
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| 3 And thou shalt make its pans for removing its ashes, and its shovels, and its sprinkling bowls, and its flesh-hooks, and its fire-pans,–all its vessels, shalt thou make of bronze. |
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| 4 And thou shalt make to it a grating, a network of bronze,–and thou shalt make, upon the network, four rings of bronze, upon the four corners thereof. |
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| 5 And thou shalt place it under the margin of the altar, beneath,–so shall the network reach unto the midst of the altar. |
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| 6 And thou shalt make staves, for the altar, staves of acacia wood,–and shalt overlay them with copper. |
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| 7 And the staves shall be brought into the rings,–so shall the staves be on the two sides of the altar, in lifting it: |
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| 8 Hollow, with boards, shalt thou make it,–as it was showed thee in the mount, so, shall they make it. |
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| 9 And thou shalt make the court of the habitation,–on the south side southward, hangings for the court, of fine-twined linen, a hundred cubits in length, to the one side; |
Make the court – Representing the condition of justification. T19
Representing the justified condition. In proportion as those in the Court advance toward the Holy, in that proportion they draw nigh to God and experience a measure of justification or harmony with God, leading to complete justification. R4745:3
In the present time the Court represents the condition of divine favor of all those who, exercising faith in God, are approaching nearer and nearer to him. R4922:5, R5418:3
The picture changes at the end of this age: those who have not made a full consecration go out and cease to be represented in the Court. The Great Company is represented by the Court condition thereafter. R4876:4, R4579:1-3
Only the Levites will be in the Court. In the last analysis the Court represents the spirit-begotten ones separated from the world. R4745:6
Corresponds to Plane N on the Chart of the Ages. R276:5; A244
Hangings for the court – Representing, to those within, a wall of faith; but to those without, a wall of unbelief, which hindered their view of, and access to, the holy things within. T18
Apparently without seam, symbolizing the righteousness of Christ. R100:3*
Fine twined linen – Representing Christ's righteousness. T36, T114
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| 10 and the pillars thereof, twenty, with their sockets twenty, of bronze,–and the hooks of the pillars and their cross-rods, of silver. |
The twenty pillars – Representing justified believers. T113
Sockets shall be of brass – Copper, representing that, though actually imperfect, the standing of the justified believer is that of a perfect human being. T113
Hooks ... of silver – Silver being a symbol of truth, justified believers (pillars) can truthfully claim that Christ's righteousness (the linen curtain) covers all their imperfections. T114
Truth is the hook, or connection, which binds the Church to the curtain of linen and, by it, to each other. R100:5*
As we are told to search for truth as for silver (Prov. 2:4); and as David likens the wruth is symbolized by silver. R100:5*
The Great Company class was represented by the "silver." R4745:6
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| 11 And, so, for the north side, in length, hangings, a hundred cubits,–and the pillars thereof twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze, and the hooks of the pillars and their cross-rods of silver. |
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| 12 And, the breadth of the court, on the west side, hangings, fifty cubits,–their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. |
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| 13 And, the breadth of the court, on the east side eastward, fifty cubits; |
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| 14 and fifteen cubits, the hangings for the side-piece,–their pillars three, and their sockets three; |
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| 15 and, for the second side-piece, fifteen hangings,–their pillars three, and their sockets three.
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| 16 And, for the gate of the court, a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine-twined linen, the work of an embroiderer,–their pillars four, and their sockets four. |
And for the gate – "I am the way" (John 14:6), "I am the door" (John 10: T18
The way out of unbelief and sin. T22
Of blue – "True blue" is the symbol for a faithful one. Blue in countries' flags stands for fidelity. In (Num. 15:37-41) a blue fringe on Israe R100:6*
And purple – In (Judges 8:26) we find that the kings of R100:6*
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| 17 All the pillars of the court round about, to be joined with cross-rods of silver, and their hooks of silver,–and their sockets of bronze. |
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| 18 The length of the court, a hundred cubits, and, the breadth, fifty throughout, and, the height, five cubits, of fine-twined linen,–and their sockets, of bronze. |
Height five cubits – The posts were five cubits high and five cubits apart; standing, as it were, within reach of one another, yet too far apart to lean upon one another. R100:3*
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| 19 All the utensils of the habitation, throughout all the service thereof,–and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, of bronze. |
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| 20 Thou thyself, therefore, shalt command the sons of Israel, that they bring unto thee–pure, beaten olive-oil, for giving light,–that the lamp may lift up its flame, continually. |
Pure oil olive – Symbolic of the holy Spirit. T29, T37, T116; D650
For the light – Representing the spirit of truth. T116
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| 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is by the testimony, shall Aaron and his sons order it, from evening until morning, before Yahweh,–a statute age-abiding, to their generations, from the sons of Israel. |
Aaron – Representing our High Priest, Christ. T36, T116; E449
And his sons – Who succeeded him in office. T116
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