Exodus 26:29

In Exodus chapter 26 the Bible continues with a description of how the tabernacle was constructed. It was very beautiful having been made of the most expensive linen and cloth and other materials, such as the golden objects for the interior of the tabernacle. God said to Moses in Exodus 26:29-30, “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. And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.”

One part of the tabernacle that has a very important spiritual significance is described in the next several verses. God said in Exodus 26:31-35, “And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.” One of the key words for explaining what the veil represented is the word “divide” that is found in verse 33. The veil was a divider that kept people from entering into the holiest place and thus kept people from true closeness with God. That was the symbolism of the veil. Only the high priest could enter, and he could only enter once a year.

Human beings tend to think of God is such terms. People tend to have the idea that only some people are close to God, and these few people who are close to God wear special clothes and they are dedicated members of some religious organization. But once you understand the symbolism of the veil of the tabernacle, then you understand that people have misconceptions about who can be close to God. Notice what happened to the veil of the temple at the moment when Jesus was crucified. The Bible says in Matthew 27:45-51, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.”

We do not have to conjecture concerning the veil and what it symbolized. We are told in Hebrews 10:19-22, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” The veil was a symbol of the flesh of Jesus Christ. Once Jesus’ body was torn on the cross of Calvary, the veil in the temple was also torn. This meant that there was no longer any barrier to anyone entering into the holiest of all places in the very presence of God. No one should ever think that they must remain distant from God. No one should ever think that they cannot be as to close to God as anyone. No one should ever think that there can only be just a few holy people who are close to God. Not because of you, but because of Jesus, you can have the closest of all possible relationships to the great eternal God. Jesus removed all barriers. Have faith in this wonderful truth, and draw close to God in your heart, your mind, and your soul. It is no wonder that it says in James 4:8, “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” And it says in Hebrews 7:19, “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” The torn vail is why it says in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

God tells Moses about the altar made of brass that would be placed inside the tabernacle in Exodus chapter 27. God said in Exodus 27:1-3, “And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.” This was an altar where burnt offerings were consumed in fire. That is why the parts of the altar were lined with brass. The burnt offerings on the altar symbolized the sufferings of Christ for the sins of the world. Jesus gave Himself as an offering. That is why He is called the Lamb of God. One of the things that happened when Jesus was on the cross of Calvary was that He offered Himself on the altar of God’s judgment. Fire symbolizes judgment. Jesus became sin for us. Jesus suffered the pains of hell for us. The reason we no longer have an altar as described in the book of Exodus is because Jesus fulfilled what the altar symbolized. For example, it says to Christians in Hebrews 13:10-15, “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

We have already been told that a golden candlestick would be in the tabernacle. At the end of Exodus chapter 27 we are told what needs to be in the lamps of the candlestick in order for it to give out its light properly. It says in Exodus 27:20-21, “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.” In the Bible oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The lamps will not shine without oil, and a Christian will not be the testimony that he or she could be without the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are a true Christian through faith in Jesus, then you do have the Holy Spirit within you. It says in Romans 8:9, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Jesus used the symbolism of oil for the Holy Spirit in Matthew 25:1-12 where Jesus said, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” The key verse in this passage was when Jesus said, “They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.” An oil lamp is of no use unless there is oil in the lamp to make the light shine.

We are the lamps that Christ wants to use, but the lamps are of no use unless there is oil that will cause the lamps to shine as the oil burns inside the lamp. The work of God takes place when the Holy Spirit empowers and speaks through a believer. God is everything and you are nothing. That is why it is so important that the Christian work you do is the result of God working through you and in you, and He only does this working by the Holy Spirit. If you do things according to your own self-will, or by your own strength, or when you are not in fellowship with Christ; then you will be hindering the Holy Spirit’s working. There are two Bible verses that tell us very clearly to be careful how we respond to and how we affect the Holy Spirit in our lives as Christians. One is Ephesians 4:30 that says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The other is First Thessalonians 5:19 that says, “Quench not the Spirit.”

We “grieve” the Holy Spirit when we sin. That is because He is “holy.” Because we sin so easily, and because we must have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to do the work of God, we must never underestimate the importance of daily confessing our sins and being cleansed of our sins, and not only daily but also moment-by-moment if necessary. Jesus always forgives sins, but it is up to us to make sure that we turn from our sins and turn to Him for forgiveness. It says in First John 1:5-10, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

We “quench” the Holy Spirit when we do not follow His leading. You must be on guard against your own strong human will. It is very easy to go your own way in the decisions that you make, but if you do, you will not be led by the Spirit. The Spirit wants to speak to you in a still small voice and say, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” (Isaiah 30:21.) It says in First Kings 19:11-12, “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” You will not hear the still small voice, and you will not even want to hear it if you are being led by your own strong stubborn selfish will.

Make sure you have oil in your lamp. Do not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit. Truly repent of your daily sins, and pray and ask the Lord to give you a pliable and surrendered heart.

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