Page 216 - Through New Eyes

214 THROUGH NEW EYES

son, when the citizens of Israel sinned or became symbolically
unclean, corresponding invisible marks “appeared” in the Taber-
nacle. The more unclean the people became, the more unclean
the Tabernacle, its furniture, vessels, curtains, pillars, etc. be-
came. To cleanse the Tabernacle, then, symbolized cleansing the
people (cp. Exodus 24:4, 8). Only a cleansed people could draw
near to God, and God would remain dwelling only in the midst
of a cleansed people. Only a cleansed people could form a throne
for God, so that He would be willing to sit enthroned on the
praises of Israel, His feet resting on them (Psalm 22:3).
Ultimately, then, the entire tent was symbolic. The veils sig-
nified ranks of guardians around the Throne, places where
God’s “feet” would rest. The veils of cloth became defiled when
the people they represented became defiled. To cleanse the peo-
ple, blood was put on the veils, and on the altars and mercy
seat . 22
The ranks of guardians stood to keep people away from God,
lest God either become angry and destroy them, or become even
angrier and pack up and move out, leaving His House desolate
and abominated, and leaving His people to their doom (Ezekiel
8-11). Thus, these ranks of guardians were shoes between God
and the cursed soil of humanity. Accordingly, the veils were also
shoes. The outermost veil was significantly made of the same stuff
as fine shoes: dolphin leather, and this correlation is made plain
in the allegory of Ezekiel 16:10, “I clothed you with embroidered
cloth, and put sandals of dolphin leather on your feet; and I
wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.” Except
for the silk, this is a description of the Tabernacle and its veils.
The only kind of people God would permit to draw near to
Him were people who properly imaged Him (Genesis 1:26).
Such people also needed to be shod. Of course, since the Taber-
nacle was set up on holy ground, they did not have to wear shoes
there, but they had to wear shoes everywhere else.
As we have seen in Chapter 8, the animals that symbolized
God’s holy people were all animals who wore shoes or who were
particular about where they set their feet. If a man ate an un-
shod animal, he became symbolically unshod himself, and could
not enter the sanctuary precincts to offer sacrifice.