Page 629 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

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TAANACH (breaking asunder). Jos. 17:11. illustrating the absolute purity demanded in God’s law.
TAANATH-SHILOH (who produces figs). Jos. 16:6. The spotless white walls of the court remind us that God
TABBAOTH (rings). Ne. 7:46. will accept no impure thing into His holy presence. The
TABBATH (fame, celebrated). Ju. 7:22. law demands perfection (Ga. 3:10) and reveals man’s
guilt and condemnation (Ro. 3:9-20, 23). The walls of
TABEAL (God showed himself good). Is. 7:6. the court were set in brass sockets (Ex. 27:10, 11, 17).
TABEEL (God showed himself gracious). Ezr. 4:7. Brass symbolizes judgment, and reminds us that the
TABER. To drum; to play as on the tambourine (Na. believer can only come into the presence of God when
2:7). sin is fully judged. This requires a Saviour—depicted by
TABERAH (its burning). Nu. 11:3. the sacrifice altar.
TABERNACLE (tent). (1) The body (2 Co. 5:1, 4; 2 The Entrance into the Tabernacle. The only
Pe. 1:13, 14). [See Death.] (2) Feast of Tabernacles (Le. entrance to the court was through a curtain in the front
23:34; De. 16:13, 16; 31:10). “This fell on the fifteenth called the gate. The curtained gate represents Jesus
day of the seventh month and continued seven days, Christ as the only door to God (Jn. 14:6; 10:7-9; Ac.
with a holy convocation on the eighth day. Israel dwelt 4:12; 1 Ti. 2:5-6). Any man who would draw near to the
in booths during the feast, in remembrance of their tent of God’s presence had to enter through that one
having lived in tents when brought out of Egypt (Le. beautifully woven gate. There was no other way. The
23:34; Nu. 29:12; De. 16:13; 2 Ch. 8:13; Ezr. 3:4; Jn. curtain was made of the same white linen as the walls,
7:2). It was at the end of their harvest and vintage, signifying Christ’s sinless purity. It also had threads of
when they enjoyed the fruits of God’s goodness. The three other colors woven therein (Ex. 27:16-18). The
feast prefigures the Millennium, when the people will blue thread signifies Christ’s heavenly origin. The scarlet
enter into full blessing, and the eighth day, the great signifies His blood atonement. The purple thread
day, the communion of the heavenly and the earthly signifies His position as King. He is the Lord from
(Ze. 14:6) (Concise). heaven (1 Co. 15:47), the Saviour (1 Ti. 1:15), and the
The O.T. Tabernacle (Ex. 25-27) is a detailed King of kings (1 Ti. 6:14-16). How much even the
illustration of Christ and of His salvation. The writer of appearance of a colored thread means in God’s Word!
Hebrews plainly says the Tabernacle was a foreview of The same type of curtain formed the entrance to the
heavenly truths and realities (He. 9). holy place and to the holy of holies in the Tabernacle
The Court Area. The Tabernacle was a tent situated itself. Jesus Christ is the one and only door to God and
in a rectangular court formed by a wall of curtains. The salvation. He is the entrance into all true life. To reach
court was 100 cubits long by 50 cubits wide, and the the altar of sacrifice, representing cleansing of sin, the
curtain walls were five cubits high (Ex. 27:9, 12, 18). Israelite had to pass through the four-colored curtain. To
Using a cubit of 18 inches, the court was 150 feet by 75 reach the candlestick, representing spiritual
feet, and the walls were 7.5 feet high. The court had enlightenment, or the table of shewbread, representing
only one entrance. Near this entrance was situated the fellowship with God, or the altar of incense,
altar of sacrifice where the bodies of the animals were representing communion with God in prayer, the priest
burnt. Before the entrance to the Tabernacle itself was a had to pass through the same kind of curtain. To enter
laver of water the priests used for washing. into the very presence of God in the holy of holies, one,
again, had to pass through the same mysterious four-
The Tabernacle Itself. The Tabernacle was set up colored curtain. Jesus Christ is the key to all of life.
toward the back of the court. The Tabernacle was a tent
divided into two compartments—the holy place in the It was the curtain to the holy of holies that was rent
front, and the holy of holies in the rear. The when Jesus Christ died on the cross (Mt. 27:50-51),
compartments were separated by a curtain. The holy showing that the way to God has been opened by
place contained the golden candlestick, the table of Christ’s blood. The believer can truly say, “There is
shewbread, and the golden incense altar. The holy of nothing between my soul and my God.” The curtain was
holies contained the ark of the covenant overshadowed torn from top to bottom, depicting the fact that
by the cherubim. The Tabernacle represented God’s salvation is entirely of God. The religions of this world
presence, and the outer court represented the fact that are man’s attempts to work his way to God. True
men are shut out from God because of sin. The walls of salvation is God working salvation for man (2 Co.
the court were made of fine white linen (Ex. 27:9-15), 5:18-21).

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 629