The acacia wood used in building the tabernacle signifies Christ’s human nature, strong in character and high in standard. Christ’s humanity is not like cotton; on the contrary, it is like acacia wood. In His humanity, the Lord Jesus was strong in character and high in standard. However, the humanity of many believers is more like cotton than like acacia wood.
The “oil for the lamp” (v. 6) signifies the Spirit of Christ. We should continually be under the Lord’s anointing. We should be the fine flour mingled with oil and thoroughly saturated and permeated with oil. Whatever we are and whatever we do, we should be saturated with the Spirit of Christ.
The Spirit of Christ can be distinguished from the Spirit of God. However, this does not mean that there are two divine Spirits. The Holy Spirit is not only the Spirit of God, but also the Spirit of Christ, including all the virtues of the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ. We need to experience the continual anointing of this Spirit. Then we shall have the oil to offer to God for the building of the church.
Exodus 25:6 speaks of “spices for the anointing oil and for the incense of perfumes.” These spices typify the effectiveness and sweet odor of Christ’s death and resurrection. These spices were used both for making the anointing oil and for making the incense which was burned before God.
We need to experience these spices in our daily living. First, Christ’s death will be effective in dealing with negative things. It will repel all the “bugs” and drive them away. Certain spices function as antibiotics to kill spiritual germs. When we experience the effectiveness of the spices, in our living there will be the fragrance of Christ’s death and resurrection. Others will sense that Christ’s death and resurrection are effective in us and are also producing a sweet-smelling aroma.
Christ’s life is also typified by the animal life. As we have pointed out, the animal life is for redemption. Before man fell, God did not ordain for man to eat the flesh of animals. Man could live on the fruits, vegetables, and nuts prepared by God in His creation. But because man fell and became sinful and corrupt, he needed the shedding of blood for redemption and also the flesh of animals for nourishment and sustenance. This indicates that sinful man needs the redeeming Christ, the Christ who shed His blood on the cross and sacrificed His life to redeem us. With Christ’s redemptive life we are nourished, fed, and sustained so that we may live.
Exodus 25:4 and 5 refer to three aspects of the animal life: goats’ hair, rams’ skins, and porpoise skins. According to Matthew 25:33 and 41, the goats signify sinners. Hence, goats’ hair signifies Christ being made sin for us in His redemptive work (2 Cor. 5:21). God caused Christ to be made sin on our behalf. Although He was not sinful and did not have the sinful nature, in appearance He looked like a goat.
The rams’ skins dyed red signify Christ’s redemption accomplished through the shedding of His blood. Christ was the ram who died on the cross for our sins. He was offered to God on the altar and shed His blood to wash us from our sins.
The porpoise skins are strong, tough, and long-lasting. They signify Christ’s strength in bearing sufferings. The skins were used as a covering for the tabernacle and served to protect the tabernacle. Today we have Christ as the porpoise skins to cover and protect us. He bears every kind of suffering, injury, and difficulty. In the life signified by the animal life Christ first redeemed us and then became a covering and protection that can withstand trials, attacks, troubles, and sufferings.
We should experience Christ in the aspects of this animal life and then bring Him as signified by the goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, and porpoise skins to the meetings and offer Him to God for the building up of the church and of all the saints.
If we compare the materials used in building the tabernacle with those used by Christians, we shall see that most of today’s Christians have gone far astray from God’s revelation. In 25:1-9 we have God’s revelation, not a man-made religion. We regret to say that among Christians there is much more of man’s religion than of God’s revelation.
Exodus 25:8 and 9 say, “And they shall make for Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. According to all that I am showing you, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture; even so you shall do.” The pattern of the tabernacle and of all its furniture signifies the church and all the details of the church life. This pattern was shown by God to Moses when Moses was on the mountaintop under God’s glory.
Recently I have emphasized a need for us to see the central vision concerning Christ and the church in God’s economy. This does not mean, however, that we pay attention only to the vision and neglect the many practical aspects of the church life. No matter how clear we may be concerning the vision of God’s economy, we still need to clean the meeting hall, cut the grass, and care for many other aspects of the church life.
As indicated by the tabernacle and its furnishings, the church life is not simple. We must pay attention to many details indicated by the types in order to have a proper church life and the proper fellowship with all the saints, including the weaker ones and those who come to the church meetings only occasionally. The tabernacle with its furnishings signifies the church life with all its details.
The pattern revealed to Moses was according to the heavenly things, the things in the heavens (Heb. 9:23). Both the design of the tabernacle as a whole and of all its furnishings was according to the heavenly things. The pattern of the tabernacle and its furnishings is a full and complete type of the church life.