The standing of the boards depends on the tenons and the sockets, whereas the linking, or the uniting, depends on the rings and the bars. Exodus 26:29 speaks of the rings: “And you shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold, as receptacles for the bars.” In typology golden rings signify the initial gift of the Spirit. When Rebekah became engaged to Isaac, she received a golden ring. Likewise, when the prodigal son came home to his father, the father gave him a robe signifying Christ as righteousness and also a ring signifying the Spirit. Today rings are used as a sign of engagement and marriage. The main aspect of many wedding ceremonies is the exchanging of rings. When we were saved, we received the initial gift of the Spirit as a golden ring. We received the Spirit as a seal, pledge, down payment, guarantee, and foretaste of God as our eternal portion. The Spirit has been given to us as a pledge and guarantee. This is signified by the golden rings.
We know from verse 29 that the rings of the boards were receptacles for the bars. But how many rings were on each board? Although we are not told explicitly, we can determine the number accurately. According to verse 26 there were five bars for the boards on each side of the tabernacle. Verse 28 says, “And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall go through from end to end.” From this we infer that there were three lines of bars connecting the boards. The middle bar stretched from end to end, and was twice as long as the other bars. The lines of bars above and below the middle bar each were made of two bars, with each bar going only half the way from end to end. This gives a total of five bars. Since these bars went from end to end in three lines, there must have been three rings on each board to serve as receptacles for the bars.
The three rings on each board are for the uniting of the believers in the Triune God in resurrection. The number three signifies the Triune God in resurrection. As boards we do not have two rings or four rings; we have three rings indicating the Spirit of the Triune God in resurrection. Before Christ’s resurrection and His glorification, “The Spirit was not yet” (John 7:39). But now that Jesus has been glorified through resurrection, the all-inclusive Spirit is within us. This Spirit is the Spirit of the Triune God in resurrection.
The Spirit is both the rings and the bars. These bars are made of acacia wood (v. 26) for the connecting strength and overlaid with gold (v. 29) for uniting. This is related to the oneness of the Spirit spoken of in Ephesians 4:3.
There were five bars on each of three sides, north, south, and west. Five, the number of responsibility, is composed of four plus one. This signifies the initial Spirit becoming the uniting Spirit bearing responsibility in resurrection by the Triune God. Concerning the bars, we have three times five—five bars on three sides. This signifies responsibility in resurrection by the Triune God. Furthermore, on each side, the middle bar went from end to end. Thus, there were five bars in three lines. Here again we have five in three, signifying responsibility in the Triune God in resurrection.
The standing of the boards is a matter of silver for redemption, and the uniting of the boards is a matter of gold signifying the divinity of Christ. Christ’s redemption is related to His work, but His divinity is related to His Person. We stand on Christ’s redemptive work, and we are united by His divine Person. Therefore, with the boards of the tabernacle we see both the Person and work of Christ. His Person is divine, and His work is redemptive. Today as the church, we are one entity, one building, for God’s habitation, because we stand on the silver of Christ’s redemptive work and are united by the gold of His divine Person.
The uniting bars were made of acacia wood. In Ephesians 4 the oneness of the Spirit is mentioned in the context of human virtues such as humility and love. These virtues are signified by acacia wood. The oneness of the Spirit not only involves Christ’s divinity, but also includes His humanity. For God’s building we must have humility, kindness, and love which are according to Christ’s standard. In other words, if we would be the acacia wood within the uniting bars, we must be Jesusly human. Then we shall have real oneness. Whereas the rings are purely of gold, the bars are of two natures—acacia wood overlaid with gold. This indicates that the uniting Spirit is mingled with the virtues of our redeemed and uplifted humanity.
We have seen that we stand on Christ’s redemption and that we are united in His divinity. Christ’s divinity is for our expression. If we enter the church as God’s tabernacle today, we shall see gold everywhere. Even on the ceiling of the tabernacle there are the golden clasps. Gold is for expression, but silver is for standing. We stand on Christ’s redemption, but we express His divine Person. Those who visit the churches can see both this standing and this expression. They can behold a people who have such a firm standing that they are unshakable. They can also see among those in the church a marvelous expression of the divine gold.
Among many Christian groups today, we cannot see the proper standing or expression. On the one hand, those in these groups are very easily shaken; on the other hand, they may fail to express the gold. This to a large extent is the situation of today’s Christianity. But in the proper church life in the Lord’s recovery, we have a firm standing, and we also have the expression of Christ. Even those who oppose us admit that we are unshakable. We have the silver sockets and a golden expression. As God’s habitation, the church must have a silver base and a golden expression. Not only is the church God’s dwelling place, but it is also our dwelling place, our home. This mutual dwelling place of God and the believers is solidly grounded on Christ’s redemption and brightly expresses the Person of Christ Himself.