Since both the boards and the pillars typify the believers, we may ask what is the difference between the pillars and the boards. The pillars typify believers, but extraordinary believers, not ordinary ones. The forty-eight boards typify ordinary believers. According to Galatians 2:9, Peter, John, and James were pillars. These extraordinary disciples of the Lord Jesus were pillars in the church. In Revelation 3:12 the Lord says that the overcomers will become pillars in the temple of God.
In every local church there should be some pillars. In God’s house, God’s dwelling place, there is the need not only for boards, but also for pillars. In the tabernacle the pillars were one-twelfth the number of the boards. I hope that all the elders in the churches are pillars.
Now we come to another difficult question: Why was the veil, a type of Christ, placed on pillars, which typify extraordinary believers? According to the picture portrayed by the type, when Christ became flesh, He was placed on the believers. But why was Christ in the flesh put on the believers? Now we have two difficult questions to answer, one concerning why there was a separation within the tabernacle and the other concerning why Christ was put on the believers.
Exodus 26:31 says, “And you shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; the work of a skillful workman shall it be made, with cherubim.” We have pointed out that the veil is the same as the first layer of the covering of the tabernacle. This means that the separation is the same as the ceiling in material, color, workmanship, and embroidery. Blue means heavenly (1 Cor. 15:47-48), purple signifies royalty (John 19:19-22), scarlet typifies the shedding of blood for redemption (Heb. 9:22; 1 Pet. 1:18-19), twined linen signifies the fine living of Christ manifested through suffering and trials, and the embroidered cherubim typify the work of the Spirit on Christ to make the glory of God manifested in the creature. When Christ was on earth, He lived a very fine human life. This living was manifested through sufferings and trials.
Exodus 26:32 goes on to say, “And you shall put it upon four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold; and their hooks shall be of gold, upon four sockets of silver.” In the Bible the number four signifies creatures. The four pillars standing on four sockets of silver signify the redeemed creatures.
We have seen that these pillars typify extraordinary believers, whereas the boards signify ordinary believers. Do you prefer to be a board or a pillar? Most believers may prefer to be boards. To be a board in the tabernacle is comfortable, but to be a pillar is quite difficult. Wherever a board may be placed, it enjoys comfort. Pillars, however, face hardships. If you desire to be a pillar, you must be ready to face difficulties. The pillars were first ordinary believers, as typified by the boards. After being dealt with and experiencing a certain amount of cutting or pressure, they became pillars. Thus, it takes more work to produce a pillar than it does to produce a board. Moreover, the workmanship on the pillars is more skillful than that on the boards. To overlay a board with gold is easier than to overlay a pillar with gold. The pillars are not only redeemed, but they have been dealt with. They have suffered a great deal and have passed through many trials in order to become pillars. Hence, they signify believers strong to bear the testimony of Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion (Gal. 2:9; Rev. 3:12; 1 Tim. 3:15).
The pillars bear the testimony of Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion. First the veil indicates the incarnation of Christ, that Christ, the living Word, became flesh (John 1:1, 14). According to Hebrews 10:20, this flesh is the veil. Ultimately, through crucifixion, this veil was rent. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, the veil was rent from the top to the bottom. The fact that it was rent in this way indicates that it was torn by God. As a type, the veil signifies Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion. These are the main aspects of Christ who is put on the believers who have been redeemed and dealt with.