The first layer of the covering of the tabernacle has nothing to do with our entering into God’s dwelling place. But both the veil and the screen are related to entering into the tabernacle. If there were no way for us to come into God’s dwelling place, we could not have any experience of God’s dwelling place. This means that the tabernacle would have nothing to do with us in our experience; it would simply exist objectively apart from us. But if we enter the tabernacle, the tabernacle will become experiential and subjective to us. We shall not only come into God’s dwelling place, but we shall even become identified with it. Therefore, when we enter into the tabernacle, we become one with it. The crucial problem we face is how it is possible for us to enter God’s dwelling place.
How can we enter the dwelling place of the holy and righteous God, the God who is love and light? If we examine ourselves, we shall realize that we are not holy or righteous. Along with Isaiah, we shall declare, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:5). Because we are of unclean lips, we are not qualified to be in God’s dwelling place. God is holy, but we are unclean. God is righteous, but we are altogether unrighteous. God is love, but we are full of hatred. God is light, but we are darkness. How then can we enter into the dwelling place of the holy and righteous God? How can we come into the dwelling place of the God who is love and light? It is impossible for us as fallen people to enter into God’s dwelling place.
Christ is a twofold barrier keeping us out of God’s dwelling place. If we would come into the tabernacle, we must match the curtain at the entrance. Within the tabernacle dwells the holy and righteous God, the God of love and light, as signified by the fine twined linen, the heavenly blue, the royal purple, and the gold typifying the expression of God. If we do not correspond to this curtain, we do not match God. The curtain is actually a marvelous description of God and of what He is. But this curtain becomes the barrier which keeps us away from God’s dwelling place. Furthermore, there is a twofold barrier, for both the veil and the screen keep us away from God’s presence.
How can we pass through this twofold barrier so that we can come into God’s dwelling place? Compare yourself with the screen at the entrance, a screen which is the description of God. This screen indicates that God is fine, heavenly, royal, divine, and glorious. Actually, this screen signifies Christ in His humanity as God’s description. But because we are sinful, this screen, this description, is a barrier between us and God, a separation between us and Him. If you compare yourself with the screen, you will realize that you cannot match it in any way. Far from being heavenly and royal, you are a pitiful, unclean, unjust sinner. How then can you pass through this barrier and come into the dwelling place of the holy and righteous God?
God definitely wants us to come into the tabernacle. This is indicated by the fact that His dwelling place has walls made of boards only on three sides. One side has no standing boards, but is instead covered by a curtain, a screen. This indicates that God’s expectation is that His people would be able to come into His dwelling place. Nevertheless, as we have seen, if we would come into the tabernacle, we must match God’s description. We must match what He is.
Because we are sinful, we need to be judged by the holy and righteous God. Because we are full of hatred and darkness, we need to be judged by the God of love and light. This judgment took place when Christ died for our sins. In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul tells us that Christ died for our sins. This is the first aspect of the basic truth of the gospel. We have stolen, we have hated others, we have told many lies, and we have done many evil things. Nevertheless, Christ was judged by God on our behalf; He died for our sins.
That Christ was judged for us is indicated by the five sockets of bronze under the five pillars which support the curtain. Brass signifies God’s righteous judgment exercised upon rebels (Num. 16:38-39). The two hundred fifty who rebelled against God were judged by Him. God told Moses to take the brass censers belonging to those rebellious ones and make them plates to cover the altar upon which sacrifices were offered to God for His judgment upon redeemed sinners. Another case showing that brass signifies God’s judgment is the lifting up of a brass serpent on a pole (Num. 21:9). Because the children of Israel were sinning against God, they were sentenced to die. But God told Moses to make a serpent of brass and put it on a pole to indicate that it would be judged by God for them. The five sockets of brass indicate that Christ was judged for our sins.
The Christ who died for our sins, being judged for us, has become the screen at the door of the tabernacle. On the one hand, this Christ is a screen keeping us away; on the other hand, He is an entry allowing redeemed sinners to come into God’s dwelling place. Once we were kept away from the tabernacle. We were altogether screened out. But because Christ has died for our sins and has been judged by God for us, we can now enter into God’s dwelling place. How wonderful!