The area between two pillars was five cubits by five cubits. This equaled that of the top of the altar (27:1). The area of the top of the altar was a square five cubits long and five cubits wide. Likewise, the area between any two of the pillars was five cubits wide and five cubits high. This means that the area between the pillars matched the area of the top of the altar. This signifies that Christ’s redemption for us matches the requirements of God’s righteousness. We can have the “square” righteousness of God because of Christ’s “square” redemption. Christ’s redemption matches the righteous requirements of God.
The capitals, the hooks, and the connecting rods of the pillars were all of silver. This signifies Christ’s redemption issuing out of God’s righteous judgment. The sockets and the pillars were of bronze, but the capitals, the crowns of the pillars, were overlaid with silver, and the hooks and the connecting rods were of silver. This indicates that Christ’s redemption comes out of the righteous judgment of God. This redemption is our crown and also our holding power (the hooks), our connecting strength. We, the pillars, are joined together by the strength of the redemption of Christ, which comes out of God’s righteous judgment.
We should not know all this merely as a doctrine. We must see that we can be linked together only by having a life that has been judged righteously by God. This life is also a redeeming life. Hence, we have the redemption that comes out of God’s righteous judgment. This redemption then becomes our linking power and connects us with one another. It also becomes our glory, our crown, our capitals. Therefore, first we are judged, then we are redeemed, and then we are connected and have a glorious crown. The capitals signify glory, whereas the hooks signify holding power, and the rods, joining strength.
The matters in God’s plan and economy are not simple. For instance, the expression of the church toward the world is not a simple matter. To understand this we need the type in Exodus 27.
There is another important matter here. If we would enjoy the inner aspect of the tabernacle, we must have all the details of the outer court. Unless we have come into the sphere of the outer court, there is no way for us to enter into the Holy of Holies.
Moreover, first we must enjoy Christ and experience Him as our righteousness. Then we can enjoy Him and experience Him as our holiness. This is the reason 1 Corinthians 1:30 says that first God made Christ our righteousness and then our sanctification, that is, our practical and experiential holiness. Thus, righteousness comes first and then holiness. If we would enter the innermost section of the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, we must first pass through the section of God’s righteousness.
Finally, in the outer court what we bear, what we express, is linen. But as standing boards of the tabernacle, what we bear, express, is gold. We all want to express gold. But in order to express gold, we must first bear the linen. This means that we must have the outer expression of righteousness before we can have the inner expression of holiness. The outer expression is for others, but the inner expression is for God. Without holiness, no one can see God. This is the reason Hebrews 12 charges us to pursue holiness, for without it we cannot see God. Holiness is for us to fellowship with God, to contact God, and to enjoy God. We need righteousness outwardly and holiness inwardly. We need to have the outward expression of righteousness toward all human beings, and the inward expression of holiness toward God so that we may see Him, enjoy Him, absorb Him, and have fellowship with Him.