Exodus 36 speaks of the building of the boards and the pillars of the tabernacle. The boards and pillars composed the main structures of the tabernacle. Although in principle the tabernacle is a type of Christ (John 1:14; 2:19-21), Christ is more fully typified by the Ark of the Testimony (Exo. 37:1-9). Because the tabernacle was built not with one board but with forty-eight boards joined together, it also signifies the church as the dwelling place of God, composed of many believers who have been joined together (Eph. 2:21-22). Strictly speaking, the Ark typifies Christ while the tabernacle typifies the church.
The Ark is composed of acacia wood, signifying the human nature of Christ, overlaid with gold, signifying the divine nature of Christ. The boards of the tabernacle are also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Because the boards are constructed of the same two elements as the Ark, they are the enlargement, the expansion, of the Ark. The church, which is the Body of Christ, is the enlargement, the expansion, of Christ as the Head. The two natures of Christ, the human nature and the divine nature, are joined together and mingled as one. When this principle of mingling is enlarged, the church is produced. The church, in principle, is the same as Christ—the human nature is mingled with the divine nature to become one entity. The church is composed not only of God Himself, nor merely of human nature alone. It is an entity of two different natures mingled together and joined into one, as typified by the acacia wood overlaid with gold.
The measurements of the boards are very significant. Exodus 36:21 says, “Ten cubits was the length of a board, and one and a half cubits, the width of each board.” In principle, ten cubits may be divided into two sections, each consisting of five cubits, just as the Ten Commandments are divided into two groups of five each, and the ten curtains are divided into two sections joined together (vv. 8, 10). As we have seen before, five signifies the number of responsibility. Furthermore, two indicates a testimony (Matt. 18:16). Therefore, the length and materials of the boards signify the responsibility for the testimony of God’s building, taken by us who have been regenerated with the nature of God.
The width of the boards was one and a half cubits. Since the basic numbers of God’s building are three and five, we may realize that one and a half is simply half of the number three. This signifies that one board is not complete in itself. It must be completed by another board. Two boards joined together complete the number three. This principle is quite clear in the Scriptures; in Luke 10:1-16 the Lord sent the disciples out by twos. As members of the church none of us should be individualistic. Individualism is against the principle of the Body, the house of God. By ourselves, individually, we can never be complete. We are merely half a unit. We all must be related together to be complete. In principle, we must go in pairs.
Exodus 36:22a and 24 say, “Each board had two tenons fitted to one another...And he made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under the next board for its two tenons.” Beneath each board there were two tenons. Here again is the number two, the number of testimony and confirmation. We need both the testimony and the confirmation. A testimony is given by us to others, while confirmation is something received by us from others. We must be confirmed by others. If one board were to have only one tenon, it would be easy for it to turn and even fall down. One board with two tenons is more stable, not easily turning or falling. Some brothers or sisters may easily be turned or changed. Last month they may have been doing quite well, but now they have changed and are no longer doing well. It seems that they have only one tenon instead of two. If we have two tenons, we will be stable. It will not be easy for us to have such a change or to fall because we are always confirmed by others and can give testimony to others.
With each tenon there was a socket made of silver (v. 24). Silver represents redemption. The redemption of the Lord is the base on which the building of God is laid. These silver sockets were very weighty. According to 38:27, each socket was of a talent of silver, the equivalent of about one hundred pounds. The tenons of the boards were placed into the sockets of silver. Forty-eight boards had two sockets each. Another four sockets were cast for the four pillars which bore the inner veil (36:36). This totaled to one hundred sockets of silver. One hundred in the Scriptures signifies fullness and completion. The Lord said that some would bear fruit thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and one hundredfold (Matt. 13:8), indicating fruit-bearing in fullness. The redemption of the Lord as the base of the tabernacle is in fullness. There is nothing short; Christ’s redemption is absolutely full and complete.