Numbers 4:8-148And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. 9And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 10And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar. 11And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: 12And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar: 13And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 14And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it. (Numbers 4:8‑14)
In speaking of the scarlet cloth spread over the top of the blue on the table of showbread, it is marvelous to think of the time when there will be righteous government in the earth, administered by men (1Cor. 6:22Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2)). Yes, there is a wonderful day of human glory, which the scarlet typified, coming, when we will reign over the earth, and Israel on the earth. Of course our chapter tells of these vessels in their passage through the wilderness, and so this bright covering of scarlet was hidden by the badgers’ skins over the top. This reminds us of the Lord Jesus who was truly the rightful King, walking a separate and rejected path, as were the disciples who were sent forth by Him. Thus the glory of the kingdom could not be seen then as it will in the millennium—it was, as it were, covered over. In applying this to ourselves may we too, who are now His people, be careful to maintain that separation from evil, being conscious of the future glory before us, for we are kings now, though not reigning yet. (Rev. 1:66And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:6).).
Next we read of how the seven branch candlestick was to be carried through the wilderness. It speaks of light by the power of the Spirit—the true Oil. This candlestick was to be covered with blue, for it was typical of heavenly light down here in the Person of Christ. It was then covered with badgers’ skins, for he maintained that path, as the true Light, in separation from all evil. What lessons for us who are now to walk as He walked in this world. (1 John 2:66He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6).) We are now the children of light (1 Thess. 5:55Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)), to walk as heavenly men in a path of separation from the darkness that is all around us.
The altar of incense and other vessels of the sanctuary were to be covered in the same way as the candlestick, for the true heavenly character of our worship can only be maintained in this wilderness world is we walk in separation from its evil. How necessary that ever the youngest should learn this, for thy devil is making a special attack on the young today, and would seek, from the very start of their schooling, to hinder a separate and heavenly walk. He would make our children part and parcel of the world in its pleasures or its religion—anything to hinder separation to Christ. One feels we need to be increasingly watchful in these last day.
Then there was the altar of burnt offering which had a purple cloth over it, and over all its vessels. Purple speak of royalty and of reigning, and so the Lord Jesus, the One who suffered (like the victim on the altar) is the One who will reign. This also has its application to us. We can, of course, never suffer as He did, for He bore the judgment of God against sin, but we can suffer for Him, and He has said, “If we suffer, we shall reign with Him.” 2 Tim. 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12). This purple cloth was then covered over with badgers’ skins, telling us of the Lord Jesus, the rightful King, being rejected and suffering outside the gate. Now we are to go out unto Him, bearing His reproach. (Heb. 13:12, 1312Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:12‑13).)
Of all these vessels of the sanctuary, the ark was the only one which had the covering of blue on the outside, and this was because it typified the Person of Christ—the Lord from Heaven—and He could not be hid. As they moved along on their wilderness journey the ark went before them, and surely we delight to give the Lord Jesus the place of pre-eminence now, as He will have it forever above.
ML 01/08/1951