The goat was pre-eminently the sin-offering (Lev. 16:5, 105And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. (Leviticus 16:5)
10But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:10)). Thus in the deeply interesting ritual on the annual day of atonement, the sin-offerings took precedence of the burnt-offerings. Whereas in the normal order the burnt-offerings are first in historical sequence (see Lev. 1. and 4.). The goats and sheep are contrasted: the former are sinners, the latter righteous persons (Matt. 25:32, 3332And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (Matthew 25:32‑33)). Christ was the great sin-offering. He poured out His soul unto death. His soul was made an offering for sin, hence of this sacrifice only it is said the priest “shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the Altar” (Lev. 4.). In the case of the burnt-offering the blood was sprinkled round about the altar (Lev. 1.). Poured in the one, sprinkled in the other. But while the goat and sin are associated thoughts in the mind, it is Christ in life, and not on the Cross, which is before us in the goats’ hair curtains, hence they point to Him as the Prophet of God, fulfilling His prophetic ministry here on earth, in absolute separation from evil.
“His path, uncheered by earthly smiles,
Led only to the Cross.”
The gorgeous tapestry within, and the rough exterior of the goat covering without, are thus set in sharp contrast. The outward severity of Christ’s life in holy separateness from sin, thank God, not from sinners, would be the aspect towards man. Zech. 13:44And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: (Zechariah 13:4) (margin) shows the import of what we are now considering. Christ, not actually as John (Matt. 3:44And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. (Matthew 3:4)), but morally, wore the prophetic mantle which necessarily kept Him apart from the sins of those whom He came to save, and this during His prophetic ministry on earth. But the Cross changed all. There He bore our sins and fulfilled His course on earth. We may remark that Heb. 7:2626For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26) refers to Christ in heaven, not as down here. “Separate from sinners” should read “separated from sinners.”
There was no beauty in this outer covering, and there was none in Christ that He should be desired. His visage was marred. There was neither beauty, form, nor comeliness in Him to fix the gaze and ravish the heart of an unbelieving world. It is in the sanctuary where the beauties and glories of Christ are disclosed. It is there that hearts are bowed and souls worship.
The Curtains: Their Division and Arrangement.
“And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the Tabernacle” (26:9).
There were eleven curtains in all. Five are coupled by themselves, width to width, namely, four cubits. The measurements were the same in all — 30 cubits in length and four in breadth. Thus the six are coupled by themselves not length to length, but breadth to breadth.
The sixth or additional curtain was to be doubled up in the east end or forefront of the Tabernacle. As the breadth was four cubits, it Would, of course, expose two cubits of curtain when doubled. It is the same word that is used of the breastplate of the high priest: “Four-square it shall be, being doubled” (Exod. 28:1616Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. (Exodus 28:16)). Into this pouch or bag were deposited “the [Trim and the Thummim,and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart when he goeth in before the LORD” (verse 30). Thus to all observers in the Court two cubits of a goats’ hair curtain met their gaze, and it is remarkable that no other curtains or coverings were allowed to hang down in the front, save this special one. This peculiar arrangement served a double purpose. It effectually screened from outside observation the golden hooks, golden chapiters — ornamental parts of the pillars and the gold fillets or rods between the pillars, and on which were hung the hangings of the door. Thus these two cubits of doubled goats’ hair were a continual witness to the condemnation of sin, and absolute separation from it by Christ, to Whom these curtains point.
“And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth shall hang over the back side of the Tabernacle” (26:12). The meaning is that each of the five-fold curtains (the sixth measure was doubled up at the entrance) was 20 cubits in breadth. The first 20 therefore covered the Tabernacle up to the taches under which hung the Veil; the second 20 cubits-breadth covered the remaining part of the Tabernacle, namely, 10 cubits, the other 10 hung over the back at the west end, completely covering the beautiful curtains from all outside. Thus what hung over the back was a half curtain.
“And a cubit on the one side and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the Tent., it shall hang over the sides of the Tabernacle on this side, and on that side to cover it” (verse 13). The Tabernacle curtains were each 28 cubits in length, which when thrown over the boards left a cubit on each side-south and north-exposed. But the goats’ hair curtains, being 30 cubits in length, thus completely covered the sides. Thus the whole of the west end was covered, as also the sides―no portion of the gold-covered boards could be seen from the Court. These goats’ hair curtains covered all up from an outsider.
Loops and Taches.
The curtains were coupled by loops — of what material or color we know not―and by taches of brass. The innermost curtains were secured by loops of blue and taches of gold. Both gold and brass signify Divine Righteousness. The former metal is righteousness in God’s presence — righteousness in its own intrinsic character; the latter, righteousness shown in the judgment of evil according to the deserts of failed human responsibility.
The goats’ hair curtains speak of Him in His rugged, severe, and solitary separation from all that was not of God, hence His withering exposure of hypocrisy and stern denunciations of sin (Matt. 23.). The taches of brass and loops would intimate that He the Holy and Righteous One was tested and tried. But His life in all its parts, in all His words and deeds, were knit together; secured in one. Righteousness coupled together the manger and the cross. Those taches of brass unite in one, God’s love and God’s wrath.
In the case of the goats’ hair curtains the taches were put into the loops (26:11). This is not said of the Tabernacle curtains (verse 5). As the Tent curtains covered the Tabernacle ones, the brass taches must have been exactly over the gold taches, and underneath those the Veil was suspended. How intimate therefore the connection between righteousness in the Divine presence (the gold taches), and that same righteousness manifested on earth (the brass taches). The Divine and human meet in Christ.
Sin Condemned Tn the Life and in the Death of Christ
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin (or as a sacrifice for sin) condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)). Here we have two things―THE INCARNATION and THE CROSS. In both we have God’s condemnation of sin. This was God’s great lesson to Israel―to priests and people. It is God’s supreme lesson to the Church in every age.
The sockets of brass on which rested securely the pillars supporting the door hangings, and the goats’ hair above spoke of Christ. The hidden sockets as surely tell their tale, as the goats’ hair seen by all. The former point to the Divine ability or Christ to sustain the judgment of God against sin. The latter also directs to Christ, but as the Prophet of God in His life of absolute separation from sin. The goats’ hair seen by all in the Court, refer to sin condemned in the Incarnation, while the sockets of brass equally point us to the Cross, in which sin was judged and borne. There was no sin on Him and no sin in Him― all during His life (Num. 19: 2). On the Cross there were sins laid on Him, but never was sin in Him. There is no sin on us, but there is sin in us, and ever will he till death or the Coming part us and it forever.
The curtains thus coupled and secured formed the Tent “that it may be one” (verse 11). The unity of office and glory centering in the Person of our Lord, seems expressed in verses 6 and 11―one Tabernacle and one Tent.
“Not a sound invades the stillness,
Not a form invades the scene,
Save the voice of my Beloved,
And the Person of the King.”