A.)The Tent or Tabernacle was the focal point of worship as the Jews traveled. Camped in front of the east entrance were the tents of Moses and his brother Aaron. The tribe of Levi, who ministered to the things of the Lord concerning the Tabernacle, were camped on the remaining 3 sides by families: The Kohathites, the Gershonites and the Merarites. Each family had a particular responsibility or ministry to the Tabernacle, including breaking camp, wrapping the furniture and transporting it on their shoulders. Because they ministered to the things of God, they , as the priestly tribe, had to live as close as they could to the Tabernacle tent. There's a lesson here for us, who are spiritual priests, to make sure we camp as close to the Presence of God as possible so we may be able to rightly handle the things of God!

B.)The other 12 tribes camped directly behind the Levites, 3 tribes on each of of the 4 sides, with the tribe of Judah behind the tent of Moses, at the eastern gate. An overview of the camp would show the Tabernacle in the center, with the Levitical priesthood positioned between the Tabernacle and the other tribes. The population of the tribes covered an area of 12 square miles, with smaller tribes positioned north and south, and the larger numbered tribes camped east and west. An arial view of the camp would give the appearance of a cross, which is exactly what everything in and about the Old Testament points to, speaks of and encompasses.

C.)Outer Court: ( Exodus 27:10-19 )The Bible measures the court in cubits, 100x50, which would measure approx 150'x 75'. In the study of Bible numerics, the number 100 is found associated with "chosen ones"; 50 connected to the Holy Ghost, ( poured out on the 50th day); 70, used with exile; and 5, the number of Grace. Using all the numbers found in the courtyard measurements of the Tabernacle we see a message confirming the plan...the Holy Ghost, (50), leading the exiled,(70), chosen, (100), people back to their homeland, by the Grace of God,(5).
        The court was surrounded by 60 wood pillars, 20 on each side, and 10 at each end.( The Scripture is silent about the type of wood that was used, and where the Bible is silent on issues, we make no presumption, so that we neither add to or delete from the Word. It's a dangerous practice to take a stand or build a doctrine on issues where there is no Scriptural support, or 2 or 3 Biblical witness for confirmation.). On top of each pillar or board, were silver chapiters, (decorative top caps), with silver hooks, on which a linen drape was hung, surrounding the outer court. The pillars, stabilized with cords that were tied to brass stakes or staves, were sunk deep into the ground and secured in the groove of a brass socket. The deeper the board was sunk, the more stable it was against adverse weather conditions and storms.

        All of the above serve as types and shadows of the Lord in His redemptive work. Like the wood pillars or boards, He, too, was of the earth, for humanity came from the dust of the earth. It was predicted that the Messiah would be born of flesh, (.Isaiah 9:6) It was never thought He would be angelic or of superhuman ilk, but always, the prophecies concerning Him and His appearance referenced to humanity, earthly.( 1 Tim 3:16..God, manifest in the flesh; Galatians 4:4: "..when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son, made of a woman..") Brass speaks of durability, a tough and enduring material that can withstand high heat. Even it's natural color, gold, speaks of Divinity. So it is, within the framework of the boards, the brass stakes and the nails, we have a picture of Yeshua: stable; giving us the security of our salvation; our human Pillar and Socket. Robed in flesh, the Eternal Spirit of God, incarnate in the body of a man, endured the fiery chastisement of judgment on the cross. Then He descended deeply into the bowels of the earth, where He secured the keys of death and hell for us. It was His stability and strength that enabled Him to be driven into the earth, as the Brass Stake, to secure the pillar. Our Salvation, also, was made sure that day when He allowed the nails to be deeply driven into His hands and feet on Calvary's cross. We need to be driven as deeply as we can into Yeshua, that our lives may be stabilized against the storms and adversities of this life! As the Pillar was anchored into the Socket, we need to be anchored into Yeshua!

D.)Silver Chapitar: This was a headcap or valance with hooks that the linen drapes hung upon. It was formed from silver melted down from the silver shekels brought by the congregation to the priests for their ransom offering.( History records that this is the fund from which sacrificial animals were purchased for Temple rites.) As brass was the metal symbolizing Divinity , silver was a symbol of redemption or atonement. (Exodus 30:11-16, and Exodus 38:28.) Each person had to being a shekel for himself..no one could pay for another, and the price was the same for everyone. As they brought their atonement offering, their name was recorded by the priest as part of their redemption.

        The New Testament records the price paid to Judas was 30 pieces of silver, for the One Who become the world's Atonement! The money they paid Judas was taken from the fund used to buy sacrificial animals, and so it was, that the final Sacrifice made for the Jewish nation was paid for by the ransom fund. Yeshua was, indeed, dying a Ransom for the world! Everyone's atonement costs the same..Calvary! Those who accept what was done on Calvary, and continue to keep His word will have their name recorded in the Lamb's book of Life by the High Priest of our Salvation, Yeshua, (Jesus Christ).

E.)The White Linen Drapes that hung on the chapiters are symbolic in color and material of purity and righteousness. Rev 19:8 refers to " the righteousness of the saints" dressed in white linen. But, in our humanity, we have no righteousness of our own. Isaiah tells us that OUR righteousness is "as filthy rags", and Jeremiah 23:6 reveals that our ONLY righteousness is the LORD!

        What a beautiful picture we have here of Yeshua: He hung upon the wooden cross, as did the linen curtains. He, Pure and Holy, by virtue of hanging , became our Righteousness, Ransom and Redemption. The Jews were ransomed by shekels, but 1 Peter 1:18,19 tells us we are not redeemed any longer by silver or gold, but by the precious blood of Yeshua.

F.)The Eastern Gate: This was the gate that formed the entrance into the outer court . It was 30' wide, with 4 supportive pillars, upon which the curtains hung, making 3 separate entrances within the one gate. It was wide and tall enough to accompany any size sacrifice or offering.

        There are significant spiritual analogies within this picture of the gate. God is not willing that anyone perish, and the door of Salvation is open to anyone, regardless of the size or enormity of their sin or situation. In the Old Testament, there was no door to the garden, because there was no sin there, and Adam had direct communication with the Father. He was always in the presence of God. After Adam's fall, God evicted him from the garden and and placed angels in front of the garden to guard it. Adam could not get past the angels, for they protected the entrance with a flaming sword, and so Adam was barred from the garden and the intimate Presence of God. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that our sin has separated us from God, so now, in order to gain entry into His Presence, we need to enter through the only Door opened to us, Yeshua. John 14:6 tells us Jesus said "..no man cometh to the Father but by Me", because He had become the Door of Salvation. ( John 10:9. God was IN Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself through the flesh of the man, Yeshua. Yeshua, by virtue of what He did on Calvary as the Son, (flesh), becomes the Door of our acceptance. Yeshua also revealed Himself to be " the Way, the Truth and the Life", ( John 14:6 ), which we can relate to the gate. Over each entrance could be written:

        ( WAY )        (TRUTH)        ( LIFE )
         LORD          JESUS          CHRIST
  Eternal Spirit     Savior           Messiah
          Father             Son             Anointed
One gate, ( door ), containing 3 entrances;
One God, containing 3 manifestations:
Father, in creation; in the Son, for redemption; as the Holy Spirit in men.

There were 4 pillars that supported the gate that contained the entrance, just as there are 4 Gospels that support the record of the New Testament, each telling part of the life and ministry of Yeshua as the writer saw and lived it with Him. Each writer presented Him from a different vantage point:

Matthew presented Yeshua, the king;
Mark presented Yeshua, the Man;
Luke presented Yeshua, the Servant;
John presented Yeshua, our God.


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