The Tabernacle -  The Four Layer Roof and The Table of Shewbread

The Four Layer Roof

The Tabernacle had a four-layer roof.  It was a one of a kind roof.  None like it. 

First layer was of White Fine Linen

It was made of a total of 10 linen coverings. Each one had Loops of blue sown on the ends. Clasps of Gold were used to hold the ten pieces together. Gold is deity and blue is heaven. Held together by God.  His righteousness is only dependant upon Him.

Exo 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle [with] ten curtains [of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: [with] cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Exo 26:2 The length of one curtain [shall be] eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.

Exo 26:3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and [other] five curtains [shall be] coupled one to another.

Exo 26:4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of [another] curtain, in the coupling of the second.

Exo 26:5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that [is] in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.

Exo 26:6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

The first covering over the Tabernacle was made of fine twined linen and it was embroidered with blue and purple and scarlet. It covered the entire top of the tabernacle and hung over the sides, almost to the ground. It was beautifully embroidered with the figures of cherubim. It was not a simple pattern because verse one says it was of cunning work. We probably cannot image the beauty of it.

This beautiful covering formed the ceiling of the tabernacle. The first covering represents Christ in all His glory. It was only visible from the inside. This beauty was only visible to worshipers who had by the way of the door, altar and laver have been admitted into the Holy Place. The outsider on the outside of the tabernacle saw nothing of its exquisite beauty. The lost world cannot see the exquisite beauty of Christ.

All the man on the outside could see was the drab covering of badger skins. They were somber and unappealing to the natural eye. The lost man can’t see it. To know the beauty of Christ you must be in Christ. And the only way is to come through the door, by way of the blood.

And many saved people don’t see the exquisite beauty of Christ very often. There are people who come thru the door and accept the Altar, but they will not go to the Laver. The Laver was were they had to go to wash off the dirt of the world. They were not allowed into the Holy Place without first washing daily at the Laver. The Laver represents self-examination and confession to God.

If you do not stop at the Laver, then you are not going to see the exquisite beauty of Christ. You are still saved, but God is not going to show you the deeper things of Christ if you live with unconfessed sin.

The Second Layer was Goat Hair - Sin

Exo 26:7 And thou shalt make curtains [of] goats' [hair] to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

Exo 26:8 The length of one curtain [shall be] thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains [shall be all] of one measure.

Exo 26:9 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.

Exo 26:10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain [that is] outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

Exo 26:11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

Exo 26:12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.

Exo 26:13 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.

The goats were black. It showed the blackness of sin

Lev 9:15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which [was] the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This second layer that represents sin is Hidden from the inside and covered by the Red Rams skin. Our sin has been covered by the blood.

Rom 4:7 [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

The goat’s hair curtains were held together by claps of brass. Brass speaks of Judgment.

He paid for our sin. In this curtain we see sin and judgment together. God must judge sin. The Father made Him to be sin for us. On Him was laid the iniquity of us all.

It was made of 11 pieces and not 10 like the other curtains. 5 were sewn in one group and 6 in the other. Goat’s Hair Covering had one extra curtain. So some of it stuck out.

The 11th piece was rolled back at the door. It tells us in verse 9.

Every time they entered to worship they would see that black curtain speaking of sin.

It was a reminder that their sin was covered by the blood and not visible on the inside.

Once in Christ your sins are remembered no more.

Psa 85:2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

If you remember that Christ covered your sins, what should that do for your service.

More gratitude

Humility - Not puffed up. Only because of His covering can we serve.

More Praise for what He did for us.

We should never forget that He covered our sins.

The Third Layer was Rams’ skins dyed red.

Exo 26:14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent [of] rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above [of] badgers' skins.

Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I.

Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me.

Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind [him] a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

That is a picture of Christ as the substitute sacrifice. Red speaks of His shed blood.

It covered the goats’ hair. The only covering for sin is the shed blood of Christ.

We are not told how this covering was put together. No details of its size like the others. God did not give us a total understanding of this curtain.

God did not give us a total understanding of what this curtain represents either.

We do not have full understanding of what happened on the cross. It is enough for us to know that His shed blood provides covering for sin.

Positionally God does not see your sin. He looks down and sees the Blood.

The third layer speaks of the shed blood of Christ.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The 4th layer Badger skin

Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.

Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

This top layer. The layer that was visible from the outside speaks of humanity, No Beauty from outside. It looks unattractive and it is despised.

We are not told the size shape or method of attachment of the outer covering.

The tabernacle has a remarkable 4 layer roof. His exquisite beauty is only revealed from the inside. He took our sins upon Him. (Layer two) He covered our sins with His blood. (Layer three). And He did it while He was made flesh. (Layer four)

Christ is the covering.  He is a remarkable covering.  He is the only covering. 

The Table of Shewbread

Exo 25:23 Thou shalt also make a table [of] shittim wood: two cubits [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

Exo 25:24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.

Exo 25:25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.

Exo 25:26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that [are] on the four feet thereof.

Exo 25:27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.

Exo 25:28 And thou shalt make the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.

Exo 25:29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: [of] pure gold shalt thou make them.

Exo 25:30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

Close fellowship with God was only in the tent.

To get here you had to go thru the door and the altar. You had to get saved by going thru the door Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice for you at the cross. The altar was a picture of Christ’s sacrifice.

After passing those two you then had to stop at the laver for cleansing. The laver represents receiving daily cleansing from God. So your service and worship are accepted.

Now that you are saved (the door and the altar) and now that you have confessed your sins (the laver). Only now can you go into the tent where close fellowship with God is.

Just inside the tent on the right hand was the table of showbread. It represents Christ as the life sustaining bread of life. He is the bread that nourishes our spiritual life.

The table of Shewbread was made of wood overlaid with Gold. This typified the union of Jesus’ divine and human natures.

The Bread forshadowed Christ who is the true bread of life. He is the unfailing sustenance to all who partake.

Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh 6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

Joh 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

It is interesting that Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means house of bread.

The showbread typified Christ’s sinless life because it was made without leaven.

Leaven is a type of sin. Ex 12:8 15-20, Mt 16:6, Lev 2:11, 2 Cor 5:21, 1 Peter 1:19

The bread was made of fine flour Lev 2:1

Fine flour must be crushed, ground, and shifted

Jesus went thru the sifting of Satan’s temptation Mt 4:1-11 and the religious leader’s testing Mt 22:15-40

Scourging Mt 27:26-30 33-50

The flour was then baked by fire.

Jesus went thru the fire of God’s judgment on the cross.

The bread had frankincense which is a sweet fragrance.

Jesus had the sweet fragrance in all He said and did.

The priests fed on the bread for nourishment.

Each Sabbath the priests would eat the bread in the holy place and then replace them with 12 new loaves.

Lev 24: 5-9

As believer priests we are to spiritually speaking feed on Christ.

Without Him we can do nothing

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

He is our strength

Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Eating bread is a picture of receiving nourishment and strength.

Many Christians are spiritually starving. They are not feeding on Christ.

Bread is also a picture of God’s Word. There is the living Word and the written Word and they are closely connected.  It is His Book and it is all about Him. 

Many Christians are not getting the spiritual bread of God’s Word.

Luk 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

There is the Living Word and the Written Word. They are both pictured in the table of showbread and we need to feed on both.

As Christians we are to first examine ourselves and pray (The Laver) and then go and feed on God’s Word.

Understanding of God’s Word comes from God. The Holy Spirit is our teacher.

If you are grieving the spirit, the Bible will be a closed book to you.

A preacher of old, Dwayne Maxwell, told me that even after decades of Bible study. God would still show him new things. If he prayed first.

I think that a failure in this area is why so many go looking for other Bible versions. Because of the state of their heart God is not giving them any light.

So instead of Getting right with God so He can give them understanding. They look else where. They go to a new Bible perversion. Or to a lost scholar. They think that maybe they can understand God’s Word if they take the word ye out.

But it does not work that way. Light is shed on God’s Word not by man but by God.

And not having understanding of God’s word is dangerous.

Eph 4:14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

As Christians it is very important to keep short accounts with God. We need to examine ourselves and confess our sins to God daily. So we can go into the Holy Place and feed on Christ and His Word and get light from God.

When transported it was wrapped in blue cloth, then covered in scarlet cloth and then badgers skins. Numbers 4:7-8. The same covering as the Brazen altar and the candle stick with the addition of scarlet in between.