How does the tabernacle's design in Exodus 26:11 foreshadow Christ's role in salvation? Reading the Verse “You are to make fifty bronze clasps and put them on the loops to couple the tent together, so that it is a unit.” — Exodus 26:11 Bronze Clasps – Judgment Borne by Christ • In Scripture, bronze often symbolizes divine judgment (Numbers 21:8-9; Revelation 1:15). • The clasps, made of bronze, held the coverings securely—portraying Christ absorbing judgment on the cross to hold our salvation secure (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). • Because He endured judgment, no force can tear believers from their place in God’s household (Romans 8:1, 38-39). Fifty Clasps – Fullness of Redemption • “Fifty” points to Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover, when the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:1-4). • Pentecost completed the work begun at Calvary, bringing the life of the Spirit to all who trust Christ (Galatians 3:13-14). • Fifty also echoes the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:10), a time of release and restoration—fulfilled in Christ’s salvation that cancels debt and restores inheritance (Luke 4:18-21). Coupling the Tent Together – Christ Our Mediator • The clasps joined two large sets of curtains “so that it is a unit,” picturing Christ uniting what was separated: – God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15). – Jew and Gentile into one new people (Ephesians 2:14-16). • Just as every curtain depended on those clasps, every believer’s standing depends on Christ alone (John 14:6). One Complete Dwelling – The Church in Christ • The joined curtains formed a single sanctuary where God’s glory dwelled (Exodus 40:34-35). • Through Christ’s saving work, believers become “a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). • Unity is not a human achievement but the result of being fastened to Christ, the true clasp who holds the household of faith together (John 17:21-23). Living the Reality • Rest in the security purchased by Christ’s judgment-bearing sacrifice. • Celebrate the Spirit-empowered freedom and restoration signaled by the number fifty. • Pursue unity with fellow believers, knowing Christ has already made us “a unit” in Himself. |
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