What is the meaning of Exodus 36:16? He joined - The craftsman—likely Bezalel and his team (Exodus 36:1)—did not improvise but “did everything the LORD had commanded” (Exodus 36:8). - Joining pieces shows obedience to God’s exact pattern (Exodus 25:9), underscoring that worship is on God’s terms, not ours (Leviticus 10:1–3; John 4:24). - Unity is a recurring theme: just as these pieces are joined, God gathers His people into one dwelling place (Ephesians 2:21–22). five of the curtains - The first group of five corresponds with the earlier instructions (Exodus 26:3). - Five often signals human responsibility in Scripture (e.g., the Five Books of Moses), reminding Israel that they must respond to God’s design. - Each curtain was “made of fine linen, with cherubim skillfully worked” (Exodus 36:8), picturing heaven touching earth (Genesis 28:12; Revelation 4:6–8). into one set - By forming one larger unit, the five curtains create a continuous covering—an unbroken testimony of God’s holiness surrounding His people (Psalm 91:4). - This single set foreshadows the seamless righteousness of Christ, our ultimate covering (Isaiah 61:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). - Practical obedience produced something beautiful and durable, illustrating James 1:22: faith becomes tangible through action. and the other six - The additional six curtains fulfill the complete count of eleven (Exodus 26:7), leaving nothing lacking in God’s provision (Psalm 23:1). - Six, the number of man (Genesis 1:26–31), lies next to five, hinting that divine pattern (five) joins with human need (six) in the tabernacle—later realized when “the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). - These curtains were goats’ hair, signifying substitutionary sacrifice (Leviticus 16:5–10), anticipating Christ, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). into another - Separating the eleven curtains into two distinct sets allowed for orderly assembly and transport (Numbers 4:25–26). - God’s house is built in stages; likewise, believers grow “line upon line” (Isaiah 28:10) as the Spirit fits us together (1 Peter 2:5). - The dual sets formed one complete covering when coupled with clasps (Exodus 36:13), illustrating that diversity in God’s people ultimately serves unity (1 Corinthians 12:12–14). summary Exodus 36:16 showcases meticulous obedience to God’s blueprint. The joining of five and six curtains into two orderly sets teaches that: • Worship follows God’s exact instructions. • Human effort and divine design meet under a seamless covering that points to Christ. • Unity and diversity coexist in God’s dwelling, foreshadowing the Church “fitly framed together” (Ephesians 2:21 KJV). Every stitch in these curtains whispers the larger story—God preparing a place to live among His people and, ultimately, in their hearts (Revelation 21:3). |
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