What is the meaning of Exodus 38:14? The curtains on one side of the entrance - Exodus 27:16 shows that the courtyard’s single gate faced east, pointing worshippers toward the rising light—an echo of Genesis 3:24 where re-entry to Eden lay to the east. - The “curtains” (or hangings) were not walls of stone but finely woven linen, reminding Israel that access to God’s presence was possible yet veiled (Hebrews 9:8). - John 10:9, “I am the gate,” draws a straight line from this fabric doorway to Christ, who alone grants entry. - Because the verse specifies “one side,” the text stresses order and symmetry in God’s design (1 Corinthians 14:40), assuring us that every detail of worship is purposeful, never random. Were fifteen cubits long - Fifteen cubits (about 22½ ft / 6.8 m) matched the length prescribed for the opposite side (Exodus 27:14–15), creating balanced wings flanking the 20-cubit entrance panel (Exodus 27:16). - God’s precise dimensions teach that obedience involves exactness, not approximation (Exodus 25:40; Matthew 5:18). - The repeated use of fifteen—three sets of five—hints at grace (five) multiplied and completed, a pattern that reappears in the five curtains, five bars, and five pillars elsewhere in the tabernacle (Exodus 26:3, 26:37). With three posts - Posts gave height, visibility, and strength, lifting the curtain so the congregation could see where to enter (Numbers 4:25-26). - Three posts form a simple but sturdy frame: stability without clutter, reflecting the clarity of the gospel invitation (Isaiah 45:22; Revelation 22:17). - Scripture often pictures foundational “pillars” in groups of three—Peter, James, and John in Galatians 2:9; faith, hope, and love in 1 Corinthians 13:13—underscoring harmony within diversity. And three bases - Bronze bases anchored the posts in the wilderness soil (Exodus 38:10), preventing sway when winds blew—an image of truth that cannot be shaken (Ephesians 4:14). - Each base carried the weight of one post and its share of curtain, distributing the load evenly—much like every believer carries a part of the ministry (1 Peter 4:10-11). - Together the three bases formed a level threshold; anyone stepping through the gate first touched solid metal, picturing the unchanging righteousness on which we stand (Ephesians 6:14). summary Exodus 38:14 highlights God’s careful provision for a clear, balanced, and secure entrance into His presence. A 15-cubit linen panel, upheld by three posts firmly set in three bronze bases, framed one side of the tabernacle gate. Each specification—material, measurement, and support—preaches that access to the holy God is both graciously offered and precisely defined, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the only true and steadfast doorway for His people. |
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