Taken from “SEEING CHRIST in the TABERNACLE” by Ervin N. Hershberger
The type of some of these is identified by the Bible. For most of them the conclusion is simply drawn from the way they are used. Admittedly some of them may be debatable. To me the collective evidence is impressive, but if found in error, I gladly welcome corrective instruction. The most important goal of this study is that Christ be lifted up and glorified.
Symbolism Attached to Materials and Colors
- Gold – (as used herein) The deity and glory of Jesus Christ
- Silver – Atonement (Ex. 30:13-16)
- Brass – Judgment (Lev. 26:19; Nu. 21:8-9; Dt. 28:23)
- Blue – The Heavenly One (The atmospheric heavens are blue.)
- Purple – The Royal One (Known as the royal color.)
- Scarlet – The Suffering Servant (Atoning Blood)
- Fine Linen – The righteousness of saints (Rev. 19:8)
- Goats Hair – Primarily the Fatal Sin of Man (Rom. 5:12)
- Plus the Sin Offering (Isa. 53:10; 2 Cor. 5:21)
- Rams’ Skins dyed red – Consecration – obedient unto death
- Badgers’ Skins – Unlimited protection in Christ
- Shittim Wood – Incorruptible Humanity of Christ (Ps. 16:10b)
- Oil – Typifies the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Christ)
- Sweet Spices – Jesus’ beautiful, fragrant life (Ex. 30:34-38)
- The Veil – “That is to say, his flesh” (Heb. 10:20)
Symbolism Attached to Numbers and Measurements
- One Unity
- Two Fellowship; Union with Christ; Two are a Witness
- Three The Trinity, or Triune Godhead
- Four Earth (Four winds; four corners of the earth)
- Five Grace (Quite evident in typology studies)
- Six Man; Human weakness (Short of perfection – Rom. 3:23)
- Seven Perfection (Seven or seventh 549 times in the Bible)
- Eight New Beginning (New world began with 8 people; new week)
- Nine Spirit Fruit (Gal. 5); Nine Beatitudes; self repeating1
- Ten Responsibility on earth; Completeness
- Eleven Human failure; Confusion; Judgment
- Twelve Number for earthly government (12 tribes; 12 Apostles)
- Forty Testing; Probation (Jonah 3:4; Luke 4:2)
- Fifty Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:8-17)
In measurements involving half-cubits, each half-cubit becomes a unit of measure. For example:
- 1 ½ cubits = three half-cubits (Three – Trinity)
- 2 ½ cubits = five half-cubits (Five – Grace)
Moreover, baking, beating, bruising, burning, crushing, piercing and roasting may well remind us of Christ’s suffering. For example: beaten gold (Ex. 39:3), roasted lamb (Ex. 12:9).
THE RAM OF CONSECRATION (pp. 71-72)
Exodus 29:19-28; Leviticus 8:22-30
These are lengthy passages. Please follow in your Bible to understand the consecration. Moses brought the Ram of Consecration. Aaron and his sons, in acknowledgement of their guilt and their need, identified with the victim by laying their hands upon its head. The Moses slew the ram, took of the blood, “and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot” (Ex. 29:20; Lev. 8:23). He put blood upon the same three points of Aaron’s sons.
We understand that these three points represented their hearing, service, and walk of life. There is a children’s song which says, “Be careful little ears what you hear, … Be careful little hands what you do, … Be careful little feet where you go.” But why daub only the tip of one ear? No one hears with the tip of his ear! The tip is the very extremity of an ear, farthest from the inner ear. It is the last point that could possibly symbolize the hearing.
May we not thereby understand that God is concerned about the smallest portion of what we hear? He cares about peripheral misdeeds that only happen now and then, and those questionable places where we attend only once in awhile? The tip, the thumb, the toe – each represents an entire faculty: and true commitment includes the peripheral details as well as main-line activities. So beware of “little foxes, that spoil the vines” (Song of Sol. 2:15).
AARON AND ELEAZAR (pp.91-92)
“Aaron and his sons” are the first partnership of priests recorded in the Bible. Melchizedek was “the priest of the most high God” (Gen. 14:18). Evidently there was no associate priest; therefore there was no high priest. Aaron’s sons were priests by virtue of being sons of Aaron.
Aaron and his sons together typified the spiritual priesthood of all true believers in the New Testament, who are priests only by virtue of being in Christ, our true High Priest. “Ye also…are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). He “hath made us kings and priests unto God” (Rev. 1:6; 5:10).
Aaron the high priest, in offering sacrifices, typified Christ in the flesh offering the Ultimate Sacrifice, of which all other sacrifices were only a shadow. Then in his death Aaron typified Christ ascending into heaven.
When Aaron’s time came to die, God told Moses to bring Aaron and Eleazar up into Mount Hor, where Aaron was to die. Numbers 20:23-28. “Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.” Aaron died and God concealed the record of his burial. Aaron’s going up and not returning typifies the Ascension of Christ.
Eleazar, however, returned in Aaron’s stead, wearing the high priestly garments. Eleazar (the returning high priest) thereby typifies Christ in His Second Coming, whose imminent return the Church awaits with fond anticipation.
In our Introduction we said that the Tabernacle, a portable and temporary structure, typifies Christ and His Church on earth. While Aaron was living, Eleazar was to be “chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them, that keep the charge of the sanctuary” (Nu. 3:32). To him also pertained the oil for the light, the incense, the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle (4:16). In all this Eleazar typified Christ as Head of the Church throughout the church age.
In short, Aaron typified the ministry of Christ on earth, and Eleazar typified His ministry in heaven throughout the church age, which will be climaxed by His Coming Again!
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