The Tabernacle Courtyard





"You shall make the court of the Tabernacle"

(Exodus 27:9a NASB)







Thus we have the Tabernacle in three divisions,

symbolic in itself.



No, not for 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost'.  But

just because it was divided ...something which

isn't the case in NT churches.



Christ being the Mediator and ecclesiastical Head

in both the New Testament and the Old.



And, He is represented in each of the chambers

of the OT Tabernacle.



Just that the Savior is more directly visible in the

current dispensation than the last dispensation.





The courtyard (and Tabernacle as a whole) was

fenced. We've previously discussed the significance

of this not being un-walled and open.



[ Greek temples as early as the 7th. Century B.C.

had open colonnades for their perimeter.



 



That would've been a great convenience over a full

fence for the men who had to move the Tabernacle

from place to place.  But the Tabernacle was not

something which could be entered from any direction ! ]



The Tabernacle had only one way to get inside (v. 16).

And you really couldn't even look in from outside.





The fencing was 150-feet long by 75-feet wide. [ We

assume here an ancient cubit equals 18-inches. ]



So, the place wasn't huge.  Out of all the masses of

Israel, it could accommodate only a few.



( Matthew 22:14 comes to mind. )



The fencing and the size bespeak exclusitivity.





Not that the Tabernacle was restricted to ethnic

Jews only.



Leviticus 17:8-9 indicates that geyr (literally "guests";

NASB, NRSV, "aliens"; NKJ, WEB, ESV "strangers";

CSB "foreigners") could also present sacrifices there.



Just not do-yourself-religion.  Numbers 15:14-16

making this very plain: "an alien or anyone else

...must do exactly as you do" (NIV).





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"God is still on the throne!"
April and Miss Flurrie