Gold Covered Boards

by G. Prasher. | Category: The Tabernacle | May 1959

(Exodus 26.15-80; 36.20-34).

We have already dealt with the sockets of silver referred to in the above scriptures, and now we come to the boards which stood on the sockets. This heavy, structural part of the dwelling is replete with spiritual teaching, and we feel how much we require the help of the Holy Spirit of God that He may grant us discernment in the truth, and ability to set forth His mind in lowliness and love, as indicated in the lines

"And as we scan each sacred page,

May lowly thoughts our mind engage;

Thoughts of Thy love, Thy gift, Thy Son,

Who died far us by sin undone!"

NOT THE VERY IMAGE

It will be well at this point to draw attention to Hebrews 10.1 where we read, For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image." This is important, and if borne in mind will save us from pushing interpretations of types too far, and seeking the exact image (eikon) where only a shadow (skia) is given. A shadow is dependent on light for its production, and the light which has produced the shadows of the tabernacle is that of the Holy Spirit. The thought presented in the word image may be gleaned from the Lord's words in Matthew 22.19, 20: "Shew Me the tribute money. And they brought unto Him a penny. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription ? " There was a material likeness in the image, but this must not be expected in the shadow.

We hope our readers will read the portions of Scripture referred to above, for it is all important that we get to the Scriptures which take us to God.

OUR NATURAL STANDING

We may consider trees in their natural standing. Who has not been impressed with their stateliness as proudly they stand with upright trunks, with limbs outspread, and with branches waving to the breeze? And yet the H6ly Spirit through David says, "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil " (Psalm 37.35). This should remind us that natural beauty cannot fit a person for service in God's house. " In all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty:

from the sole of his foot even to the crown of His head there was no blemish in him" (2 Samuel 14.25); yet he was unprofitable to God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3.6). "The mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8.7, 8). How true are the words of Romans 3.12, "They are together become unprofitable"

LAID LOW

What then is the first thing necessary if there is to be service to God in His house? The axe must be laid to the root of the trees: they must lose their natural standing: they must be laid low. Of man in a future day the LORD says, "The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day " (Isaiah 2.11). In its working the word of God is like an axe, and very many, thank God, are being brought down to the feet of the Lord Jesus in true repentance for their sin. Such can say, "My highest place is lying low

At my Redeemer's feet

No higher joy in life I know,

Than in His service sweet."

Should these lines be read by any who have not yet had the experience of being brought down and humbled before God, we would say to such, acknowledge the truth of God's word about your guilt and your unprofitableness, and allow the sharp edge of the word to bring you to the feet of the Saviour, who is able to give you a standing before God in His house.

STANDING UP TOGETHER

In order to form God's house it was necessary that the boards should not only be standing up, but also standing together. This reminds us of the words, "Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice" (Psalm 50.5).

This gathering together of God's saints is seen in operation in the New Testament. As the gospel was preached on the day of Pentecost, and hearts were bowed in repentance, we read, "They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2.41). Prosetethesan, translated were added, means, were laid by the side of, or placed side by side. This will show the thought in the mind of the Spirit.

The twenty boards on the south side of the tabernacle, and the same number on the north, with six on the west and two corner boards, were placed side by side in the formation of the house of God in the wilderness. Had the forty-eight boards stood up in divers places apart, we can readily see how the purpose of God in them would have been frustrated. To form the dwelling they must be together. Scattered saints in various sectarian places should give earnest heed to this matter. We ask, Are you an added one? Have you been numbered with those who are together forming a divine unity on earth? Are you part of God's spiritual house? This is something quite distinct from being a member of the Church which is the Body of Christ, for in the Body all saints have both place and privilege that cannot be forfeited. We are placed therein at the moment of the new birth by Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, who baptizes in the Holy Spirit into the Body, but addition to God's dwelling on earth is a thing that follows baptism in water, as the scripture from Acts 2 just quoted very clearly shows.

Saved through faith in Christ, baptized in water in obedience to the Lord, and then added unto those who are already together in the will of God are important matters to which the shadow of the boards point, so far as we have now traced them.

'Tis precious too, 0 God,

Thine eye should look upon

Thy scattered children here

United into one.

Lord, may Thy word for ever be

Our guide to perfect unity."

THE ACACIA WOOD

The acacia wood of the boards would remind us of the new nature of the believer in Christ. The shadow is seen in the natural standing of the boards, but in addition to being brought low there is a mysterious change, effected from God, which results in a new nature. "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because His seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God." Just as the old, sinful, fallen nature is incapable of good, so the new nature, the new man, is incapable of evil. Many are the passages of Scripture which bear testimony to these truths, and we need to be kept in constant remembrance of them. See 1 John 3.9. Paul says, "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7. .18): and on the other hand John says, "We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but He that was begotten of God keepeth him, and the evil one toucheth him not" (1 John 5.18). Why then does the child of God sin? It is because of the evil principle in his flesh, and because of failure to present himself a bondservant unto obedience and righteousness. "If ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8. 18). May we be helped to manifest increasingly the new nature, and reckon the old as dead! Wholesome words on this subject are found in Colossians 3.5-11. Note that there are members to mortify, and that there are things to put away. The old man with his doings is spoken of as having been put off.

OVERLAID WITH GOLD

How bright and beautiful the boards appeared in their covering of gold! Gold speaks of that which is divine, and the words of Peter in his second epistle chapter 1.3, 4 come to mind, "His divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us by His own glory and virtue; whereby He bath granted unto us His precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust." Let us lay hold on these precious and exceeding great promises and thus will be seen increasingly the gold, a likeness to Him who bath called us. He is presented in the Scriptures as Love, and to be like Him we must manifest this love. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust " (Matthew 5.44, 45), is the teaching of the Lord Jesus, and in which is indicated a likeness to God the Father in heaven sons of your Father.

This is something that will afford us constant exercise of heart before God. It is so easy to forget His promises, and to view things from a natural standpoint instead of from the spiritual. We have much to add to our faith, as Peter shows in his second epistle, but these additions reach the apex in" love of the brethren; and in your love of the brethren love" (2 Peter 1.5-7). At one time "The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold" were " esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter" (Lamentations 4.2), and the cry of Jeremiah was, "How is the gold become dim! how is the most pure gold changed! " The answer is that disobedience and rebellion against God had made the change. May the people of the Lord ever be kept humble and obedient before Him, and remembering that His desire is

That we as like Thee might become,

As we unlike have been."

BARS OVERLAID WITH GOLD

Five bars of acacia wood overlaid with gold bound the boards of

the tabernacle together on all three sides. They had rings of gold as places for the bars, and the middle bar passed through from end to end. These seem to speak of those precious qualities of the new nature, and that which is of God, which when manifest in the disciple of the Lord will have the effect of binding the saints together in the house of God. Many interpretations of these bars have been suggested: such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Others have seen the bars in Acts 2.41, 42. Others have drawn attention to those five things in Ephesians 4.2, 3 which are in agreement with a walk worthy of God. These are,

Lowliness,

Meekness,

Longsuffering,

Forbearing one another in love,

Giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Where these are manifested in the house of God saints will be blessed with peace, and will be bound together in love and harmony. May these bars not be lacking! Lowliness here means lowliness of mind. It is thus translated in Acts 20.19 where Paul recounts the manner of his service for God while he was in Asia, "Serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials." Then follows meekness. This is not weakness, but is absence of antagonism, and the presence of that spirit that enabled Moses to pray on behalf of those who treated him so unkindly, whereby he earned the appellation the meekest man in all the earth. Longsuffering requires love if it is to operate. Love suffereth long and is kind. To forbear also demands love-that love which never faileth. Thus should we endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

G. Prasher. | May 1959
The Tabernacle