Having had our sins cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, having them washed away by the water of baptism, and being clad with the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:13), we need to continue our spiritual walk by entering the Holy Place. However, in doing this we are faced with another door.
This door or curtain was made of fine twined lined the same colours as the one for the outer court – blue, purple, and scarlet. In addition to these beautiful colours these curtains were embroidered or wrought with needlework of Cherubim (Exodus 26:36, 37). "The curtains of the tabernacle were of a variety of colors, most beautifully arranged, and in these curtains were wrought, with threads of gold and silver, cherubim, which were to represent the angelic host, who are connected with the work of the heavenly sanctuary and who are ministering angels to the saints upon the earth." Story of Redemption by E. G. White, page 154.
According to Morris Lewis a Hebrew Scholar, although the colours – blue, purple, and scarlet – basically represent the same thing, each curtain has a slightly different meaning. In this curtain they represent:-
Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." and "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 10:9; 14:6.) There is only one way that leads us to the Father, and that is through the door of Christ Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer.
The curtain or door was suspended on five pillars made of shittim wood which were overlaid with gold (Exodus 26:37). As elsewhere, the wood in the pillars represents humanity. Gold is a symbol of God’s perfection or the perfection of Christ’s life. As the wood was covered or hid in gold, our lives are to be hid in Christ so that all that is seen is His righteousness. Then we can claim the promise made to the church of Philadelphia, "Him that over cometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my god..." (Revelation 3:12).
Why was the door hung on five pillars instead of four as was the gate, and the inner veil, which also represented Christ? Five is the number representing the work of God's grace. It may also be that these pillars represent:-
In the first apartment we will receive sanctification, by obeying the Law of God through the power of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is Christ's representative on this earth today. As this apartment is still part of the daily ceremonies of the sanctuary, so sanctification is a daily job for us. So let us make the decision to go through this door, to continue our journey with God by our side so that one day we may live with Him forever.
© S. D. Goeldner
© S. D. Goeldner, February, 2011. Last updated August, 2020.
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