Exodus 26:1-6: a reflection

1“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. You shall make them with the work of a skillful workman. 2The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure. 3Five curtains shall be coupled together to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. 4You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling, and you shall do likewise on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second coupling. 5You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one another. 6You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains to one another with the clasps. The tabernacle shall be a unit.

In the instructions for building the tabernacle, God specifies its curtains, ten of fine linen, worked with blue and purple and scarlet. Each curtain is made separately, but they are not meant to remain apart. Loops are made along their edges, and clasps of gold join them together, so that, the instruction says, the tabernacle shall be a unit, one whole. The many separate curtains are coupled together to form the single dwelling place of God.

Notice how the one dwelling was formed: many separate pieces, joined together into one. No single curtain was the tabernacle by itself; each was made to be coupled to the others, joined by loops and clasps, so that together they became one whole in which God would dwell. The unity was not a matter of the pieces being identical or standing alone, but of their being rightly joined to one another, connected, made one.

That is a picture of God's people, whom the New Testament calls a dwelling place for God. We are not meant to stand alone, each a separate piece; we are meant to be joined together, connected to one another, coupled into one whole in which God dwells. A curtain by itself is not the tabernacle; a believer in isolation is not the dwelling God intends. Do not try to be a Christian alone, disconnected from others. Be rightly joined to your fellow believers, coupled to them in love, part of the one whole God is building. God makes his dwelling not in scattered, separate pieces, but in a people joined together into one; take your place, joined to the others, in the dwelling he is forming.

Lord, in building the tabernacle, you had the many separate curtains joined by loops and clasps so that it became one whole, a single dwelling place for you. Help me see in that a picture of your people, whom you are making into a dwelling for yourself. We are not meant to stand alone, each a separate piece, but to be joined together, connected to one another, coupled into one whole in which you dwell. A curtain by itself is not the tabernacle; a believer in isolation is not the dwelling you intend. Keep me from trying to follow you alone, disconnected from others. Help me be rightly joined to my fellow believers, coupled to them in love, part of the one whole you are building. You make your dwelling not in scattered, separate pieces, but in a people joined together into one; help me take my place, joined to the others, in the dwelling you are forming.