Outer (Thick Skin) Covering

This picture shows the outermost covering of the Tabernacle.

The covering was made from either badger or seal/dolphin skin (there is some uncertainty as to the correct translation from Hebrew). But there is no uncertainty as to its function: this covering formed a thick, protective, weatherproof layer over the Tabernacle. No amount of baking heat from the sun or wind-driven sand-storms or rain could disturb the treasure contained within the Tabernacle, thanks to this covering.

So with Christ: after 40 days in the wilderness, the tempter could not make any in-roads either at the Lord Jesus' human frailty ("Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God", Matthew 4:4), or at His perception of the divine order of things ("You shall not tempt the Lord your God... You shall worship the Lord your God; Him only shall you serve" Matthew 4:7,10).

However, from the outside this covering made the Tabernacle look ordinary and unattractive: "Who has believed our report? ...He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men" (Isaiah 53:1-3).

Today there is much temptation to be fashionable, with-it, image-conscious and the rest. Not so with Jesus. What He possesses is real and eternal. The rough fishermen of Galilee who became His close disciples saw through, declaring: "we were eye-witnesses of His majesty" (II Peter 1:16) and "we beheld His glory" and that Jesus was "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Such was their evaluation of the Word Who was made flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among them.

The casual external viewer would not give the Tabernacle much of their time, just this dull outer covering and those boring white curtains. How often do we hear "It's dull and boring"? Such people have mostly not even glimpsed the Door to the Tabernacle's Outer Court. But to those who do make their way to the Door of the Outer Court, observe its character and pass through, what they see is the Burnt Offering Altar, the Laver and then the Door to the Sanctuary that is covered with this unattractive outer covering. Such seekers are thus inspired to "consider Him Who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself" so that they do not "become weary and discouraged in their souls" (Hebrews 12:3).

Such a Christ is the Defender and Protector of the Sanctuary Building, where the upright Boards (fitted and built together to be God's dwelling place) signify the church (Ephesians 2:21-22) - not the outward appearance of religiosity and dubious organisation, but the genuine Christ-indwelt people who "have this treasure in their earthen vessels" (II Corinthians 4:7) and are being built together in genuine oneness with one another. Christ seeks to keep and protect us from the world and its influences with this oneness as His goal, just as He prayed in John 17:11-12: "Holy Father, keep them in Your name which You have given Me, that they may be ONE even as We are".