Commentary - Exodus 26:36-37

Bird's-eye view

In these two verses, we come to the front door of the tent of meeting. After all the intricate instructions for the tabernacle's structure, the curtains, and the inner veil that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, we are now given the design for the entrance. This is not just an architectural detail; it is a theological statement. Every entrance and every barrier in the tabernacle system teaches us something about access to God. This screen, like the veil before the Holy of Holies, is a gate. It is a beautiful gate, but a gate nonetheless. It controls access. The materials are rich and symbolic, pointing to the glories of heaven and the bloody sacrifice required to get there. The structure, with its five pillars, gold, and bronze, speaks of the strength and value of this entryway, which ultimately finds its fulfillment in Christ, who is the Door.

What we are seeing here is the pattern of heaven being established on earth. God is condescending to dwell with man, but He is doing so in a way that constantly reminds man of His holiness. You cannot just wander into God's house. You must come His way, through the prescribed entrance. This screen is a gracious provision, a beautiful doorway, but it also stands as a sentinel, reminding Israel that the way into God's presence is a serious business. It is a gospel-shaped doorway, woven with the colors of redemption.

Outline

Context In Exodus

These verses are situated in the heart of the tabernacle instructions which run from chapter 25 through chapter 31. God has just detailed the inner veil (Ex. 26:31-35), the curtain that separated sinful man from the immediate, blazing holiness of God's throne room, the Holy of Holies. Now, He moves outward to the next point of transition, the entrance to the Holy Place. This is a movement from the inside out, from the most holy to the holy. The structure of the tabernacle is a series of concentric circles of holiness, and each curtain or screen marks a boundary. This screen at the tent's entrance is what a priest would first pass through to begin his daily service. It is the public face, so to speak, of the dwelling place of God. The instructions are meticulous because this is not man's idea; it is a divine blueprint for worship, a shadow of the good things to come in Christ Jesus.

Key Issues

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 36 “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver.”

First, notice that this is a "screen for the doorway." It is not a solid door of wood or metal, but a woven textile. This speaks of a certain kind of accessibility, but one that is still guarded. A screen conceals, but it is not an absolute, impenetrable barrier. It is a soft boundary. And it is for "the doorway of the tent." This is the sole point of entry into the Holy Place. There is only one way in. The gospel is not a cafeteria of options; it is a narrow way, a single door. And that door is Jesus Christ (John 10:9).

The materials are consistent with the other significant textiles in the tabernacle. We have "blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen." These are not just decorative choices. Blue speaks of the heavens, of the divine origin of this dwelling place. Purple is the color of royalty, signifying that this is the house of the King of kings. Scarlet is the color of blood, of sacrifice, of the atonement that is necessary for any man to approach a holy God. And the fine twisted linen speaks of righteousness and purity, specifically the perfect righteousness of Christ. These colors together proclaim the gospel: the divine King who would shed His blood to provide the righteousness we need to enter His presence. This is the story of redemption woven into the very fabric of the door.

Finally, it is "the work of a weaver." This is not a random or haphazard construction. It is a work of skill, artistry, and intelligent design. God is interested in beauty and order. The worship He prescribes is not ugly or chaotic. The intricate work points to the wisdom of the ultimate designer, God Himself, and it prefigures the masterful work of Christ's own flesh, the true curtain through which we enter (Heb. 10:20).

v. 37 “You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.”

The beautiful screen must be held up, and it is held up by "five pillars of acacia." Acacia wood was the common wood of the wilderness, but it was also very durable. This points to the humanity of Christ, He was found in fashion as a man, but a durable, incorruptible man. These pillars are then overlaid with gold. Gold is the metal of deity, of glory, of divine perfection. So in the pillars, we see a picture of the God-man, Jesus Christ. His humanity (acacia) is completely covered in His deity (gold). This is the one who holds up the way to God.

Why five pillars? The number five in Scripture often relates to grace and God's goodness. It can also be associated with human weakness in need of that grace. Here, these five pillars stand at the entrance, suggesting that the way in is a way established by divine grace, sufficient for man in his weakness. The hooks that hold the curtain are also gold, indicating that every detail of our access to God is secured by divine glory and perfection.

But then we have a striking contrast. The pillars stand on "five bases of bronze." While gold speaks of heaven and deity, bronze in the tabernacle speaks of judgment. The altar of burnt offering was made of bronze, the place where sin was judged. So here at the entrance, the pillars of the God-man, in all their golden glory, are founded upon bronze bases. This tells us that the way into God's presence is established on the foundation of judgment met. Christ, our entrance, could only become that entrance by taking the judgment for sin upon Himself. His feet were planted, as it were, in the place of judgment so that the way for us could be opened. The foundation of our salvation is the fact that God's justice has been fully satisfied. The bronze bases declare that the price has been paid.

Application

The application for us is straightforward and profound. This screen at the entrance to the tent was a magnificent, gospel-soaked declaration that the only way to God is through the divine King who would offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin. For us, that screen has been replaced by the person of Jesus Christ. He is the door. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

The colors remind us that our access is not cheap. It was purchased with the precious blood of the King of Heaven, who clothes us in His own perfect righteousness. The pillars remind us that our hope is secure, held up by the God-man Himself. His divine nature gives infinite value to His human sacrifice. And the bronze bases give us immense confidence. We do not approach God hoping He will overlook our sin. We approach God because our sin has already been judged and dealt with at the cross. The foundation is secure.

Therefore, we should not be casual about our access to God, but we should be confident. We come boldly to the throne of grace, not because of who we are, but because of who the Door is. We enter through this glorious screen, not with fear of condemnation, but with the joy of sons and daughters, welcomed into the house of our Father because of the finished work of Christ.