Bird's-eye view
Having received the instructions for the tabernacle proper, the dwelling place of God, we now move outward. God does not just design the house; He designs the yard. This passage details the construction of the court of the tabernacle, the boundary that separated the holy ground from the common wilderness. What we have here is a architectural sermon on the holiness of God. God is present with His people, yes, but He is not common. He is not tame. He is holy, and access to Him is on His terms. The court establishes a necessary and gracious perimeter. It is a declaration that there is a profound difference between the camp of God and the rest of the world. This fence, with its one glorious gate, is a picture of the gospel. It defines, it separates, and it invites.
Outline
- 1. The Boundary of Holiness (Ex. 27:9-11)
- a. The Command to Make the Court (v. 9a)
- b. The Southern and Northern Walls of Linen (vv. 9b-11)
- 2. The Dimensions and Entrance (Ex. 27:12-16)
- a. The Western Wall (v. 12)
- b. The Eastern Side and the Gate (vv. 13-16)
- 3. Summary of Materials and Structure (Ex. 27:17-19)
- a. The Unity of the Structure (v. 17)
- b. The Overall Dimensions (v. 18)
- c. The Bronze Utensils and Pegs (v. 19)
Context In Exodus
These instructions follow the detailed plans for the tabernacle's interior, the ark, the table, the lampstand, and the curtains. The movement is from the inside out, from the very heart of God's presence in the Holy of Holies to this outer court. This progression is significant. God establishes His throne first, and then sets the boundaries around it. The court is the first thing an Israelite would encounter. It contained the bronze altar for burnt offerings and the bronze laver for washing. It was the place of sacrifice and cleansing, the necessary approach to a holy God. Without the work done in the court, no one could dare approach the tent itself. This is the grammar of worship: judgment and cleansing must precede fellowship.
Key Issues
- The Symbolism of the White Linen
- Bronze and Silver: Judgment and Redemption
- The Gospel Gate
- The Principle of Holy Separation
Verse by Verse Commentary
v. 9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side;”
The first thing God commands is a boundary. Before anything else, there must be a distinction between holy and common. This is not arbitrary; it is fundamental to the nature of God. The material for this boundary is fine twisted linen. This pure white fabric speaks of righteousness. Think of the robes of the saints in Revelation, washed white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). So the very first thing you see when approaching God's dwelling is a wall of brilliant white righteousness. This is a picture of the imputed righteousness of Christ that surrounds His people, the Church. It is a righteousness that is perfect, complete, and utterly unstained by the dirt of the surrounding wilderness.
v. 10 “and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty bases of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver.”
Now notice the structure that holds up this wall of righteousness. The pillars stand on bases of bronze. In Scripture, bronze is consistently associated with judgment. The great altar of burnt offering, where sin was judged, was overlaid with bronze. So the foundation of this holy enclosure rests on the reality of divine judgment. You cannot have righteousness without judgment against sin. But then, look what holds the linen. The hooks and bands are of silver. Silver is the metal of redemption. The atonement money paid by the Israelites was in silver (Ex. 30:16). The principle is this: the righteousness that defines God's people is held up by redemption, and it is founded upon the judgment that Christ took in our place. It is a complete gospel picture in architectural form.
v. 11 “Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty bases of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver.”
The north side is a mirror image of the south. God is a God of order and symmetry. His holiness is not haphazard. The requirements for approaching Him are the same from every direction. There is no back door, no alternative standard. The same redemption holds up the same righteousness, founded on the same judgment.
v. 12-13 “For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten bases. The width of the court on the east side toward the sunrise shall be fifty cubits.”
The dimensions are 100 cubits by 50 cubits, a perfect two-to-one ratio. This is a space of divine order, not human chaos. The entrance is specified to be on the east side, toward the sunrise. This is deeply significant. The way back to Eden was guarded by cherubim on the east (Gen. 3:24). Ezekiel sees the glory of God returning to the temple from the east (Ezek. 43:2-4). The sunrise speaks of new life, resurrection, and hope. The way into God's presence is always from the east, looking toward the rising sun, a picture of looking to Christ, the Sun of Righteousness.
v. 14-15 “The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three bases. And for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three bases.”
The entrance is not the entire fifty-cubit width. It is a specific, designated gate. On either side, the wall of white linen continues, thirty cubits in total. The way in is broad, but it is particular. God makes a wide offer, but it is through one door.
v. 16 “And as for the gate of the court there shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, with their four pillars and their four bases.”
Here is the focal point. The gate itself is not plain white linen. It is a beautiful, colorful screen, made of the same materials as the veil into the Holy of Holies. This is the gospel in tapestry. Blue speaks of heaven, the divine nature of the one who is the gate. Purple is the color of royalty; He is the King. Scarlet is the color of blood, of sacrifice. And it is all woven together with the fine twisted linen of righteousness. This gate is a portrait of Jesus Christ. He is the God-man (blue and linen), the King (purple), who shed His blood for us (scarlet). He Himself said, "I am the way" (John 14:6). This gate is the only way into the presence of God. It is twenty cubits wide, a generous entrance, held up by four pillars, a number often associated with the earth. This gospel gate is for all the nations of the earth.
v. 17-18 “All the pillars around the court shall be furnished with silver bands with their hooks of silver and their bases of bronze. The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their bases of bronze.”
These verses summarize and reinforce the previous instructions. Every pillar, without exception, is founded on judgment (bronze) and furnished with redemption (silver). The height of the fence is five cubits, about seven and a half feet. It is high enough to create a clear separation, to prevent a casual or accidental entry. You cannot just peer over the top easily. You must approach with intent, through the appointed gate.
v. 19 “All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.”
This is a striking conclusion. Every tool, every peg that secures the tabernacle and the court to the ground, is made of bronze. The entire structure is pinned to the earth with judgment. The service of God is a serious business. The stability of our standing before God, our security in His presence, is grounded in the fact that judgment for our sin has been fully met. The pegs of bronze declare that the work of Christ on the cross was final and secure. He was fastened to the cross, and by that act, we are fastened securely to God.
Application
The court of the tabernacle is a picture of the visible church in the world. We are to be a people defined and set apart. Our boundary is the brilliant white righteousness of Jesus Christ, imputed to us by faith. This is not a righteousness we weave ourselves; it is a gift. This is what should distinguish us from the world, not our own moral preening, but the stunning, otherworldly purity of Christ that covers us.
Our foundation is bronze. We must never forget the reality of God's judgment on sin, a judgment that fell entirely on Christ. And we are held together by silver, by the precious reality of our redemption. These are the non-negotiables.
And in this wall of separation, there is one beautiful, wide, and glorious gate. Our message to the world is not "stay out." It is "come in, through this gate." The church must be clear about the boundary, but it must be equally clear and joyful about the entrance. The gate is Christ, in His divine nature, His royalty, and His atoning blood. We have no other way to offer. We must not set up other gates of moralism or legalism, nor should we tear down the fence and say there is no distinction. We are to maintain the fence and point everyone to the one beautiful gate.