Rams' Skins and Badgers' Skins: Exodus 26:14

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The next covering for the tabernacle was of “rams’ skins dyed red” (ch. 25:5). This covering, like the curtains of goats’ hair, was not seen by the natural eye either from the inside or the outside of the tabernacle. It was for the eye of God alone. Nor is there any size given for it, and all we know is that it “covered” the tabernacle. We will read later in Exodus 29 about two rams that were slain when Aaron and his sons were consecrated for the priest’s office. One ram was slain, its blood was sprinkled upon the altar, and then the whole ram was washed and burned upon the altar. Then the other ram was killed, its blood was taken, and some of it was put on the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and each of his sons. We will not enter into the meaning of this in detail here, except to mention that these rams speak to us of Christ in His devoted obedience even to death. His ear was ever open to hear His Father’s voice, and His blessed hands and feet were always willing to do His Father’s will at any cost.
The Meaning of the Ram’s Skins
As we pause to think of where that path of devoted obedience led Him, it is not hard for us to see how the “rams’ skins dyed red” (ch. 25:5) represent the devotedness to God that took Him through death on the cross. But this covering was hidden from the eye of man, for we shall never know, not even through all eternity, the awful suffering which the Lord Jesus endured in those dark hours of Calvary, when “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:1414As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: (Isaiah 52:14)). We shall never know what it meant to Him to be “made ... sin for us,” (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)) but, blessed be His Name, we shall find our place of eternal joy and happiness under its “covering.”
No Beauty Seen
The outermost layer of the tabernacle was badger skins, which lack color and beauty. Perhaps the one who reads these lines is unsaved. You have never seen your need of such a shelter. You may be enjoying a so-called “good time” in your sins and have never stopped to consider your eternal destiny. The things of time and the pleasures of this world look much better to you than the drab-looking tabernacle with its outer covering of badgers’ skins. You are like the Jews who, when the Lord Jesus Christ was here upon earth, could not see any beauty that they should desire Him. They did not want the despised and rejected Jesus (Isaiah 5:2-32And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. (Isaiah 5:2‑3)). No, Jesus was not popular, nor will any one who walks in His ways be popular, either. But the day is soon coming when all will be changed. The Lord is soon coming to take His own to heaven, and then judgment will begin to fall upon this Christ-rejecting world. The One who was once despised and rejected will come in power and great glory and judge the world in righteousness. Then your pleasures will be forever ended, if not before, and your eternal portion will be the lake of fire. We plead with you to take warning now, and come to Christ.
Remember that under the outer covering of badgers’ skins, under those rams’ skins dyed red, and under the curtains of goats’ hair, were those lovely inner curtains and all the other beautiful things inside the tabernacle. Oh, if you will only come to the Lord Jesus and receive Him as your Saviour, you can enjoy them all, now and forever. “In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)).
Further Meditation
1. What do the badgers’ skins represent?
2. How, specifically, was the Lord treated by the Jews when He came to be their Messiah?
3. In The Man of Sorrows by J. N. Darby, there are some excellent examples of Christ’s rejection by man that help in understanding the badgers’ skins mentioned in this chapter.