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" And thou shalt make a cover- ing for the tent, of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins."-Ex. 26:14
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"And he made a covering for the tent, of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that."-Ex. 36:19
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There were two coverings: one of rams' skins dyed red, and another of badgers' skins; besides the two sets of curtains, which formed the tabernacle and tent. The curtains were measured: the coverings were not. On referring to Rev. 11:1,21And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. (Revelation 11:1‑2), " And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court, which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot, forty and two months." We perceive that, to measure the temple, 8rc., was synonymous with claiming it as a place valuable to God; while the court, which represented the city, not being measured, was still, for a season, to be left in the hands of the Gentiles. In the type before us, the two sets of curtains being measured, would seem to signify that they were costly, and precious to God; and being such, would have an eternal value: while the coverings were only provided for a time, having no intrinsic value in them, but exhibiting an outward appearance which eventually would pass away.
The Covering of Rams' Skins Dyed Red
.-AS the curtains of goats' hair are especially spoken of as a tent above the tabernacle, or beautiful curtains; so the rams' skins dyed red are particularly mentioned as a covering above the tent, or curtains of goats' hair. Ex. 26:1414And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins. (Exodus 26:14), " And thou shalt make a covering for the tent (of) rams' skins dyed red." Ex. 36:1919And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that. (Exodus 36:19), " And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red." Ex. 40:1919And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the Lord commanded Moses. (Exodus 40:19), " And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it." Num. 3:2525And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, (Numbers 3:25), " The tabernacle, and the tent, and the covering thereof." 'Num. 4:2525And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, (Numbers 4:25), " The curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins, that is above upon it."
It will be perceived from these quotations, that, though " the covering " sometimes includes both the rams' skins and badgers' skins, yet the covering of rams' skins is, in some instances, exclusively connected with the goats' hair curtains. The latter, if the explanation of the type already given be correct, perpetuated a precious remembrance of the sin-offering, as affording a shelter for God's priests in their worship, and approach to God.
The covering of rams' skins dyed red, seems to depict that outward aspect of affliction and sorrow, which the blessed Lord presented to the eyes of men, so that they considered Him to be marked out as a victim, under some peculiar dealings of God's hand in judgment. Many were astonished at Him; " His visage was more marred 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). He was esteemed to be stricken of God, and afflicted. Isa. 53.4. Such was the estimation, in which the Lord was held, by those who ignorantly gazed upon Him when hanging on the tree; not understanding that the object, for which He hung there, was, that He might bear our sorrows, and carry our griefs; and not recognizing, that God was there bruising Him for our iniquities, and that, with His stripes, we are healed. Men could not fail to perceive the covering of rams' skins dyed red-the sorrow and death, in which the blessed Lord was steeped. But they saw not the precious goats' hair curtains beneath. They estimated not the unspeakable value of His sighs, and groans, and tears, and death upon the cross for sin. And so it is still. The Socinian, the Neologian, can admire the ways and words of Jesus in His life on earth; can present Him as a perfect specimen of what man should be. But the costly preciousness of His death is unheeded and unknown. The thought of sacrifice, and shedding of blood, is repulsive, instead of attractive, to these Satan-bound souls. They picture the blessed Lord on the cross as a hero, bearing sufferings and indignities from the hands of men; they know Him not as the sin-offering, of unspeakable value to the sinner, and to God.
The expression, " dyed red," or reddened, seems to have the same import, as regards the rams' skins; as the word " red" has respecting the heifer, selected in that peculiar type described in Num. 19 In this chapter a red heifer was to be chosen for sacrifice. It was to be without spot or blemish; ungalled by any yoke; marked in its very birth, by its color, for the slaughter; while intrinsically pure and spotless. In like manner, the reddened rams' skins implied, that they had been taken from slaughtered victims.