Exodus 39:22-43 NKJV
22 He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 And there was an opening in the middle of the robe, like the opening in a coat of mail, with a woven binding all around the opening, so that it would not tear. 24 They made on the hem of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, and of fine woven linen. 25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around between the pomegranates: 26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe to minister in, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
27 They made tunics, artistically woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, 28 a turban of fine linen, exquisite hats of fine linen, short trousers of fine woven linen, 29 and a sash of fine woven linen with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, made by a weaver, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30 Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet:
HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
31 And they tied to it a blue cord, to fasten it above on the turban, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished. And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did. 33 And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of badger skins, and the veil of the covering; 35 the ark of the Testimony with its poles, and the mercy seat; 36 the table, all its utensils, and the showbread; 37 the pure gold lampstand with its lamps (the lamps set in order), all its utensils, and the oil for light; 38 the gold altar, the anointing oil, and the sweet incense; the screen for the tabernacle door; 39 the bronze altar, its grate of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the laver with its base; 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, the screen for the court gate, its cords, and its pegs; all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 and the garments of ministry, to minister in the holy place: the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister as priests.
42 According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43 Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them.
The early Church Fathers are known to write commentaries that purport deep allegorical thoughts. Allegories can go a bit too far, which is always the reservation toward using allegories — because sometimes they give the appearance of being forced into the text (meaning: the made up, man-made, allegory makes the text say something that it does not say). Their thoughts, although sometimes forced and too far, at the very least, produce imagery that can convey a thought for a sermon or catechesis.
An example of this is how the tabernacle had a “covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of badger skins, and the veil of the covering…” Here’s how Bede (an Anglo-Saxon Scholar from the 7th & 8th century) comments allegorically:
“From this it appears to have been the case that the borders of the two pieces were joined together from top to bottom on both sides into a doubled garment. In [this] way… half of the garment would be visible to the eyes of those looking at it from the outside while the other while the other half would be concealed on the inside, but the joined borders of the two would come all the way down to the lowest point below. What else are we to understand by means of this type, except that while we are displaying good works on the outside before our neighbors, we must keep them unblemished on the inside before the Lord?” (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, OT III, pg. 161, InterVarsity Press).
One could also convey a Christ-centered understanding — as Jesus was the Temple made without hands. The tough badger skins, which covered the red-dyed ram skins, acted both as camouflage and a tough exterior in the desert wilderness. So… Christ Jesus could not be judged by His exterior in taking on man’s rough flesh, but inwardly He was holy, and His blood brought the life of the world.
Let us pray: O Lord, ever give us a proper knowledge of Your Word that keeps us rightly knowing what You intend to the glory of Your name and salvation of our souls. Amen.