The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Tabernacle

I'm looking for some suggestions for material (online and/or off) that deals with the symbolism of the Tabernacle, how it points to Jesus, and explains where the symbolism came from. For example, some studies tell you that a certain color represents a certain thing, or that silver means this and gold means that, but they don't tell you who told them that. I can understand that there are some that are obvious, given biblical material (white can mean purity, for example), but sometimes I get the feeling that some of the intricate symbolism in the Tabernacle could be simply invented by an over-eager author. Thanks!

I have to agree with your assessment of most of the "spiritualizing" of things which have no basis in Scripture. We interpret Scripture with Scripture not with fanciful imaginations forced upon passages which in the end are almost always done to bring notoriety to the author... so that the reader has to sit back and exclaim, "My goodness, this person really knows the Bible. I would have never seen that myself!"

There are legitimate analogies and shadows and types which we read of in the Bible. In most all cases the fulfillment, anti-types and applications of them are to be found in the New Testament. I can recommend this one article which is on The Highway website written by the esteemed John Owen who is assuredly not given to spiritualizing nor fanciful ideas.

You can read it here: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST UNDER THE OLD TESTAMENT, chapter VIII in his book The Glory of Christ.



In His grace,

Hello gildavi and welcome to The Highway,

I want to recommend a book by Vern Poythress called The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses, published by P&R, which deals with the subject stated and has a very good description of the Tabernacle.

Thank you very much, Pilgrim!

Thank you very much too, CM, the article and the book are just what I was looking for. And thank you to both of you also for the nice welcome.