In the previous section, when we considered the numeric combinations of the amount of silver collected for the tabernacle, some combinations showed a deficiency of "minus one". Another combination contained the number "273", which in itself is "minus 2" short of "25 x 5 = 275". Here again is the number representing the "atonement" deficiency of the 273 Levite children, that is "275 minus 2 = 273".
This deficiency is symbolic of man, without God and Jesus Christ, is not complete within himself. At the time of building Moses' Tabernacle (about 1552 or 1551 BC), man had not seen God's fullest and most perfect revelation in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The symbolism of the Tabernacle Treasury and the Tabernacle Structure gave the people a hope for the future as it anticipated the first advent of Jesus Christ. With this thought in mind, let us investigate if this is reflected in an overall silver deficiency in the silver monies collected.
As the Lord Jesus Christ Himself provided the atonement for the sin of mankind, then let us look at the numeric value of His name.
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Let us assume that the "desired" collection of atonement monies totalled 316800 shekels of silver, instead of the actual 303140 shekels collected. If we deduct the actual monies collected we arrive at the following deficiency.
The number 13 symbolises man's rebellion and apostacy. When used with the combination of 8, however, then the number 13 signifies atonement. The number 6 symbolises the imperfection of man without God and Jesus Christ. We will look again at the further significance of the number 3168 later in this chapter.
The tabernacle construction consisted of 50 boards which were assembled with strong corners. The corners were strengthened by joining two boards together at each end. There were twenty boards on the north side of the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side, and ten boards assembled in such a way as to make eight boards at the west end of the tabernacle. There were no boards at the east end of the tabernacle, but a few pillars which were used to hold the curtains as they were draped over the tabernacle. We'll look at the tabernacle structure itself in another chapter. It's quite a complex subject in its own right. So the tabernacle construction consisted of 48 assembled boards. Each board was held in place with two tenons which fitted into two silver sockets. The tabernacle was divided into two sections or rooms, by four pillars upon which a vail was hung from hooks. The pillars had sockets of silver, and silver was used for the books and for chapiter overlays on the pillars. Each board socket used one talent of silver (equivalent to 3000 shekels) in value.
The total value of the sockets for the 48 boards would be:
This leaves 12,000 shekels (4 x 3000) for the four pillar sockets, and the remaining shekels for the books and chapiter overlays. Whilst there is an adequate amount of silver to build the physical structural requirements of the tabernacle, the hidden message here is of spiritual significance as illustrated below. |
In total 300,000 shekels of silver were used for the sockets of the tabernacle boards and pillars. The silver sockets were the very foundation of the temple, or standing place for the adjoining boards. No board stood on the ground, but each one stook in unadulterated, pure refined silver, the metal of redemption as the seven times purified word of God. John chapter 1 refers to God as the Word, manifest through Jesus Christ as that Word - the Word made flesh. The Hebrew root "srp" for "refining" expresses the melting, testing and refining of metals, especially precious metals such as gold and silver. This same terminology is used of God testing man, and of God's tried and tested Word. God seeks to purify His people from sin as the removal of dross and alloy. Trials through tribulation (the 2520 number of prophecy, or the "seven times") are used to refine men, and the wise purify themselves.
"And some of the understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." |
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the previous blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without spot: who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." |
"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." |
"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." |
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. |
"If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ranson." |
"No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." |
As the silver atonement money was prophetic of the Lord Jesus Christ's first advent, it too has a prophetic significance to His return at the end of this Adamic Age. In Revelation 1.9-11, John identifies his companionship as a brother, and companion in tribulation, and the tribulation referred to is that at the end of this Adamic Age. Jesus too foretold this tribulation in the Olivet Discourse of the gospels. Whilst Revelation chapter 11 tells us to "Measure the Temple", chapter 12 gives the prophetic time measures of this tribulation.
The word for "talent" is "kikkar" meaning a circle of globe. Chapter 11 of Revelation tells us to "Measure the Temple" - perhaps not only thephysical structure, but the monetary/atonement structure as well - if we are to measure things in terms of "a measure of value". The talent or "kikkar" - CIRCLE - reminds us of our discussion on the interpretation of "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" as expressed by the significance of the circle in the introductory chapter of this study.
The value of the sockets of silver used in the tabernacle have a very strong prophetic significance in the Revelation of God to man, and that Revelation was made through Jesus Christ, so let us look further at the significance of the number
Again, we refer to the works of Bonnie Gaunt, which have proved to be of great importance to me during my research on the Tabernacle.
The perimeter of the New Jerusalem of Revelation chapter 21, is 48,000 furlongs or 31,680,000 feet. The area is 144,000,000 square furlongs. In Revelation 11.1, John says (when he was given instruction to "Measure the Temple":
The numeric value of "reed like a rod" is 1728 (or 12 x 12 x 12). If the New Jerusalem is a circular shape, or to overlay a circle using a diameter of 12,000 furlongs (7,920,000 feet), and we use the ancient measurement which is almost equivalent to "pi" which we use today, we can find the circumference of the circle. That ancient measurement was 864/275 or 3.1418181. Pi is 3.14159+.
If we divide this circumference by 1728 (the reed like a rod), the result is 14400 reeds. From the summary below, we can see that the number 288 not only had great significance in the silver value of the tabernacle, but with the design and measurements of the New Jerusalem of Revelation. It also relates to the design of the solar system and the ancient Stone Monuments. The symbology of the tabernacle actually points to the prophecies of the end of our Adamic Age.
The Greek words for "silver" in the book of Revelation are "argureos" meaning made of silver, and "arguros" meaning silver.
Rev 9.20-21: "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." |
Rev 18.11-12 "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: the merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, ... |
At the end of this chapter, we'll look at the role of the prophet Elijah, who was referred to in the Old Testament book of Malachi as "a refiner and purifier of silver". God uses the kingdoms of this world as part of His process of refining His nation of the 12-tribed Israel, and all those who would come to the knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. Silver was the symbolic metal representing the kingdom of the Medes and Persians in Nebuchadnezzar's dream image, and it was the Medes who brought about the fall of the Babylonian kingdom in the year 539 BC.
Babylon was symbolised by the gold metal in the head of the image. These symbols, in association with the great cycle number of restoration - 2880 - give revelation for these end times. Jesus referred to Elijah, who must come first to "restore all things" before the great and terrible day of the Lord. The world scene, politically, economically and religiously currently fits the description as given in Revelation for the end time tribulation.
Bible Chronology Measure the Temple CONTENTS |
