There is one thing we have to come to grips with with the tabernacle—the sense of APPOINTMENT.
The common phrase “the tabernacle of the congregation” has an alternative rendering: “the tabernacle of meeting.” The word used for congregation or meeting is the same word used in Daniel 12:7, which we read as “time” or “times.” [From Strong’s Concordance #H3259; properly an appointment, that is, a fixed time or season; specifically a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand).]
So in every part of the sanctuary we see purpose, progress, and timing. God was very specific when certain festivals should begin and end. Would He not be as specific when His Son would begin the final part of His Melchizedek ministry in the Most Holy Place?
In Daniel 9:24-27 an angel talks to Daniel about future events concerning an event in the sanctuary, and he uses the day-for-a-year principle. But note what timing increments he speaks in.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Then we read in the 26th and 27th verses something about the Messiah’s activity on this earth, that it would last for ½ week, which translates in prophetic time to 3 ½ years. Keep this in mind because we have to digress for a moment as we go back into the tabernacle.
Remember our focus is on “appointment” or “timing.” Straight ahead of us, as we enter from the courtyard, we see the holy vail, separating the Holy from the Most Holy Place, and we know from the 2300-day prophecy (Daniel 8:14) that that vail has an appointment date stamped on it, a particular time when the “cleansing” will begin (the final act of Atonement, according to the yearly cycle the Hebrews used before the coming of the Messiah. Beyond that point prophetic time ceases
This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world’s history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844. {7BC 971.7}
But we learned earlier that the position of the vail is determined by some taches (curtain clamps) lining up. When we go to the taches we note that they are connected to two different types of curtains by loops, and those curtains are made of equally wide panels (4 cubits wide). So it stands to reason that those panels must also have something to do with this time period since their combined widths place the taches where they are supposed to be. And that lines us up with the time period for the vail.
What’s curious about one of these curtains is that it has a panel that extends the tabernacle, into the courtyard. Let’s look at it more closely, especially the 9th verse.
Exo 26:7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. (8) The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. (9) And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.
TIME NO LONGER
Notice the direction Moses is giving us. It’s the 6th curtain (not the first of the six curtains) that reaches out into the courtyard. So this suggests the starting point is at the taches and heads eastward (back in time). This is subtle, but awesome! We know that prophetic time ceases at some point (Rev. 10:4-6), and God is telling us where in time it does– at the taches. Notice He counts the goat hair panels beginning at the taches and goes backward. In other words, the panel visible in the courtyard is 6 in a countdown to 0. Then, beyond the taches continuing westward the prophetic timing of the panels cease. Does God care about the little details?
ESTABLISHING THE BEGINNING DATE
Now, back to the timing of that 6th panel. Even though prophecy is making a different point in Daniel 9:27 it still lines that sixth panel up with the courtyard (earthly) ministry of the Messiah. There we learn that the Messiah will have only three and a half years of ministry (half a week) and then will be “cut off” (crucified). The courtyard deals with Christ’s ministry on this earth, and it lasted from the time of His inauguration (baptism) to his death and resurrection 3 ½ years later. The most historical point, the one well established by a solid date, is Christ’s crucifixion in the year 31 A.D.
Sixty-nine weeks, the first 483 of the 2300 years, were to reach to the Messiah, the Anointed One; and Christ’s baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit, A.D. 27, exactly fulfilled the specification. In the midst of the seventieth week, Messiah was to be cut off. Three and a half years after His baptism, Christ was crucified, in the spring of A.D. 31. {GC 410.1}
As we look at the panel the point of His crucifixion would be represented by the last visible part before it disappears into the tabernacle. That would hold the date A.D. 31. We notice, however, that the panel is folded so only half of its width is visible. So the midpoint of the panel (the bottom part of the fold that is still visible from the courtyard) would represent the time of His baptism, when He first made His public appearance as the Messiah.
There is yet another half a panel behind, an area we cannot see. Remember, we are going BACKWARD in time with this panel. So these 3 ½ hidden years would represent the time BEFORE the baptism, the hidden years of Christ’s life, when He lived totally as a human, a son, a brother, a neighbor, a wage-earning carpenter, a citizen and a stranger among men. This was as important as the years of active ministry. And it is these years, though just a sampling of His whole incarnated period prior to His baptism, that were referenced in the Father’s statement at the baptism,
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Well pleased about what? About His faithfulness as a “mere” man. So that sixth panel establishes our timeline beginning with a latter portion of Christ’s earthly life as a regular human at A.D. 24. The sanctuary timeline then adds three and a half years of His private life to His public baptism (A.D. 27), and another three and a half years of His ministry leading to His crucifixion (A.D. 31). In the Father’s mind, according to this little detail, both parts are equally important–the period before the call to public ministry and the period after the call. If Christ wasn’t faithful before His calling into ministry, He wouldn’t be qualified for “greater things” (Luke 16:10) after.
At that point (death and resurrection) the fifth panel, hidden within the tabernacle, begins. By this we know each goat hair panel equals seven prophetic days (one week). However, once we get inside the tabernacle there are 5 more panels of weeks left in the countdown. But also directly under them are the 5 identical linen panels. What value should they have?
THE TIME INCREMENT IN THE LINEN PANELS
God made it very clear that when the panels were constructed, both levels were to be IDENTICAL in width (4 cubits). This is telling us that something must be the same in both panels. One represents the human factor and the other the divine factor. Could it be the similarity is WEEKS? If the goat hair panels express their time in prophetic DAYS, and the panel represents one seven-day week, then the linen panels will express their time as a prophetic YEAR, but also expressed as 52 weeks.
If the goat hair (human side) is a WEEK in days the linen curtain (His divine nature) would be a year in WEEKS.
Let’s go back to Daniel 9, when the angel speaks to the prophet about the fulfillment of prophetic time in the sanctuary. We notice he speaks in prophetic WEEKS (the only place in the Bible where prophetic time is addressed in weeks).
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks [490 days] are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (27) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [7 years]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.
So, since the angel spoke of the tabernacle timing in weeks, it would seem plausible to express the linen panels as a prophetic year of 52 weeks.
LET’S DO THE MATH
Well, the proof is in the pudding. So let’s see what we get, while still using the day for a year principle.
Goat Hair: 7 days (one week) per panel
5 Goat hair panels & 5 corresponding Linen panels
Linen: one year (52 weeks) per panel
7 X 5 X 52 = 1820 years
And to that we add the beginning date of A.D. 24 (established by the 6th panel) = 1844.
Some ask why the sixth panel isn’t also multiplied by 52. The answer is simple. There is no linen panel under it out in the courtyard to affect it, so it stands alone. God doesn’t miss a beat!
Is this just a manipulation of numbers? How many ways can we use to get 1844, by using only the details (numbers and dates) God and history provide? There is not very much to work with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thy way (1844), O God IS in the sanctuary! Who is so great a God as you are?
