You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above. Exodus 26:14 NASB
Buried in the intricate detail of the wilderness Tabernacle are the 4 layers of curtains for the Holy Place. This is the enclosed tent where the priests ministered at the Table of Showbread, the Altar of Incense, the Menorah, and the Ark of the Covenant. God prescribed 4 layers of curtains with the final layer made of porpoise skins (or badger skins, depending on your translation). In other words, the layer that would be seen from the outside is porpoise skins. I had an idea that I was considering and needed to know what are these porpoise skins all about. My biblical references were no help.
Here is my idea: The curtains of the Holy Place seem to represent our spiritual state after we accept Jesus as Lord.
The first layer of 10 curtains is made of blue, purple and scarlet material with cherubim embroidered on it, and 50 gold clasps joining it. All those colors speak of royalty, as does the gold. Cherubim are heavenly beings. So this first layer of curtains creates God’s royal chamber.
The second layer of curtains is of goat skins clasped with bronze. Throughout scripture the goat is the symbol of sin, sinners and sin offerings. Bronze is symbolic of judgment against sin (Interpreting Symbols and Types, Kevin Conner). It is easy to see how this layer of curtains could be our sinful nature.
The third layer of curtains is rams’ skins, dyed red. The ram is symbolic of substitution and sacrifice. Red is the color of suffering and of sacrifice for sin. This covering of rams’ skins over the goat skins is what caused me to think along these lines. Jesus is our substitution; He is our sacrifice for sin. His suffering and sacrifice covers our sinful nature. And the Holy of Holies is a picture of God coming to live inside of us. Even in the symbolic language of these curtains, God is proclaiming the gospel.
So far, all of this makes sense to me. Cross referencing all this symbolism with other scriptures checks out. Ok, now what about those porpoise skins? How do they fit in?? Again, my references were no help.
As I prayed about it, a question formed in my mind: What would the porpoise skins look like from the outside? When the priests and the Israelites looked at the Holy Place, they didn’t see the royal-colored, heavenly cherubim. They didn’t see the symbols of sin and sacrifice. They saw only the porpoise skins. What would those porpoise skins look like in the heat of that wilderness?
I think the porpoise skins would be reflecting the sun and shining brilliantly. That is the thought that caused me to wonder if they may be representing the Holy Spirit. It fits nicely with my analogy. When we accept Jesus’ sacrifice to cover our sin, then God comes to live inside of us, and we radiate His glory. These are my musings in the Word today.