Our Spiritual Journey Inside the Tabernacle – Part 2: The Fence

Inside the Tabernacle

As I stated in Part 1 of this blog series, the tabernacle is a physical representation of the spiritual process that Yehovah has created for mankind to draw near to Him and for Him to dwell with us. However, there are several things that separate mankind from a holy God.  The first thing that comes between Yehovah and man is faith.  Until we have faith, we cannot know Yehovah.  However, what we see as a barrier, Yehovah sees as an opportunity for blessing.

As we approach the tabernacle, the first thing we come to is a linen “fence” surrounding the courtyard.  This fence is 7.5 feet high, 75 feet wide and 150 feet long.  No one outside the fence can see into the tabernacle.  This fence represents a separation from Yehovah.  It shows us that man is outside of Yehovah’s presence with no way of entering on our own.

Ephesians 1:4 tells us that Yehovah chose us as His own:  “In the Messiah he chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence.”  When Yehovah chooses someone to bring into relationship with Himself, it’s as if He shows us that fence and we begin to be aware of the separation.  A desire to be in ongoing communion with Him is planted within us.

Once we come to that realization, Yehovah says, “There’s just one doorway through the fence into my kingdom — let me show it to you.”  He brings us to the only opening in the fence.  Yeshua said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6)  Yeshua is our entrance.

But it takes faith to step through that door — to believe that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son and the only way to Him.  So Yehovah says, “I’ll take the first step; I’ll give you the gift of faith — something that you cannot generate on your own.  Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and faith not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God.”

So we see that Yehovah is the source of our faith.  By offering us faith, He’s inviting us inside the fence, into intimacy with Him and the process of salvation.  This faith is the first gift of the tabernacle.  The fence serves to illuminate the gift Yehovah has given us—the gift of entrance into an everlasting communion with Yehovah Himself.  We must accept the invitation of this gift before we can see the next.

Once through that entrance in the fence, a completely new life is possible — one of spiritual awareness and the ability to live within the presence of Yehovah forever.  In Part 3 we’ll discover the next gift He offers us to bring us this new life.