The Covering Of Badgers' Skins

by G. Prasher | Category: The Tabernacle | Dec 1958

The Tent of the Tabernacle had two coverings, the topmost of which, according to the Authorised Version, was of badgers' skins. See Exodus 26.14; 36.19.

The structure over which these coverings hung was fully ten cubits high, and so the outer covering would be much in the view of those who moved around; yet its appearance would not be of an attractive kind - merely the rough exterior of the badgers' skins.

We think the Holy Spirit in this brings before us a view of Christ as He was seen by the natural man. Though possessed of surpassing beauties, and indeed the altogether lovely One, it is sad to find that He was plain and ordinary to the unregenerate person. This was due to the blindness of the sons of men, a blindness that is traceable to the evil work of an enemy, the god of this world, Satan.

Of the Lord Jesus we read, "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not" (John 1.10). What a testimony against this world! and how successfully the enemy has done his work! "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider" (Isaiah 1.8), was God's complaint against the Israel people; and the enlightened soul can only grieve that the many continue in the darkness of unbelief, and in the blindness that ensues. Divine revelation is needed, of course, if we are to come to know Him who said : " I am come a Light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me may not abide in the darkness" (John 12.46).

FORESHOWN IN PROPHECY

The shadow in the badgers' skins agrees with the prophetic outline given by Isaiah in chapter 53. There we read: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the Arm of the LORD been revealed?" The marginal reading of verse 1 is, "that which we have heard," and reminds us that Isaiah, as Jehovah's servant, had been listening to the LORD. How very important this is! May both writer and reader be helped to give the Lord our ear! Then the Arm of the LORD is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Speaking reverently He is the strong Arm by means of which God in heaven has reached down to earth to effect deliverance for men. But please note the word revealed. Yes, a revelation of the Son is essential, for" no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal Him" (Matthew 11.27).

This is further emphasized in Matthew 16.17. The Lord Jesus had been inquiring of the disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?" Then to the question, "But who say ye that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." This brought from the Lord the reply: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah:for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." The Son had been revealed to Peter

by the Father.

Christ is the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1.24), and the Mystery of God (Colossians 2.2), and Paul says: "We speak God's wisdom in a mystery ... which none of the rulers of this world knoweth: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory... But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." Furthermore, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God."

Isaiah continues, "For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground." We can appreciate the thought of Christ as a tender, fragrant plant in His growth before God, advancing in "wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men" (Luke 2.52). Then Isaiah adds, "and as a root out of a dry ground." He was the fulfilment of Isaiah 11.1, "And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit." The dry, barren ground of Judaism surrounded the root of Jesse, and yet in the Lord Jesus Christ we see a shoot which grew into a tender plant which delighted the heart of God.

After this we find words in Isaiah 53 which show how closely the prophetic utterances agree with the shadow of the badgers' skins. "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised, and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as One from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we esteemed Him not." Because men saw no beauty in Him they despised Him; and as the despised One they rejected Him; and as despised and rejected He had grief and sorrow.

The writer was standing in a crowd one day awaiting the arrival of their majesties King George V and Queen Mary. The royal train drew into the station, and very soon the royal cortege was passing along. What impressed him deeply was how every face was turned toward their majesties, and the words quoted above came forcibly to the mind. How sad that when the King Eternal was here on earth He should be as One from whom men hide their face! Surely they saw Him only as the badgers' skin covering!

Thus our thoughts turn to' the grace of our Lord, and we would hear afresh the words: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8.9). Fitting it is that we should say:

"Take Thou our hearts, and let them be

For ever closed to all but Thee;

Thy willing servants, let us wear

The seal of love for ever there."

An instance of that which was shadowed forth in the badgers' skin covering appears in the historical account given in Mark 6.1-6. There we are told of the Lord Jesus coming into His own country, followed by His disciples. "And when the sabbath was come, He began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this Man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this Man, and what mean such mighty works wrought by His hands?" Knowledge, wisdom and power are here made manifest by the Son of God, even to the wonderment of many. Evidence was thus displayed to demonstrate His oft averment that He was the sent One of the Father. But how did those highly favoured people respond ? Immediately their minds reverted to earlier acquaintance with the One whose words and works now occasion astonishment. "Is not this the Carpenter," said they, "the Son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended in Him." How very sad! The Messiah Himself was caused to marvel because of their unbelief. "Blessed is he, whosoever shall find none occasion of stumbling in Me" (Matthew 11.6), were among the Lord's words to the messengers of John the Baptist. This blessedness the people of Nazareth failed to obtain that day. He had come so near to them, and had become so like unto them in everything but sin, that His mundane toil, and His human relationship, seemed to fill their minds to the exclusion of the all important facts that He came from God, and was the Son of God with power.

HIS OWN HOUSE

"A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." In His own house His brothers did not believe on Him. At the time of the feast of tabernacles His brethren said unto Him; "Depart hence, and go into Judea, that Thy disciples also may behold Thy works which Thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If Thou doest these things, manifest Thyself to the world. For even His brethren did not believe on Him" (John 7. 3-5).

Great was their sin of unbelief! We recall the special advantages they had in that they dwelt in the same home with Him who was perfect in His words and deeds. Besides, Mary their mother could never forget that which was communicated to her at the time of His birth. The angel's salutation was: "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great,... and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father

David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end " (Luke 1.80-83). What she would possibly tell the brothers concerning Him was apparently ignored, and these guilty men went on in their unbelief. That they continued so right on to the time when the Lord was crucified seems possible from the fact that when on the cross the Lord Jesus committed His mother to the care of John the beloved disciple, as if this pointed to the solemn matter of these brothers being out of touch, and the scripture still true of the Lord : "I am become a Stranger unto My brethren, and an Alien unto My mother's children" (Psalm 69.8).

A brighter picture, however, is revealed before the curtain is drawn down and these men pass from view. Conversion became a reality with them, and it is wonderful to discover that it must have been quite near the time of the crucifixion, since in Acts 1.14 we read, " These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." Here the brothers are seen in the upper room with the apostles and others, continuing in prayer and awaiting the promise of the Holy Spirit whom the Lord promised to send when He had ascended on high.

The Son had been revealed to them by the Father, and no longer do they regard the Lord Jesus as One beside Himself, or as One with false pretences. No longer is He seen by them as set forth in the badgers' skin covering, for they have come to behold somewhat of His loveliness, as white and ruddy, the Chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.

The mention of Thy name shall bow

Our hearts to worship Thee

The Chiefest of ten thousand Thou!

The chief of sinners we."

The Lord Jesus was God manifest in flesh, and in His outward appearance He was despised. Men make the same error in these days relative to God's dwelling place, inasmuch as the outward appearance thereof must have the same character as that of the Lord, there is no outward beauty that men should desire it, yet to those who are living stones in the House it partakes of the beauty of Christ.

G. Prasher | Dec 1958
The Tabernacle