Apocalypse Revealed # 669
669. 15:5 After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. This symbolically means that the inmost of heaven appeared, where the Lord is present in His holiness in the Word and in the Law contained in the Ten Commandments.
In the highest sense, the temple symbolizes the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity, and consequently heaven and the church (nos. 191, 529), here the Christian heaven. The tabernacle of the testimony symbolizes the inmost of that heaven, where the Lord resides in His holiness in the Word and in the Law contained in the Ten Commandments, since the Tabernacle likewise symbolizes heaven (no. 585); and the inmost of the Tabernacle was where the Ark was placed, containing the two tablets on which were written by the finger of God the ten precepts that constitute the ten commandments of the Decalogue, which are meant by the testimony here and are also called the Testimony. And it is apparent from this that John's saying, "I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened," means symbolically that the inmost of heaven appeared, where the Lord is present in His holiness in the Law contained in the Ten Commandments.
The tabernacle of the testimony symbolizes also where the Word exists because the term "testimony" is used not only of the Law contained in the Ten Commandments, but of the whole Word as well, and of the Lord as the embodiment of the Word, because the Word testifies concerning Him (nos. 490, 555).
[2] That the Word exists in heaven, in a repository in the inmost of heaven called a sanctuary, and that the light there is blazing and brilliant, surpassing in intensity any light in heaven outside that sanctuary, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 70-75. And with respect to the sanctuary, no. 73 there.
Regarding the holiness of the Law contained in the Ten Commandments, see The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem in Accordance With the Commandments of the Decalogue, nos. 53-61.
To be shown that the Ark containing the two tablets of the Decalogue constituted the sanctuary or inmost of the Temple in Jerusalem, and so the tabernacle there, see 1 Kings 6:19-28; 8:3-9.
That the Law contained in the Ten Commandments was called the Testimony is clear from the following passages:
Moses... went down..., and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand... The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. (Exodus 32:15-16)
...two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18)
(Jehovah said,) "You shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you." (Exodus 25:16, 21-22)
Then (Moses) took the Testimony and put it into the ark... (Exodus 40:20)
...that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony... (Leviticus 16:13)
(Jehovah said to Moses,) "You shall place (the rods)...before the Testimony... And... Aaron's rod before the Testimony...." (Numbers 17:4, 10)
And Moses left the rods before Jehovah... (Numbers 17:7)
The Ark is called the Ark of testimony in Exodus 31:7, and the Tabernacle is called the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Exodus 38:21.
Exodus 26
1
"Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman you shall make them.
2
The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.
3
Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
4
You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling; and likewise you shall make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.
5
You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one to another.
6
You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tabernacle shall be a unit.
7
"You shall make curtains of goats' hair for a covering over the tabernacle. You shall make them eleven curtains.
8
The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.
9
You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shall double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent.
10
You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling.
11
You shall make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
12
The overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.
13
The cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
14
You shall make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.
15
"You shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.
16
Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the breadth of each board.
17
There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
18
You shall make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward.
19
You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.
20
For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,
21
and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
22
For the far part of the tabernacle westward you shall make six boards.
23
You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the far part.
24
They shall be double beneath, and in the same way they shall be whole to its top to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
25
There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
26
"You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
27
and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far part westward.
28
The middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end.
29
You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and you shall overlay the bars with gold.
30
You shall set up the tabernacle according to the way that it was shown to you on the mountain.
31
"You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman shall it be made.
32
You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver.
33
You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil: and the veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you.
34
You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
35
You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and you shall put the table on the north side.
36
"You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.
37
You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold: their hooks shall be of gold: and you shall cast five sockets of brass for them.
