Crystallization-Study of Exodus (4)
Message Seven
The Veil, the Screen, and the Two Aspects of Reconciliation
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
And you shall hang up the veil under the clasps and bring in the Ark of the Testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall make a separation for you between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies—Exo. 26:33.
Namely, that God in Christ was reconciling the world to Himself, not accounting their offenses to them, and has put in us the word of reconciliation. On behalf of Christ then we are ambassadors, as God entreats you through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to God—2 Cor. 5:19-20.
Word of Appetizer
When in the tabernacle there were two veils. The first veil, located at the entrance to the Holy Place, was called the screen; the second curtain, separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, was called the veil. What is the significance of the screen and the veil?
The screen and the veil in the tabernacle signify two aspects of the all-inclusive death of Christ. The screen indicates that Christ died for our sins so that our sins may be forgiven and that we may be justified by God. The veil indicates that Christ died for us, the sinners, so that our flesh, our fallen nature, may be torn, crucified, that we may enter into the Holy of Holies to enjoy God to the uttermost.
Spiritual Burden
The screen and the veil are related to the two aspects of reconciliation—reconciling sinners to God from sin and reconciling the believers living in the natural life to God from the flesh, bringing them absolutely into God, and making them wholly one with the Lord.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
In the tabernacle a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet strands and fine twined linen was hung upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold.
A screen was made of blue, purple, and scarlet strands and fine twined linen, and for the screen five pillars were made of acacia overlaid with gold.
The screen and the veil are related to the two aspects of reconciliation spoken of by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
The Experience of Life
The veil indicates that Christ died for us, the sinners, so that our flesh, our fallen nature, may be torn, crucified, that we may enter into the Holy of Holies to enjoy God to the uttermost.
As our natural man is crossed out, we experience the second step of reconciliation; in this step the veil of our natural man is rent so that we may live in God’s presence.
Practice and Application
These pillars at the entrance of the tabernacle are evangelists, who declare to all that Christ died for their sins.
The pillars within the tabernacle are those who experience Christ in a deeper way, who daily attach themselves to the torn veil, to the Christ who was terminated in His flesh, and bear the testimony that they have been crucified with Christ.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
And you shall hang up the veil under the clasps and bring in the Ark of the Testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall make a separation for you between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies—Exo. 26:33.
Which entrance He initiated for us as a new and living way through the veil, that is, His flesh—Heb. 10:20.
I. A Veil Was Hung upon Four Pillars of Acacia Overlaid with Gold
A. The veil, signifying the flesh of Christ, separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies and also covered the Ark of the Testimony.
B. The pillars, like the boards, were made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and stood on silver sockets, which signify Christ’s redemption:
• The pillars signify believers who are strong to bear the testimony of Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion
• The veil being attached to the pillars implies the identification, the oneness, of Christ as the veil with those believers who are pillars.
• The riven veil on the pillars becomes an entrance for God’s people to enter the Holy of Holies to have the full enjoyment of God.
Key Verses (2)
And you shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet strands and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. And for the screen you shall make five pillars of acacia and overlay them with gold—Exo. 26:36-37a.
A Screen—Blue, Purple, and Scarlet Strands and Fine Twined Linen
Five Pillars—Acacia Overlaid with Gold
• The screen signifies Christ in His perfect humanity as the One who keeps all negative persons and things outside God’s dwelling place.
• The screen indicates that Christ died for our sins so that our sins may be forgiven and that we may be justified by God.
• The screen was for the entrance of the tent; between the five pillars supporting the screen there were four entrances into the tabernacle.
• The five pillars attached to the screen signify stronger believers who are identified with the incarnated and crucified Christ.
Key Verses (3)
Namely, that God in Christ was reconciling the world to Himself, not accounting their offenses to them, and has put in us the word of reconciliation. On behalf of Christ then we are ambassadors, as God entreats you through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to God—2 Cor. 5:19-20.
III. The Screen and the Veil Are Related to the Two Aspects of Reconciliation Spoken of by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
• Paul was authorized by God to represent Him to carry out the ministry of reconciliation; the ministry of reconciliation is not merely to bring sinners back to God but, even the more, to bring believers absolutely into God.
• Until we are wholly one with the Lord, being in Him and allowing Him to be in us absolutely, we will need the ministry of reconciliation.
• Two steps are required for us to be fully reconciled to God—the first step of reconciliation is to reconcile sinners to God from sin; the second step of reconciliation is to reconcile believers living in the natural life to God from the flesh.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The veil and the screen (Exo. 26:36-37, 31-32a)
(Please explain the significance of the veil and the screen in the tabernacle.)
T2 The pillars were made of acacia wood overlaid with gold (Exo. 26:32, 37)
(Please explain the significance of the pillars.) (Refer to Outline I. B. 1-4)
D2
T1 The tabernacle was enterable (Exo. 26:36; John 1:14). (Refer to Outline II. C. 1-4)
(Please explain that by being incarnated, God not only became a man; He also became an enterable tabernacle.)
T2 The screen having four entrances and the three entrances in the veil (Rev. 5:9; Eph. 2:18) (Refer to Outline II. E. 1-2)
(Please explain what the screen having four entrances and the three entrances in the veil indicate respectively.)
D3
T1 The screen and the veil are related to the two aspects of reconciliation spoken of by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5 (2 Cor. 5:18-21)
(Please explain that 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 shows us the two aspects of reconciliation.)
T2 Paul was authorized by God to represent Him to carry out the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18, 20)
(Please explain that the ministry of reconciliation is not merely to bring sinners back to God but, even the more, to bring believers absolutely into God.)
D4
T1 The world is reconciled to God, and the believers are reconciled further to God (2 Cor. 5:19-20).
(Please explain that two steps are required for us to be fully reconciled to God.) (Refer to III. D. 1, 2, 3. a-c)
T2 “We beseech you on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:20b)
(Why do the believers need a further reconciliation?)
D5
T1 The two aspects of the death of Christ (1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:14)
(Please explain the difference between Christ dying for our sins and Christ dying for us.)
T2 To become the righteousness of God is the highest enjoyment of the Triune God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)
(Please explain the difference between to be made righteous before God and to be God’s righteousness.)
D6
T1 The second step of reconciliation is continuous (1 Cor. 15:31)
(Please explain that instead of taking place once for all, the second step of reconciliation is continuous.)
T2 The subjective aspect of the death of Christ needs to be applied to our situation (Gal. 5:24)
(Please share how you apply the subjective death of Christ, which is to crucify our natural life, to experience that the veil is rent so that we may live in God’s presence.)
