Have you ever studied the amazing silver sockets of redemption found in the Wilderness Tabernacle?
This is a past lesson from our Exodus Study at the COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY from The IN SEASON Lifestyle blog. Welcome to our review. Presently, we are approaching the Day of Atonement which occurs every Fall during God’s Holy Days. This article covers some points concerning the subject of Atonement, so we consider it to be timely review.
We are so glad you took the time to join us.
If you would like to obtain a whole published summary of this study, it is available in the book titled EXODUS TO FREEDOM by Gail Landgraf. This book can be bought at Amazon.com
Our study today is all about redemption. Most of the bible references are taken from Exodus Chapter 26. We are considering the amazing silver sockets that were used to anchor the wilderness tabernacle.
Previously, we discussed how God instructed Moses to make bars of acacia wood overlayed in gold to form the tabernacle structure. Click here if you wish to review that lesson: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/httpwp-mep8woph-if/
The linked golden bars formed board sections which were anchored in place by silver sockets. Two silver sockets were placed at each end of the golden boards. Then the boards were intricately placed inside these sockets for security. The silver sockets formed the bases for all of the tabernacle’s structure.
SILVER SOCKETS ON THE INSIDE
All of the sockets on the inside of the tabernacle were made of silver. These sockets were different from the bronze sockets used in the outside courts.
The significance of this is symbolic of a soul being transformed by God’s Holy Spirit. It is a process which only happens after redemption takes place. The progression goes from earthly (the bronze sockets) to more holy (the silver sockets.) A person enters from the outside of the tabernacle. Then they progresses toward the inside, ultimately moving closer and closer to The Holy of Holies where God dwells.
Holiness happens as a person comes closer and closer to God.
Please note the fact that it is nothing the person does that makes them similar to the silver sockets. It is only the atonement of the blood of Christ that brings a person closer to God. This is the “silver” of redemption in action.
Silver is always symbolic of redemption. There are many biblical examples of people being sold for silver. Joseph and Jesus come to mind, but we can find others.
THE SILVER BASES FROM A REDEMPTION TAX
Most articles used in the construction of the wilderness tabernacle were from the offerings freely given by the people. The prior slaves of Egypt (who eventually became the nation of Israel) had been given many valuables upon their departure from Egypt.
These valuables included gold, silver and other precious items. The “gifts” they brought to the tabernacle were originally bribes from their Egyptian task masters. Such gifts were meant to persuade the Israelites to leave Egypt during the time of the plagues.
An exceedingly great amount of valuable items were given to Moses by the former slaves. They wished for them to be used in the construction of the tabernacle.
Each person gave freely, gladly and cheerfully. The gifts came from the heart. No one was forced to give. Each giver hoped their offerings would be pleasing to God.
THE FOUNDATION WAS DIFFERENT
Also; we should note that the acquisition of the silver used in the building of the tabernacle’s foundation was from a different source. Unlike the gifts mentioned above, this silver was required to be given. It was collected from the people as a type of tax, or a ransom of sorts.
A certain amount of silver was required from every man of military age (those who were over 20 years old.) Each man was required to pay one-half shekel as a redemption price for his life.
First, the men would confess their sins. Next, they would ask for God’s forgiveness. They would bring the cost of redemption and pay their redemption price at the tabernacle.
THE COST OF REDEMPTION
Every man was required to pay the same price. It did not matter how rich or poor they were.
Nor did it matter how much more one had sinned than the other. All sins were redeemed by one price.
The price for redemption of one man’s life was one-half shekel of silver.
There were 603,550 men over 20 living in the wilderness. Each brought their half shekel of silver. All of these half-shekels totaled to 100 talents of silver. This redemption silver was used to make the sockets which held up the 50 bars of The Holy Place.
THE PRICE FOR REDEMPTION
A scripture relating to these facts can be found in Exodus 30:16:
“And you shall take the redemption money of the children of Israel and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves.”
Christ had not yet come. There was no Messiah to save them. Each man was responsible for his own soul.
From the days of Adam and Eve there had been talk of a Messiah. He had not yet appeared on the scene. There was no atonement automatically provided for the souls of these people.
Therefore, each man was required to pay for his own sins with his own life. However, his life could be redeemed. This happened through this tax which was paid to the tabernacle in the form of a certain amount of silver.
SPECIFICS OF THE REDEMPTION PRICE
Very specific instructions were given about the requirement of this redemption price. The rules Moses implemented and followed were spelled out in many areas of the scriptures. Here are two more examples:
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “When you take the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then every man shall give a ransom for his soul to the Lord, when you number them; so that there is no plague among them, when you number them.
They shall give this, everyone who passes among those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs) half a shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. Everyone who passes among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord.
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering to the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; so that it may be a memorial to the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.” (Exodus 30:11-16.)
A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. And the sockets of the sanctuary were cast from the hundred talents of silver, and the sockets of the veil: a hundred sockets from the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. (Exodus 38:26-27.)
A SOLID SILVER FOUNDATION
So, we see that the foundation of the tabernacle was made up of 100 sockets of silver.
Each socket was made from one talent of silver.
In those days, one talent of silver was considered to be the value of one human life.
Thus, the value of the lives of 100,000 men held up the base of the place where God would come to dwell among them.
THE SOULS OF 100,000 MEN
A talent was very heavy. It weighed about 75 pounds. Most men would not enjoy dragging this amount of weight through the wilderness. Somehow though, 100 men seemed to have managed to do so.
The people had grown strong through their past experiences in slavery. During that time, they had moved huge blocks of stone to build the pyramids for Pharaoh. They were prepared and made ready for the future. God conditioned them to be able to carry the price of their redemption. They did not consider this to be a heavy burden.
THE PRICE OF MEN’S SOULS FORMED THE UNSEEN BASE OF THE TABERNACLE
Hence; the silver sockets that anchored the golden boards of the foundation of the tabernacle were made from the silver taken for the redemption of the souls of the men of Israel.
God wanted them to remember this fact.
He claimed that it should be a memorial. He called this redemption by silver “atonement.”
Thus, the nation of Israel became known for being “the nation of the redeemed.”
Now we can look back through time and see. We can know why God wanted them to remember that redemption came through the payment of a certain amount of silver. This amazing fact prefigures the coming of Christ as the ransom for sinner’s souls. Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver for the life of Christ. That perfect life was exchanged for ours.
Jesus paid his life for our redemption.
SOMETIMES REDEMPTION IS INVISIBLE
Redemption isn’t always obvious.
Sometimes it is unseen.
The people crucifying Christ had no idea what they were doing. In the wilderness tabernacle, the very thing that was holding the tabernacle up (these silver bases of support) were hidden. The silver bases were underground, buried beneath the sands of the desert.
The very parts which you could not see, the silver bases which held the golden support for the tabernacle in place; kept everything sturdy and standing. Without these bases the tabernacle would topple and fall. With the silver bases of redemption safely in place; the tabernacle remained strong and sturdy.
ATONEMENT
These silver sockets stood for redemption and atonement.
They were very important, yet they could not be seen. The silver sockets were hidden. They worked like anchors, keeping everything firm and steady. Without them; nothing would hold in place.
For those moving closer and closer to God there is always an unseen spiritual process taking place. It is the beauty of the workings of atonement in our souls.
All of the silver used in the structure of the tabernacle came to 9,600 pounds. Now that is a lot of silver!
But what is that compared to the souls of mankind?
Of course this reminds me of the song with the lyrics which say, “LORD you are more precious than silver.” We should all be thanking God every day for those precious silver sockets of redemption.
DIFFERENT FROM THE HEAVENLY TABERNACLE
This silver socketed foundation of the wilderness tabernacle is probably the one part of the tabernacle that was not like a shadow of the heavenly tabernacle.
That is because you do not hear of any silver in heaven.
There is only the mention of gold.
In The Kingdom of Heaven there is no need for redemption.
Anyone who dwells there will already be redeemed.
UNSEEN REDEMPTION
However, the invisible aspect of redemption is still spiritually evident.
It is unseen, just like the silver bases of the wilderness tabernacle.
Every person who enters into The Kingdom of Heaven will have experienced a redemption process from their earthly life. It happens through their relationship with Christ. Each person will have gone through a type of wilderness experience where they leave the old sinful life behind and enter into the service of God.
CLOTHED WITH REDEMPTION AND ATONEMENT
Further, this redemption is not visible to the eye. It will not even be seen when these souls are found in heaven. The fact remains that everyone in heaven would have been through a redemptive process during their earthly life. This is a basic concept everyone entering into the heavenly places must experience before finding the doorway to holiness.
The un-redeemed cannot enter through the heavenly gates. Nor, will they come into the heavenly sanctuary where God lives.
Every resident of heaven must be clothed with redemption and atonement.
ONE RAMSON FOR ALL
The price is the same for every soul. It does not matter who they are or how much they have or have not sinned.
Christ paid his life as a ransom for all.
He paid the redemption silver for us.
Here again, we can see so many shadows and types of Christ in the elements of the wilderness tabernacle.
We see the redemption price He paid for us. Indeed, with grateful hearts we realize how overwhelming and larger than life His love for us has always been.