What Exodus 26:36-37 really means: The Way to God

The Tabernacle's Sacred Entrance

The screen at the entrance of the tent was a crucial part of God's carefully ordered system for approaching His presence, placed right where people transitioned from the outer courtyard into the holy place.

This screen, made of blue, purple, and scarlet yarns with finely twisted linen and embroidered with skill, stood at the entrance to the tabernacle itself, marking the threshold to the sacred space where only priests could go. It was supported by five acacia wood pillars overlaid with gold and held up by bronze bases, showing both beauty and durability in its construction. Unlike the larger gate of the outer courtyard in Exodus 27:16 - which used the same materials but was hung on seven pillars and marked the first entry into the worship area - this screen was the final barrier before the holy place, emphasizing increasing levels of holiness as one moved closer to God's presence.

Inside, behind another curtain - the veil described in Exodus 26:31-33 - was the Most Holy Place, where God's presence dwelled above the ark of the covenant. The progression from the courtyard gate to the entrance screen to the inner veil reveals a divine pattern: God welcomes His people near, but on His terms, with each layer representing a deeper level of sacredness and restricted access.

The Meaning Behind the Colors and Materials

The detailed materials and colors used for the screen and its pillars were not arbitrary but carried deep symbolic meaning rooted in both ancient culture and God's redemptive plan.

The blue yarn, called 'tekelet' in Hebrew, was a rare dye from sea creatures that symbolized the heavens and God's divine authority. Purple, or 'argaman,' was linked with royalty and wealth and was often worn by kings. Scarlet, 'tola'at shani,' came from a crushed insect and represented life and sacrifice, often tied to cleansing and atonement. These same colors appear in priestly garments in Exodus 28:6, showing that the entrance to God's presence was marked by the same holiness required of those who served Him.

The pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold reflect a common biblical pattern: something strong and enduring from the earth (wood) covered with divine glory (gold), much like how God's presence filled the tabernacle in Exodus 40:34. The bronze bases, though less glamorous, provided stability and grounded the structure - bronze often symbolizing judgment or testing in Scripture, as seen in the bronze altar of Exodus 27:1 where sacrifices were burned. This duality of gold and bronze mirrors the idea that approaching God requires both His grace (gold) and a foundation in moral accountability (bronze).

The blend of rich colors and metals wasn't just for beauty - it pointed to who God is and how He invites us near through His appointed way.

In the ancient Near East, temples often used lavish materials to honor gods, but Israel’s tabernacle was unique - its design came directly from God, not human imagination, and its holiness was not magical but relational. Unlike pagan systems where access to the divine was controlled by elite priests alone, Israel’s system, while still reverent, pointed forward to a day when God would make a way for all people to draw near.

How This Law Points to Jesus and His Work

The screen at the tabernacle's entrance wasn't meant to be a permanent barrier, but a sign pointing forward to the day when God would open full access to Himself through Jesus.

In the old system, only priests could pass through the screen, and even they could not enter the Most Holy Place without sacrifice and fear. But the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus has fulfilled this picture: 'Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way he opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body' (Hebrews 10:19-20). His death tore the temple curtain from top to bottom, showing that the way to God is now open - not through gold-covered pillars or embroidered cloth, but through faith in Christ.

This screen guarded the way to God - but Jesus became the way, opening the door for everyone to enter with confidence.

So no, Christians don't need to make a screen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn - because Jesus has become that way for us, once and for all.

From Screen to Savior: The Unfolding Story of Access to God

The screen at the tabernacle’s entrance wasn’t the end of the story - it was the beginning of a much larger journey that leads through the temple veil, to Jesus’ words about being ‘the door,’ and finally to a vision of heaven’s curtain drawn back for all to see.

Centuries after the tabernacle, the temple in Jerusalem followed the same sacred pattern: an outer court, a holy place, and behind a thick embroidered veil, the Most Holy Place where God’s presence dwelled, mirroring the tabernacle. This veil, like the screen, was a barrier that reminded everyone that sin separates us from a holy God, and only the high priest could pass through, and only once a year with blood for atonement.

But Jesus changed everything when He said, 'I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture' (John 10:9). He was not merely describing access; he claimed to be the only way. Then, at the moment of His death, Matthew 27:51 records, 'And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.' This wasn’t a small tear - it was God’s dramatic declaration that the old barriers were gone. The way to Him was no longer guarded by a screen or veiled in mystery. It was opened wide through Christ.

And the story doesn’t end at the cross. In Revelation 4:1, John writes, 'After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.' This vision shows that what began with a carefully crafted screen in the wilderness now culminates in a permanent, open doorway into God’s eternal presence. The progression is clear: from guarded entrance, to torn veil, to an open door in heaven - each step revealing more of God’s plan to dwell with His people.

What once was a guarded entrance woven with thread and hung on gold-covered wood has become an open door held open by the love and sacrifice of Jesus.

So the heart of this law isn’t about threads or pillars - it’s about how God makes a way for us to come near, not by our effort or status, but through His design. Today, that means we don’t approach God through rituals or religious performance, but by trusting in Jesus, the living Door. A modern example? A hospital’s secure entrance now opens freely to those with the right ID badge. We enter God’s presence not by earning access but because Christ has given us His name as our passcode.

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