Exodus 36:14-19

¹⁴ He also made curtains of she-goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains. ¹⁵ The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains were the same size. ¹⁶ He joined five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. ¹⁷ And he made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. ¹⁸ And he made fifty clasps of bronze to join the tent together that it might be a single whole. ¹⁹ And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and male goatskin leather.

curtains and a covering

The lexicons are not unified on the meaning of some of these terms for the materials, so it is hard to nail down their significance. But one interesting thing I noticed is that all the curtains were made of the long flowing hair of female goats, but the outer covering was made of the leathered hides of male sheep (rams) and (probably) male goats. Both male and female animals are used in this part of the construction of the tabernacle. Notice what Moses had already said about “male and female” in Genesis:

• God created male and female in his image.[1]
• God blessed both male and female when he created them.[2]
• God preserved both male and female through Noah’s ark.[3]

We will not have marriages at the resurrection, but they are a good thing for us today. Both genders have a part to play in the manifestation of the LORD’s presence among us. Neither is insignificant or intended to be suppressed or belittled. Through our cooperation and valuing each other, we demonstrate our relationship and mutual submission to one LORD, who created us each to display his glory and reflect his image.

LORD, forgive us – as men and women — for belittling each other. Give us relationships which demonstrate your worth that that we see in one another. Help us to celebrate our differences and see your plan in them.

[1] Genesis 1:27.

[2] Genesis 5:2.

[3] Genesis 6:19; 7:3,9,16.