Biblical Essays
“LOOPS OF BLUE”
Exodus 26:4
In contemplating the structure of the tabernacle in the wilderness, one observes the important place assigned to the “loops of blue.” By means of them and the “taches of gold,” the curtains were joined together – the manifested unity of the whole structure preserved. These loops and taches might seem insignificant and unimportant, but without them there could have been no unity. However beautiful in themselves, the curtains would have hung apart from each other, and thus one grand feature of the manifestation would have been lost.
Looking at the tabernacle as a figure of Christ, we can easily trace the beauty and significance of those “loops of blue and taches of gold.” They typified that perfect unity and consistency in the character and ways of “the Man Christ Jesus” which were the result of His heavenly grace and divine energy. In the life of the blessed Lord Jesus and in all the scenes and circumstances of that life, we not only see each distinct phase and feature perfect in itself, but also a perfect combination of all those phases and features by the power of that which was heavenly and divine in Him. The curtains of the true Tabernacle were not only beautiful in themselves, but they were beautifully combined – exquisitely linked together by means of those “loops of blue and taches of gold” which can only be discerned and appreciated by those who are in some measure instructed in the holy mysteries of the sanctuary.
And what is true of the divine Living Word is equally true of the divine written Word. The spiritual student of Holy Scripture will readily discern the “loops of blue and taches of gold.” This is only what we might expect. The Living Word is the divine embodiment of the written Word, and the written Word is the divine transcript of the Living Word. Hence, we may look for the same heavenly unity, the same divine consistency, and the same rare and exquisite combination in both. It would be pleasant and profitable to trace all the various illustrations of the loops and taches through the written Word of God, and hopefully an example or two will lead the reader to a deeper study of the subject.
In 1 Corinthians 16 we have a lovely and practical illustration of our subject. Verse 13 (KJV) says, “Quit you like men, be strong.” Here we have one fine feature of the Christian character – that manly strength which is so desirable. But, if taken by itself this might easily degenerate into a rough, rude, high-handed way of dealing with others, the very opposite of what we find in Jesus Christ, our divine Exemplar. Hence the Spirit in the apostle forms a loop of blue, and by means of a golden tach links to this manly strength another feature that is so needful – love. “Let all your things be done with love.” What a precious combination – Strength and love; love and strength. If we untie this heavenly loop we will either have a high, haughty, inconsiderate style, or a soft, pliable, enfeebled mode of acting that will sacrifice everything for peace and quietness.
Again, look at that noble definition of pure religion given at the close of James 2. There the apostle uses the loop and tach to connect together the two phases of divine religion. “To visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction” is looped with unspotted separation from the world. In other words, active benevolence and personal holiness are inseparably linked together. Untie the loop and we have either a sort of benevolence that can go hand-in-hand with the most intense spirit of worldliness, or a rigid pharisaic separation without a single generous emotion. It is only the presence of that which is heavenly and divine that can secure true unity and consistency of character. Let it never be forgotten that true Christianity is simply Christ reproduced by the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian. Dry rules will never do. It must be Christ in all.
