Numbers 4:4 “Here is how the descendants of K’hat are to serve in the tent of meeting and deal with the especially holy things: 5 when the time comes to break camp, Aharon is to go in with his sons, take down the curtain which serves as a screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 6 On that they are to place a covering of fine leather, and on top of that spread an all-blue cloth. Then they are to insert the carrying-poles.
7 On the table of showbread they are to spread a blue cloth and place on it the dishes, incense pans, offering bowls and pitchers. The perpetual bread is to remain on the table. 8 They are to spread on these things a scarlet cloth, cover them with a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.
9 They are to take a blue cloth and cover the menorah for the light, its lamps, its tongs, its trays and the jars used to add oil to it. 10 They are to wrap it and all its accessories in fine leather and place them on a carrying-frame.
11 On the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with a covering of fine leather and insert its carrying-poles. 12 They are to take all the utensils they use when serving in the sanctuary and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather and place them on a carrying-frame.
13 After removing the greasy ashes from the altar, they are to spread a purple cloth over it 14 and place on it all the utensils required for their altar service — the fire pans, meat-hooks, shovels, basins and other utensils for the altar. Then they are to spread over it a fine leather covering and insert its carrying-poles.
15 When Aharon and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy utensils, when the camp is about to move forward, then the descendants of K’hat are to come and carry them. But they are not to touch the holy things, so that they won’t die. These things are the responsibility of the descendants of K’hat in the tent of meeting.”
Let’s summarize what we see here:
Can you see what stands out here? I’m sure you can but before we climb into that, let’s talk about what’s the same: the skin.
What kind of skin is this? The KJV says it is badger skins, the CJB calls it fine leather, others call it goat skins or dolphin hides. So what is it?
The word is: תַּחַש (tachas or tahash). It appears 14 times, always in connection with Tabernacle coverings. But the thing is, no one today knows exactly what animal “tachas” refers to. So because the animal is no longer identifiable, translations vary widely. The most likely interpretation among Hebrew scholars today is that it is a high-quality, weatherproof leather of uncertain origin. Meaning, “fine leather” is probably the most responsible way to translate it.
But knowing which word to use isn’t the point. And I believe that’s why the Torah makes it difficult to translate. The point was not which animal, but that the outer covering was plain, durable, and unattractive compared to what was hidden beneath.
From the outside, these holy elements had no immediate allure. They were not displayed in all of their splendor so that way no one would seek to worship the “thing”. And for some reason, people love worshiping pictures and/or relics. They love going places and worshiping the sites where it is suspected a Biblical event took place. They love seeing things touched by deceased believers. Most churches even fill themselves with items that provoke a sense of adoration and connectedness. As such, a lot of believers even today need certain church decor to be present to feel like it is a spiritual place. Again, there is nothing inherently wrong with this unless it turns into the worship of these things.
The good news is that our God was very careful not to let that happen. Well, that is the intent anyway.
Read through the Scriptures and you will notice one very interesting thing: YHVH is a God that shows Himself in events, not things and places. Sure, things did happen in places and with things, but then a new place and a new thing shows up. But every Shabbat? He’s there. Every Feast? He’s there. It’s time that our God uses to connect with us, not places and things.
This is a large reason why the Tabernacle was mobile. It’s why the elements were covered. It’s why not just anyone could simply walk into the Sanctuary. It is the presence of God that is the focus of the Tabernacle, not the things in it. I mean, this was such a big deal that death came upon anyone that even looked at these holy things:
Numbers 4:17 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, 18 “Do not cut off the clan of K’hat from among the L’vi’im; 19 rather, do this for them, so that they will live and not die: when they approach the especially holy things, Aharon and his sons are to go in — and you are to assign each one his task; 20 but the descendants of K’hat are not to go in and look at the holy things as they are being covered; if they do, they will die.”
These furnishings serve a purpose, they are not the purpose of our serving. The only way the holy things are “:seen” is wrapped in skin. It is holiness hidden under humanity, glory concealed beneath ordinary appearance, and the beauty of God covered by something rough and common.
Sounds a bit like us, huh?
On the outside, it’s hard to tell whether you’re a dedicated follower or just another spectator. Same with everyone else walking the planet. But under that skin? That’s where the truth begins to shine.
Under each of these coverings we each have an amazing and holy purpose. Unfortunately, most of us have no idea what that purpose could be. Many books have been written to try and help uncover what it is (and a lot of them are helpful), but I believe it has more to do with who we are rather than what we do. Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” And it is this point exactly that needs to be addressed.
If the holy furnishings were covered in skin to keep the focus on God’s presence rather than on the objects themselves, then the same pattern holds true for us. Our “outer layer” looks ordinary enough -- frail humanity, easily overlooked, easily dismissed. But just like the layers of blue, scarlet, and purple cloth hid glory beneath leather (more on that later), we each carry a God-designed inner purpose meant to draw us toward the holiest place of all. The coverings were never meant to conceal indefinitely, they were meant to protect what was sacred until it reached its destination. In the same way, our own humanity protects a sacred purpose within us, a purpose that unfolds as we journey toward deeper and deeper fellowship with YHVH.
Looking inward, we discover that the Tabernacle is not just a model for Israel’s worship; it is a map of the human soul. It teaches us that every movement toward God begins with humility, sacrifice, cleansing, nourishment, illumination, intercession, order, and finally communion. The Tabernacle draws us into worship, shaping our inner life so that we may dwell with Him.
But the Tabernacle also points outward. Once the holy things were wrapped and carried, their purpose was not only to lead Israel into the presence of God, but also to guide Israel in its wilderness movement. Worship leads to service; intimacy always produces function. This is where the redemptive gifts come in.
Arthur Burk identifies seven primary spiritual designs -- Prophet, Servant, Teacher, Exhorter, Giver, Ruler, and Mercy -- each reflecting the character of one of the seven Tabernacle elements. These gifts are not roles we choose, they are expressions of how God crafted us from the beginning. The same inner reality that pulls us toward the Most Holy Place becomes the outward expression that serves others. What does this look like?
The altar draws us inward to repentance -- and Prophets call others back to alignment.
The laver cleanses us -- and Servants bring cleansing to their environments.
The table nourishes us -- and Teachers nourish the Body through truth.
The lampstand illuminates our path -- and Exhorters illuminate truth through relationship.
The incense altar draws us near through intercession -- and Givers open access and favor.
The Ark establishes divine order in us -- and Rulers create systems in which others thrive.
And the Mercy Seat brings us into wholeness -- so Mercy-gifted believers bring wholeness to the hurting.
In other words, the Tabernacle teaches us that worship and service are not two separate worlds, they are two directions of the same gift. When we look inward, our gift draws us into the presence of God. When we look outward, the same gift becomes the channel through which God ministers to others. The furnishings of the Tabernacle form a journey from the outer court to the throne of YHVH, and the redemptive gifts form the journey of a believer from salvation to service.
We enter His presence through the unique design He placed in us, and we carry His presence into the world by expressing that same design toward others. The Tabernacle covered in skin is us, ordinary on the outside, holy on the inside. And just as the holy furnishings moved when the cloud moved, we too carry the presence of God as we move through the world, revealing His nature through the gift He has woven into our being.
(Side note: Arthur Burk does a wonderful job connecting these gifts to the elements of the Tabernacle and you should certainly go through this full teaching if you haven’t already.)
Using Arthur Burk’s insight, here’s a brief summary of our connectedness to the Tabernacle:
The Prophet gift operates in truth, design, and alignment with God’s ways. In the Tabernacle, this is pictured by the Bronze Altar, the first object you meet, the place where all pretense dies and reality is confronted. The altar deals in absolutes: sin must be dealt with, God’s standards must be honored, and approach into His presence begins only where truth is acknowledged. The Prophet gift functions the same way. Prophets call people back to design, expose what’s false, and insist that all life be measured against God’s unchanging truth. The Altar is the Prophet’s domain, a place of clarity, repentance, and alignment with divine intention.
The Servant gift embodies cleansing, atmosphere, and quiet empowerment. Its Tabernacle counterpart is the Bronze Laver, the one item left uncovered, always accessible, created solely for washing and preparing others to minister. The Servant removes defilement from environments, lifts burdens, and creates a space where others can thrive. In the same way the priests could not proceed without washing, the Body cannot function without Servants. The Laver pictures their invisible authority: sustaining purity, enabling movement, and empowering others without drawing attention to itself.
The Teacher gift brings stability, clarity, and nourishment through truth. This is expressed in the Table of the Bread of the Presence, ordered, rhythmic, precise, renewed every Sabbath. The Table holds covenant bread in exact arrangement, symbolizing truth that feeds the soul and brings continuity across generations. Teachers do the same work: sustaining the Body with balanced understanding, validating truth carefully, and offering steady, stable nourishment that builds maturity. As the scarlet-covered Table anchored the Holy Place, the Teacher gift anchors the community with covenant truth.
The Exhorter gift shines with communication, relational connection, and the ability to illuminate truth in a way people can receive. In the Tabernacle, this is the Lampstand, pure gold, branching, radiant, continually fed by oil. It lights the Table so the Bread can be seen and enjoyed. Exhorters light up the room spiritually: they bridge truth to life, bring understanding where there is confusion, and draw people into relationship with God and one another. The Lampstand is their picture -- vibrant, relational, and full of revelatory presence.
The Giver gift operates through access, provision, and the wise stewardship of resources. This is modeled in the Altar of Incense, placed just before the veil, the closest one can stand before entering the Holy of Holies. The rising incense represents intercession, favor, and the opening of divine pathways. Givers do this in the Body: they create access for others, open doors relationally and spiritually, and steward opportunities with precision. The Incense Altar captures this role -- establishing atmosphere, providing favor, and bridging the gap between the Holy Place and the Most Holy.
The Ruler gift embodies divine order, systems, structure, and the ability to govern environments so life flourishes. The Ark is the clearest picture: exact dimensions, handled with strict protocol, containing the law, the rod of authority, and the bread of provision. Wherever the Ark went, it set the order of the camp. Rulers do the same: they build frameworks, establish healthy systems, set boundaries, and create the structures in which God’s presence can dwell safely among His people. The Ark is the Ruler’s symbol, governance rooted in holiness.
The Mercy gift expresses presence, restoration, and wholeness. Its Tabernacle counterpart is the Mercy Seat, the place where God meets His people, where blood speaks a better word than judgment, and where relationship is fully restored. Mercy-gifted people carry this atmosphere: they reveal God’s heart, create spaces of belonging, and facilitate healing without condemnation. Just as the Mercy Seat sat above the law and radiated the presence of God, Mercy-carriers bring the fullness of God’s compassion into the community, completing the journey that begins at the altar and ends at the throne.
In summary,
This describes our inner purpose. And we are covered on the outside by skin that looks just like everyone else. But there is one extra thing that runs in between
If we have a Tabernacle-like purpose within us, and we have an outer covering of skin when we are mobile, what is this inner layer of cloth for?
If each gift is pictured in the Tabernacle, then it’s not just the furniture we must study, it’s also the coverings placed over them. The coverings reveal how Heaven sees these gifts and how we are meant to carry them as we move through the world. Most of the holy items were wrapped in blue, the color of the Heavens, signaling that the dominant expression of most gifts is meant to be carried under a distinctly Heavenly perspective. Whether Prophet or Teacher or Mercy, the external “layer” of our design should point to something higher than ourselves. Our gift may take on human form, wrapped in the ordinary skin of our personality, limitations, and imperfections, but its true nature is meant to reflect the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why almost every item in the Tabernacle receives this blue covering. Heaven is the origin of the gift, and Heaven is the atmosphere it is meant to impart.
And yet, two of the gifts carry additional colors: the Teacher and the Prophet. The Table of Showbread is wrapped not only in blue, but also in scarlet, the color of covenant and blood. This reminds us that the Teacher gift is not simply a dispenser of information but a steward of covenant truth. Teaching is rooted in sacrifice, responsibility, and the binding nature of God’s Word. The Teacher’s insights must always be carried with the weight of covenant loyalty, not mere intellect.
Likewise, the altar (representing the Prophet) receives a purple cloth, the color of royalty, honor, and authority. Prophets do not speak on their own; they speak on behalf of the King. Their words are not personal opinions but declarations rooted in the authority of YHVH’s throne. Purple reminds the Prophet that the cutting clarity they bring is meant to restore Kingdom order, not to elevate themselves.
These two gifts, with their additional/different colors, carry unique burdens: truth that cuts (scarlet) and truth that governs (purple).
Finally, we come to the most surprising detail of all: the Servant has no covering. The bronze laver, the image of cleansing, is left exposed. It is the only item that remains visible while everything else is hidden under layers of fabric and leather. Why? Because cleansing must always be immediately accessible. The work of the Servant is not to conceal holiness but to create the space where holiness can be approached.
The laver had no measurements in the Torah, no set dimensions, and no covering, symbolizing that the Servant’s work is defined not by prestige or borders but by availability. And when a priest leaned over the laver, he couldn’t help but see his own reflection in its polished bronze. Before serving, before drawing near, before stepping into sacred work, he first saw himself, the truth of who he was and what still needed cleansing. The Servant gift functions the same way in the Body: it reveals, gently and continually, the areas where cleansing is needed. The Servant’s presence reminds us that we cannot move toward God or serve others without letting Him wash us first.
So the coverings teach us as much as the furniture. Blue tells us our gifts are from Heaven. Scarlet reminds us that truth demands covenant loyalty. Purple declares that alignment requires authority. And the uncovered laver teaches us that cleansing is never optional or hidden, it is the daily doorway into the presence of YHVH and the daily grace that enables us to serve.
In light of all of this, what then is our purpose? Well, it's the same for everyone, regardless of your gift.
The idea of being a servant is repulsive in our culture. History is littered with abusive models and there is a stigma attached to the very idea of servanthood.
Worship, on the other hand, is something every single one of us engages in daily -- happily. Believers and non-believers alike engage in some form of worship despite spiritual convictions.
So, what exactly is worship?
Worship is not a song we sing or a posture we assume, it is the direction of our deepest affection and trust. Worship is whatever we believe will give us life. It is the thing we look toward for security, identity, meaning, and comfort. This is why every human being is a worshiper, whether they acknowledge God or not. We were created to behold something, to yield ourselves to something, to orient our inner world around something greater than ourselves. The Tabernacle teaches this by pulling our gaze inward -- past the sacrifices, past the cleansing, past the bread and light and incense -- all the way to the Mercy Seat where the Presence dwells. True worship is the movement of the soul toward the center, toward the One who sits enthroned above the law and calls us into communion.
But worship gets perverted the moment our gaze shifts from the Giver to the gifts. Instead of moving toward the Mercy Seat, we get stuck at the outer courts. Money, comfort, and power are simply modern names for old temptations: provision, safety, and authority. These are the very areas where Yeshua Himself was tested. Instead of trusting God to provide, we worship money. Instead of trusting God to comfort, we worship ease. Instead of trusting God’s authority, we worship influence or control. When worship bends inward toward what benefits us, rather than upward toward the One who made us, it becomes idolatry -- the quiet belief that something other than God will give us life. The heart does not stop worshiping; it simply chooses the wrong throne.
And what about service?
If worship is the inward pull toward God, service is the outward movement toward others. But where worship comes naturally to our design (even if misdirected), service does not. We hesitate because true service always requires loss: loss of time, comfort, preference, and emotional energy. Service demands that we move beyond ourselves. That is why, even when we do serve, we tend to serve selectively, choosing people we already like, causes that benefit us, or situations that cost us very little. We are drawn to those who mirror us, agree with us, thank us, or elevate us. This is not servanthood; it is curated generosity.
The Tabernacle exposes this flaw. The laver, the image of the Servant gift, forces us to see ourselves clearly. We cannot serve others until God has first shown us what still needs cleansing within us. That is why the laver is uncovered: its reflection is always visible. It confronts the pride, resentment, reluctance, and self-interest that fracture our service. Service becomes hard because it is not about doing something for others; it is about letting God do something in us first. The real barrier to serving others is not inconvenience, it is the condition of our own heart.
Yet the irony is profound. The more we draw near in worship, the more service becomes possible. Worship purifies our motives; service expresses our devotion. Worship reorients our loves; service extends them. When worship bends upward, service naturally bends outward.
But when worship bends inward toward money, comfort, or power, service collapses into self-preservation, self-protection, or self-promotion. The same gift that draws us into God’s presence was always intended to move through us for the sake of others.
So why do we struggle so much?
The great tragedy of our generation is not that we lack gifting (every believer carries a holy design beneath their skin) but that we lack focus. We are continually discipled by the world’s ways while attempting to sprinkle faith on top. We then massage Scripture to justify our avoidance:
“Ah, well you know what the Bible says: You don’t work, you don’t eat.”
“Be reasonable. You can’t be in church all the time. Paul even says we are to live in this world, just not be part of it.”
And though each statement contains a measure of truth, none of them reflect the purpose for which we were created. They are soundbites used to excuse a life aimed horizontally rather than vertically. They let us stay busy, respectable, productive, and spiritually numb.
But the Tabernacle does not leave room for such divided lives. It was built with one intent: to reveal that all of life flows from the presence of YHVH. The coverings, the colors, the functions, the journey -- all of it exposes a single message: if our worship is misdirected, our service will be misaligned. If our eyes settle on money, comfort, or power, we will work for ourselves, protect ourselves, and serve only when it fits our preferences. But when worship is restored, when we move toward the Mercy Seat day after day, service becomes the overflow of communion. We begin shaping the world instead of being shaped by it.
This is what it truly means to be “in the world but not of it.” It does not mean withdrawal or religious detachment. It means entering the world as a carrier of the Presence, a mobile Tabernacle, bringing the atmosphere of Heaven into the places where people are lost and longing.
Being “in the world” simply gives us a mission field; being “not of it” gives us the authority and purity to move through it without being consumed by it. And our work? Work is not the job that pays our bills. Work is the assignment of our lives. It’s the expression of our gift, the manifestation of Heaven, the expansion of the Garden.
When God placed Adam in Eden, the first command was not “build a career” but cultivate and guard. Expand the boundaries of what is holy. Fill the earth with people who know His name. That mission never changed. It began in Genesis and ends in Revelation with a multitude from every tribe and tongue gathered before the throne. The Kingdom has always been about people. And if the Kingdom is about people, then our gifts are weapons of restoration, tools of redemption, and expressions of God’s character designed to draw hearts home.
So the question is no longer, “What is my gift?” You already carry that beneath your skin. The real question is, “What am I worshiping, and who am I serving?” If worship bends toward Heaven, service will bend toward others. If worship bends inward, service will collapse into self-preservation. And the world, desperate for the presence of God, will continue to starve while we chase shadows.
Now is the moment to reorient. To lift our eyes toward the One enthroned above the Mercy Seat. To let Him cleanse us at the Laver. To receive nourishment at the Table and illumination at the Lampstand. To step into intercession at the Altar of Incense. To submit to His government at the Ark. And then, with our gifts covered in Heaven’s colors, to step back into the world as carriers of His Presence.
This is our purpose. This is our calling. This is why we were born:
To worship YHVH.
To serve His people.
To bring Heaven to earth.
Below is an expanded list of the lies we sometimes believe that cause us to be ineffectual in our Kingdom walk.
The bait the world puts out for us is quite tempting. All of the arguments make perfect sense also:
The advanced believers take this to an even higher level by quoting Scripture:
While there are some threads of truthful things here, they are certainly taken out of context and the greater task gets buried. These soundbites should not be used as justification for not doing what we are called to do.
The truth in all of this is that we need to be the ones shaping the world, not being shaped by it. And all of the excuses we use to spend the bulk of our time lost in the world and serving ourselves need to be tabled for us to have any impact at all.