It's what's inside that counts

“Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman.” Exodus 26:1
We learned earlier that the tabernacle was built as a model of God’s throne room in heaven. The innermost part of the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies (called ‘the most holy place’ in some Bible translations), was the place where God’s presence resided between the cherubim on the mercy seat. Although only the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies – and even then, only once a year – the descriptions that we are given of it in the Scriptures allow us to imagine what it might have been like.
Inside the tabernacle was beautiful. We see four materials being used: white linen, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. Each of these symbolises something different. White linen speaks to us of God’s righteousness. Blue is the colour of heaven (hence the blue threads the Israelites were to weave into their clothing, Num. 15:38). Purple speaks of royalty. Red symbolises blood. It was embroidered with cherubim, just as the cherubim stand around the throne of God in heaven, giving Him worship and glory and honour.
But the rest of the people never saw this beauty. The tabernacle was covered with curtains made of goat hair (Ex. 26:7), then a covering of ram skins, then a covering of hides of sea cows (Ex. 26:14). It must have looked quite ugly from the outside.
But even here, there is a picture for us. We read of Jesus, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him” (Isa. 53:2).
It’s the same for us: it’s not what we look like from the outside that matters – it’s what’s inside the counts.