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In 3 Enoch, human history appears on God's heavenly curtain. Rabbinic tradition in Numbers Rabbah compares the sanctuary curtain with the heavens, linking a divider in the earthly sanctuary with the structure of heaven.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
3 Enoch 45:6
Hebrew Book of Enoch
Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
And all the rest of all the leaders of the generations and all the works of the generations both in Israel and in the nations of the world, both what is done and what will be done hereafter to all generations until the end of time, (all) were graven on the Curtain of MAQOM. And I saw all these things with my eyes; and after I had seen it, I opened my mouth in praise of MAQOM (the Divine Majesty) (saying thus, Eccl. viii. 4, 5): "For the King's word has power (and who may say to him: What are you doing?) Whoever keeps the commandments shall know no evil thing". And I said: (Ps. civ. 24) "O Lord, how manifold are your works!"
Numbers Rabbah 12:13
Aggadah
Rabbinic
Another matter: “Et hamishkan” – as it is equal to the rest of the world, which is called a tent, just as the Tabernacle is called a tent. How so? It is written: “In the beginning, God created [the heavens and the earth]” (Genesis 1:1). And it is written: “He spreads the heavens like a sheet” (Psalms 104:2). Regarding the Tabernacle it is written: “You shall make sheets of goats’ hair as a tent over the Tabernacle…” (Exodus 26:7). On the second, it is written: “Let there be a firmament…and let it divide…” (Genesis 1:6). Regarding the Tabernacle it is written: “The curtain shall divide for you” (Exodus 26:33).
Date: 1200 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
“... A tradition found in an extended comparison between the tabernacle
instructions of Exod. 26–36 and God’s creation in Gen. 1 in Num. Rab.
12:13 (on Num. 7:1) is telling of the relationship between this veil and
heaven. Here the author compares the tabernacle with the created order:
The Tabernacle denotes that its importance was equal to that of
the world, which is called ‘tent’, even as the Tabernacle is called
‘tent’. How can this statement be supported? It is written, In
the beginning God created the heaven, etc. (Gen. 1:1), and it is
written, Who stretched out the heaven like a curtain (Ps. 104:2),
whileoftheTabernacleitiswritten,Andthoushaltmakecurtains
of goat’s hair for a tent over the Tabernacle, etc. (Exod. 26:7).
It is written in connection with the second day (of creation), Let
there be a firmament . . . and let it divide, etc. (Gen. 1:6), and of
the Tabernacle it is written. The veil shall divide unto you (Exod.
26:33).99
This text clearly identifies the inner veil of the temple with the heavenly
firmament from Gen. 1:6 within a wider tabernacle/temple cosmology. ...”
Gurtner, Daniel M.
The Torn Veil: Matthew’s Exposition of the Death of Jesus
(p. 89) Cambridge University Press, 2007
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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