THEOSISJohn of Tobolsk
Before the transition to the New Testament Church through the God-Man Jesus Christ, God commanded Moses and Aaron in the Old Testament Church to shroud the sacred implements of the altar and their adornments with a scarlet veil while the Israelites journeyed through the Arabian Desert. This directive is articulated in detail in the fourth chapter of Numbers, where it is stated: "Aaron and his sons, when they enter the first tabernacle, shall remove the veil covering it and shall cover the ark of the testimony with it, spreading over it a covering of blue skins and laying a blue wool covering upon it, securing the ark on its carrying poles" (Num. 4:5-6).
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Further instructions describe how to cover the table of showbread and ultimately the golden altar with its utensils: "They shall cleanse the altar from the ashes and cover it with a purple robe and place upon it all its sacred vessels, enclosing them in a purple robe and covering them with blue skins, then laying them upon a stretcher" (Num. 4:15-16). This meticulous preparation was likely intended to prevent the curious from glimpsing the most hallowed items prematurely; it was warned that anyone who beheld or, heaven forbid, touched the sacred objects would face dire consequences. Consequently, those tasked with transporting the sacred items were aware only of their weight, as all was concealed from their sight beneath the scarlet veil. Likewise, those who fully yield to God's will refrain from probing into the unfathomable reasons behind His providence and wisdom. It is a burden we must all bear willingly, accepting that the weight we carry, cloaked in blue or scarlet veils—hidden within the depths of God's incomprehensible will—is indeed redemptive for us.