The four elements in the Temple veil

For some time I’ve been interested in the symbolic function of the Temple in Jerusalem and hints that the Temple functioned as a microcosm, that is, as the sacred cosmos in miniature. To date my interest has been in the implications for the interpretation of Genesis 1, the climax of the Gospel of Mark, and the book of Revelation.

From this description by Josephus however, it strikes me that there are further implications for engaging with the esoteric world. Josephus says, “before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colours without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colours the foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures.” (Wars 5.5.4)

Let the reader understand.