Jesus in the Tabernacle
The Holy Place
Introduction
In the last study we looked at the outer court which contained the brazen altar and the brazen laver. It was bronze, bronze, and bronze where ever we looked! Well, it’s time to leave the outer court behind, with its emphasis on judgment and sacrifice, and move into the Holy Place. There we shall see no more bronze... but now all shall be gold and Achaia wood. The three objects in this room will give us a greater insight into different aspects of the Lord Jesus Christ. They shall also show us what is required to make the next step from salvation to fellowship with Christ.
The Tabernacle had three coverings:
1. An outer covering of some type of grey, dull and unattractive hide, possibly badger skins or porpoise hide. (“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him.”: Isaiah 53:2 The glory hidden in frail humanity.
2. Below this was a covering of white goat hide dyed red(Symbolizing the BLOOD COVENANT)
3. Finally a covering of white linen (symbolizing the inner purity of Jesus)
We first need to see that the Door to the Holy Place was a veil, also of blue, purple and scarlet as is the Door to the Court, but this door is twice as high as it is wide. The Door to the Court was for everyone, this Door is only for the priesthood.
The gospel of grace is for the whole world, and the gate is wide enough for all, if they will take it and find the Altar of Jesus’ sacrifice, but the blessings of the house of God is for believers only, therefore the Gate is narrow.
The only person lawfully allowed to enter the Holy Place is a priest. In Israel, the priesthood was vested in one family, the family of Aaron of the tribe of Levi. Natural birth into that family was the only way of sharing its’ privileges. In our present age of grace it is exactly the opposite. By natural birth we are all shut out from God, and by the spiritual birth, being born again, all are made priests. All the blessings and privileges of the priesthood are the birthright of all believers!
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God..” (I Peter 2:9)
TABLE OF SHOWBREAD
As you move into the Holy Place the first article that you see, on the right (north side) is the Table of Showbread. Showbread, in Hebrew, literally means “THE BREAD OF THE PRESENCE” (1 Samuel 21:6 NIV). The table stands across from, and in the full blaze of the Golden Candlestick, which almost seems to shine for the purpose of revealing it alone. Twelve loaves of bread (one loaf for each of the twelve tribes of Israel) are placed on the table, which is covered with blue cloth, in two heaps of six loaves. The loaves are then covered with frankincense. (A sweet herb, used for burial rituals, and also has medicinal preservative powers). Every Sabbath the old loaves are removed and eaten by the priest and new loaves are placed on the table. On the table beside the loaves are golden trays and vessels of wine.
The only person ever to eat this bread other than a priest was King David; “He answered.’ Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the House of God (Tabernacle), and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread-which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.” (Matthew 12:3-4; 1 Samuel 21:6)
David as a Type of the Messiah, the Son of David, could do this, and give his men the bread also, just as Jesus does for us.
The Table of Showbread, with the accompanying bread and wine, represents the Blood Covenant Meal. The Covenant is cut at the Brazen Altar.
Being made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, this table represents the person of Christ – again emphasising His humanity and deity. But the specific emphasis is on Christ as the Bread of life, (He is also the Bread of the Presence of God with us). Remember when Jesus said:
"I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Sir, they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:32-35)
I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. If a man eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world. Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, ‘how can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood; you have no life in you. Whoever eats of My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. Just as the Living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from Heaven. Our forefathers ate manna and died; but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.’” (John 6:51-58)
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, or in Hebrew; Beit LaHem; lit. THE HOUSE OF BREAD.
Bread is the fruit of the ground, which was cursed for mans’ sin. So Jesus was born of a cursed and sinful race. Bread is the offspring of death. The seed must be buried in the soil and die before it can produce the harvest that sustains life;
“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24
“I am the Vine; you are then branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
The illustration of the seed and the bread and the vine would have impacted His audience strongly. This was an agricultural society. If they didn’t do it themselves, they saw their uncle or neighbour scatter seed every spring; no planted seed meant barren ground. And famine. Vineyards were everywhere. They knew any branch broken off withered and died. The branch drew its’ life from the vine. Bread was their daily subsistence, the staple of their diet. No bread meant starvation.
It is the same for us! Being a believer doesn’t mean just believing some truths and trying to live up to them! You must connect PERSONALLY, INTIMATELY with the Bread and the Vine to have life. “Drink of my blood, eat of My body,” as Jesus said is the ONLY WAY to have true LIFE, Resurrection, overcoming, joyous life in all situations. Or starve, wither in religion and die.
“I have come that they might have life, and have it to the FULL.” John 10:10
The grain from which bread is made must be crushed by the millstone. The bread must be kneaded in the bakers’ hand and baked in the fierce heat of the oven. Just so, our Heavenly Bread was prepared under crushing pressure and the consuming fire of suffering.
The bread was unleavened; no sign of sin or decay (remember the bread of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which pointed to the Person and work of Jesus).
The Bread was sprinkled with Frankincense; sweet smelling, appetizing and healing, “all who eat shall live”.
The Bread was set before God as a meal offering for six days before the priests could eat of it. It was an offering for both man and God.
The priests of God must eat unleavened bread.
In a beautiful provision of the Law, while only an unblemished priest could offer the incense in the Holy Place, all priests could partake of the Bread.(Lev 21:16-22)
If you are struggling and feel you are blemished and cannot even offer acceptable worship, you are not cut off from the provisions of the Bread of Life!
None of us would dare say we have no defects. Yet God has made provision for us to eat of the bread of God. Both the Holy and the Most Holy. The encouragement is that Jesus healed all who came to him. (MAT 15:30)
The only one who cannot eat of the Bread is an unrepentant sinner, or a traitor. (Judas, in guilt, had to leave before the New Covenant was offered) You must come with repentance and faith in the Blood Covenant Sin Offering. (Romans 8:3)
As Jesus is the BREAD OF LIFE He is also the WORD OF GOD (John 1:1) and reveals all of God to us, especially His character and will.
‘Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deut 8:3)
!
GOLDEN CANDLESTICK (LAMPSTAND)
Looking to the left, (South) you would see the Golden Candlestick. With its’ seven lights burning brightly, it was an object of beauty and the ONLY SOURCE OF LIGHT FOR THE HOLY PLACE.
The Lampstand was made out of PURE GOLD. There was to be no acacia wood or any other material used here – just pure gold. No tin or alloy. Just JESUS, the TRUE and PURE LIGHT. PURE GOD AND PURE MAN.
Not only was the Candlestick to be of PURE gold, it was to be of BEATEN gold!
It was during the beating process that the various branches and decorations were formed. They were all hidden in the Talent of Gold intil it was beaten by the Masters’ hand, then one by one they wre formed in love until the full beauty was brought forth. This is how the Church came to be.
(Just as Eve was taken out of the side of Adam while he slept, so the Church came into being through the piercing of Jesus’ body, out of His side, and His sleep in the grave for three days.)
We know that through the wounding and bruising at Calvary that we were saved and healed;
“He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
“It pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put him to grief; when You shall make His soul an offering for sin, HE SHALL SEE HIS SEED.” Isaiah 53:10)
Through faith in Jesus we are made HIS SEED; “partakers of the divine nature” (1 Peter 1:4) and therefore one piece of pure gold in Gods’ eyes!
Here we see Jesus, the shaft out of whom we, the branches have been made! (We, like the branches, spring out of the side of the centre shaft, not just attached to it, but of one piece!)
It is revealed in the Hebrew so clearly where it is described as “His shaft, and His branches” (Exodus 25:31).
(To this day, the Jewish rabbis call the centre shaft the SERVANT CANDLE. (As Jesus said; He came not to be served but to serve; and the rabbis call the Messiah pictured in Isaiah 53 the SUFFERING SERVANT.)
The central shaft stood above the others, called “the candlestick” or as we have noted, in Hebrew “His shaft” (Exodus 25:31), with three branches at each side of it. The lamps, with their wicks and oil, were set on the stem and the six branches. Each branch was intricately carved with the likeness of almond blossoms, pomegranates and lilies. There were three of these ornaments on each branch, and four on the central shaft. Associated with the Golden Candlestick were the tongs, to trim the wick; and the snuff dishes, to hold the trimmings. The lamps were to be fed with PURE olive oil. (Exodus 25:31-38; 27:20; 39:27) The PURE OIL was the first oil to come from the crushing process! Jesus is the First Fruits! (1 Corinthians 15:22-23) And, like the seven branched Candlestick, Jesus flamed with the Seven-fold Holy Spirit, of which the oil is a Type.
“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him; The Spirit of wisdom and understanding; The Spirit of counsel and of power; The Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:2;
“Grace and peace to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, and from the Seven Spirits before His Throne..” Revelation 1:4
In addition, the decorations of the CANDLESTICK themselves portray truths
Lilies; speak of Jesus and His life of purity. The Song of Solomon speaks of Him as “The Lily of The Valley” (2:1)
Pomegranates; fruitfulness as seen portrayed on the hem of the High Priests’ garment, in the decorations of Solomon’s’ Temple and in the garden of fruitfulness in the Song of Solomon 7:12 . As Jesus would later say;
“He that abides in Me and I in him, the same will bring forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Almonds; Almond blossoms symbolize resurrection. Remember Aarons’ rod that, though dead and left overnight, budded, bloomed and bore almonds, typifying Jesus’ resurrection and Gods’ choice of High Priest. (Numbers 17:8)
THE LIGHT OF THE CANDLESTICK
The central shaft, representing the Messiah tells us of Jesus “The Light of the World” (John 8:12)
The branches, as we have seen, represent us as believers, as Jesus said:”You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) As children come from the loins (remember the Hebrew for the centre shaft is also translated loins) of the father so come the branches from the shaft. It gives us being. We come from it, having, as it were, its’ life, its’ nature, and its’ beauty as our own.
As the branches and the shaft are of the same piece of gold, we His brothers and sisters are in Him. He is the Son of God; we are the sons of God. His Father is our Father. Jesus is the Head of the church; the Church is the fullness of Christ. The Church is the second Eve of the Second Adam. We partake of His Life, are possessed by His Spirit, and share His sufferings and soon His Glory.
“Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.” Hebrews 2:11
The Candlestick also represents the Word of God, our Scriptures, which tells us of Jesus, the true Word of God:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
As it said earlier, there were no windows or other light sources in the Holy Place. If you wanted to see the table of showbread or minister at the altar of incense, then it was the lamp stand that gave you the ability to do so. And so it is the Word of God that sheds light upon our walk with the Lord today. It is God’s word that brings us revelation and clarity concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ.
THE ALTAR OF INCENSE
A Type of Christ
The golden altar of incense tells us of the ministry of Jesus as our intercessor whose prayers never stop ascending to God on our behalf. Jesus said to Peter, "I have prayed for you." The four horns speak of Christ's ministry extending to the four corners of the earth. He will always pray for His own no matter where they are. He can intercede on our behalf because of the atoning work on the cross of Calvary. The incense was fueled by the fire from the altar. It is not just anyone praying for us but the King Himself as represented by the crown of gold. He knows our weaknesses and our failings and He is praying for us always. The Glory of Christ appears in both Altars. Christ on the cross in the Altar of Burnt Offering; Jesus risen and glorified in the Altar of Burnt Incense.
Down there He stood for us in the place of death and judgment, and met our deep need as sinners. Up there He lives for us still in the presence of God, meeting all our needs as His saints and worshippers.
By his sacrifice we are redeemed by His intercession we are maintained in communion.
In Exodus 30:1-11, God gave Moses instructions concerning the altar of incense. There was a significant difference between the construction of the golden altar of incense and the brazen altar. The brazen altar was made from bronze and wood, but the golden altar was made from shittim wood and overlaid with gold. (No Longer humanity under judgment, but satisfied judgment and the gold of Gods’ divinity). One of the most notable qualities about the golden altar was that that it was positioned in the center, before the veil of the Holy of Holies, so it sat in the heart of the holy place. This correlates to intercession being the heart of God. Whatever comes from the golden altar must come from your heart. The condition of your heart can also hinder you from having an intimate relationship with God.
The four horns pointed to the four camps of the Israelites and to the four corners of the world. After sanctified by the blood, Gods’ offer of communion is for all!
God told Moses to place the Altar just outside the inner curtain. It was to be opposite the Ark of the Covenant and its cover, the Mercy Seat. The location of the Altar is significant. How close to the inner curtain was the Altar placed? No one knows, but what is known is that the Altar was just outside the curtain. It was very, very close to the presence of God. This is the great blessing of intercessory prayer and worship; they are
• close to the very throne of God
• close to the glory of God
• close to the place where God’s eternal mercy and grace reside
• close to the door of answered prayer
• close to the most intimate fellowship and communion with God imaginable
The purpose of the golden altar was threefold: prayer, intercession and worship.
Each day the priest was to conduct a service of consecration on behalf of the people, and this service was called the “Daily.” This service was performed at the altar of burnt offering in the court of the tabernacle and in the holy place. The “daily” service consisted of the morning and evening burnt offering (A lamb each time), and the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar. Upon this altar the priest was to burn incense every morning and evening.
The fire on the golden altar was never supposed to go out. The live coals came from the Altar of burnt offerings, the Altar which symbolized the need for atonement with God. No effectual prayers can be offered to God unless a sacrifice has been offered to satisfy the righteous and just nature of a holy God. Without Calvary, we have no relationship with God. As the priests ministered at the Altar of Incense, the gold molding and hot coals reminded them of several things:
⇒ They were reminded of God’s righteous and just nature and of His blazing judgment against sin.
⇒ This was clearly seen in the hot coals that burned red with heat.
⇒ They were reminded of God’s wonderful mercy and grace that invited them to approach His holy throne.
⇒ They were reminded of their reason for being at the Altar: to intercede for the desperate needs of a sinful people who needed the help of God.
After both altars were lit supernaturally, the priests kept the fires burning continually, taking coals off the brazen altar daily and using them to keep the fire kindled at the golden altar.
The golden altar was constructed to be three feet in height which corresponded to the height of the Ark of the Covenant. In practice, this means that when you worship at the golden altar, that piece of furniture brings you to the level where you can commune with God according to His divine pattern. The Altar had a gold crown around its’ top, symbolizing the Kingship of Jesus.
The holy incense burned continually upon the coals of the golden altar. There were four ingredients used to create the holy incense (Exodus 30:34-35).
The first spice in the holy incense was stacte, a resin that would ooze spontaneously out of the storax tree. I believe this means that our prayers, worship, and intercession must not be programmed. They must emerge spontaneously at the direction of the Spirit of God. Stacte must be a part of your prayers, intercession and worship because God needs for you to be instantly obedient to His voice and promptings.
The second spice that was part of the holy incense was onycha which was extracted from the shellfish that lived in the depths of the Red Sea. This means you must have depth in your worship. Your level of prayers, intercession, and worship unto God must come from a depth in the Spirit. The third spice was galbanum, a pungent resin that could only be acquired by breaking or splitting the branch of a tree. The word pungent means, “affecting the organs of taste or smell with a sharp acrid sensation”. In other words, it was a bitter ingredient, not all pleasant to the senses. As an intercessor and worshipper, there will be times when you go through galbanum experiences. Yet during difficult seasons and manifestations, you must come to a place where you can declare, “Though I am having a bitter experience, I’m still going to stay in position of prayer, intercession and worship.” As you serve at the golden altar of incense, God will begin to train you in order to help you understand that everything in your life is not always going to run smoothly. But in the midst of these galbanum experiences, you must learn how to keep offering up prayers, intercession, and worship unto God from a deep place in your spirit.
The fourth and final spice that was added to the holy incense was frankincense, a resin that was collected early in the morning from the Boswellia tree. When you seek the Lord from the ingredient of frankincense, you are seeking Him early – which doesn’t necessarily mean a time of day. This precious resin is collected early in the morning because it readily flows out at that time. (Frankincense heals and preserves, and is used to remove infection and corruption.)
After blending the four elements together, one final element was used to temper them all (Exodus 30:35), salt. The Bible says we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). You are the key element that brings it all together at the golden altar. You have to make prayer, intercession and worship a personal priority. You have to invest yourself into this divine process completely.
“Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you.” Exodus 30:36
The finely powdered incense shows that our prayers, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, are lifted to God as incense by our High Priest. God will hear and will “meet with you.”
Accepted are my prayers as incense before Thee (Ps. 141:2).
The four animals, and the four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb, having each one of them a harp, and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8).
Another angel came, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. The smoke of the incense went up from the prayers of the saints (Rev. 8:3, 4).
“Let my prayer be set before You as incense, and the lifting of my hands like the evening sacrifice.” (Psalm 141:2)
No one else was allowed to mix this incense for their own purpose, “Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its’ fragrance must be cut off from his people.” Exodus 30:38
No other incense or offering could be burned on the Altar. “Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering…” Exodus 30:9
“Nadab and Abihu (sons of Aaron) fell dead before the LORD when they made an offering of unauthorized fire (not from the Brazen Altar) before Him…” Numbers 3:4
Once a year Aaron was to purify the Altar by placing on its horns some blood from the atoning sacrifice (the blood of the sin offering).
“Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering.”(Exodus 30:10).
For the Altar of Incense to have any lasting significance, it had to be directly connected to the blood that was shed on the Altar of Burnt Offerings. Why? Because the prayers of believers have to be directly connected to the shed blood of Christ.
⇒ It is at the Altar of prayer where we plead the power of Christ’s blood to cleanse and accept us.
⇒ It is at the Altar of prayer where we stand in Christ’s atonement, where we are reconciled to God.
⇒ It is at the Altar of prayer where we go behind the inner curtain, in Christ’s name, and experience the wonderful presence and glory of God Himself
“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16
To offer any sacrifice or prayer not grounded in the SIN OFFERING, and not accepted by God is ineffectual and eventually eternally deadly to the soul who does not come to God in the way He has provided.
The blood sprinkled horns of the Altar of Incense were proof the Sin Offering had been made. This blood evidence allowed the High Priest to enter the Holy of Holies into the presence of God. As He went behind the Veil, carrying incense and blood, the incense billowed up in front of the Ark of the Covenant and the manifested presence of God in the Glory Cloud. But, only once a year, because the sacrifice was not yet complete, the true blood not yet spilled, only seen in Type, but honored by God because He stood in the covenant with Jesus made “before the world began”.
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needed not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself” (Heb.7:25-27).
The Altar of Incense is most holy to the LORD because it represents the Intercessory Ministry, the atoning sacrifice, of Christ. Nothing is as dear to the heart of God as His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God wanted Christ to die for us, to die as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. This Jesus Christ did. He died for us, died in obedience to God’s will. Because He obeyed God—did what God the Father wanted—nothing touches the heart of God like the Intercessory Ministry, the atoning sacrifice, of His Son.
Thus God has taken the Intercessory Ministry, the atoning sacrifice, of His dear Son and made it holy: sanctified it, set it apart as very special in the eternal plan of redemption.
⇒ By the Intercessory Ministry of Christ, He stands forth as our eternal Mediator, making us acceptable to God.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim.2:5-6; cp. Jn.14:6; Heb.9:15).
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb.9:24).
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate [mediator] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn.2:1-2).
⇒By the Intercessory Ministry of Christ, the door into God’s presence is opened.
We now have access into God’s presence—anytime, anyplace—through prayer.
“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16
THE VEIL
“Therefore brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the veil, that is His body…”Hebrews 10:20
A thick curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. This curtain, known as the “veil,” was made of fine linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn. There were figures of cherubim (angels) embroidered onto it. Cherubim, spirits who serve God, were in the presence of God to demonstrate His almighty power and majesty. They also guarded the throne of God, as the Cherubim had guarded the gate of Eden from fallen man. These cherubim were also on the innermost layer of covering of the tent. If one looked upward, they would see the cherubim figures. They would have reminded the priests of the great gulf between God and man, crossed only by the bearing of BLOOD.The word “veil” in Hebrew means a screen, divider or separator that hides. What was this curtain hiding? Essentially, it was shielding a holy God from sinful man. Whoever entered into the Holy of Holies was entering the very presence of God. In fact, anyone except the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies would die. Even the high priest, God’s chosen mediator with His people, could only pass through the veil and enter this sacred dwelling once a year, on a prescribed day called the Day of Atonement.
The picture of the veil was that of a barrier between man and God, showing man that the holiness of God could not be trifled with. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and He can tolerate no sin (Habakkuk 1:13). The veil was a barrier to make sure that man could not carelessly and irreverently enter into God’s awesome presence. Even as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he had to make some meticulous preparations: He had to wash himself, put on special clothing, bring burning incense to let the smoke cover his eyes from a direct view of God, and bring blood with him to make atonement for sins. Or he would die.
“But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” (Hebrews 9:7)
The Veil, then, spoke of the humanity of Christ, of the Son of God incarnate. The one side of it was seen by human eyes, as the Levites ministered in the Sanctuary; the other side was beheld only by Jehovah. The Veil, therefore, was a fitting type that Christ incarnate was perfect God and perfect Man. The colors which were embroidered upon it told of the perfections of His person. Its purpose was to shut out the priests of Israel from the holy of holies, where Jehovah had His earthly throne. The object of a veil is to hide. "Come not" (Lev. 16:2) was the warning which it consistently gave forth. Thus the Veil foreshadowed the moral glories of the Savior, but at the same time showed, by the very display of such heavenliness of character, how far fallen man was away from God.
So the presence of God remained shielded from man behind a thick curtain during the history of Israel.
However, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross changed that. When He died, the curtain in the Jerusalem temple was torn in half, from the top to the bottom. Only God could have carried out such an incredible feat because the veil was too high for human hands to have reached it, and too thick to have torn it. (The Jerusalem temple, a replica of the wilderness tabernacle, had a curtain that was about 60 feet in height, 30 feet in width and four inches thick.) Furthermore, it was torn from top down, meaning this act must have come from above.
As the veil was torn, the Holy of Holies was exposed. God’s presence was now accessible to all. Shocking as this may have been to the priests ministering in the temple that day, it is indeed good news to us as believers, because we know that Jesus’ death has atoned for our sins and made us right before God. The torn veil illustrated Jesus’ body broken for us, opening the way for us to come to God. As Jesus cried out “It is finished!” on the cross, He was indeed proclaiming that God’s redemptive plan was now complete. The age of animal offerings was over. The ultimate offering had been sacrificed.
We can now boldly enter into God’s presence, “the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (Hebrews 6:19-20)
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the VEIL, that is, his body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)
THE HOLY OF HOLIES
The Holy of Holies is a representation of heaven itself, God’s dwelling place, which we have access now through Christ. In Revelations, John’s vision of heaven — the New Jerusalem — also was a perfect square, just as the Holy of Holies was (Revelation 21:16).
“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. …But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26)
The Holy of Holies was a cube as noted; 15 feet square, taking up ONE THIRD of the total Tabernacle which was fifteen feet wide, high and forty five feet in length. (Think Trinity)
The Holy of Holies housed one piece of redemptive furniture, the Ark of the Covenant, with its mercy seat. There was no created light like the sun and no artificial light but Gods own "Shekinah" glory that lit up the Holiest Place.
There was no seat for man, but here Jehovah sat alone on the throne of glory and righteousness. As high priest entered once a year, he entered with bowed head, With his unsandalled feet standing on sand, with all the heavenly things about him he is reminded that he is still of the earth, and a pilgrim. The priest also had on his robe fringe several bells. If the bells stopped tingling, the high priest was dead because he did not obey God in His service and he was dragged out by a rope attached to his ankle for that purpose. No human voice was heard, only the voice of God.
ARK OF THE COVENANT
The Ark of the Covenant resided in the Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the Tabernacle. It was the only thing in the chamber, Just as when we get to Heaven, the only thing we will see is Jesus in all His glory. Just as then, here in the chamber, light came only from Gods’ manifest Presence.
Access was only permitted once per year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Access was restricted to one person only, the high priest. He had to come into the Holy of Holies with the blood of a goat, on behalf of his own and the people of Israel's sins.
The Ark itself was a small box made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold. It measured 3 ¾ feet long, 2 ¼ feet wide and 2 ¼ feet high. It was carried by two long bars, also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold.
The Ark was God's throne in His dwelling place in the Tabernacle. There was a cover on the Ark, known as the Mercy Seat, or in Greek as translated from Hebrew; Propitiation Cover. It was here that the blood of a goat was sprinkled by the high priest on the Day of Atonement, to appease God's righteous anger (propitiate) for the sins of the people of Israel.
Romans 3:24-25 tells us that there is redemption in Christ Jesus, because God has set Him forth as a propitiation, (lit. A MERCY SEAT) through faith in His blood. Christ has died. The price is paid. To those who believe in Jesus Christ's death for their sins, there is now mercy not wrath.
"God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:8-9).
If there was no Mercy Seat, the Ark would be open and God could see only the tablets of the law, BROKEN BY MAN, the rod of Aaron that budded, reminding God of the REBELLION AGAINST HIS CHOSEN LEADERSHIP, and the manna reminds God of Israel’s REJECTION OF HIS EARTHLY PROVISION.
But once a year, the high priest enters with incense and blood and COVERS the sins with the blood on the Mercy Seat. God then sees only the Blood of the Covenant. This is the sacrifice to take your place in the Blood Covenant until God himself comes to take your place. Gods’ earthly throne now changes from one of judgment to one of mercy.
Attached to the Ark's covering lid were two Cherubim, FACING EACH OTHER WITH THEIR WINGS OVER THE Mercy Seat. The wings of the two Cherubim possibly touched one another to form a complete covering.
There is no flaming sword here, only forgiveness through the blood covered Mercy Seat.
“I will abide in Your Tabernacle forever: I will trust in the cover of Your wings.” Psalm 61:4
“Because You have been my refuge, therefore in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.” Psalm 63:7
God's presence did not dwell inside the box, but remained over the Ark, in between the two Cherubim. Here God dwelt "in unapproachable light" (I Timothy 6:16 Psalm 104:2). The high priest had to shield his eyes, because "no man shall see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20). This was where God met with Moses (Exodus 25:21-22). The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle on the day it was reared up and anointed (Exodus 40:9,18,34-35)..
As mentioned before, there were three contents that fit inside the Ark:
1. The two tablets of the Law
2. Aarons’ rod that budded
Together these three items form the Testimony (Exodus 25:21); hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Testimony.
1. The Stone Tablets of the LawThe Ten Commandments were written on these two pieces of stone, by the finger of God on Mount Sinai. The tablets of stone are also called the tables of testimony (Exodus 31:18), because they show us what God is like: jealous, caring, faithful and true. He is holy and righteous.
The Ten Commandments on the two stone tablets are the basis for God's covenant with the children of Israel, provided it was ratified with blood. (Exodus 19:5-7). They stipulate what the righteous requirements of the law are, but there is no supply to help the children of Israel to obey the commandments.
Because the children of Israel did not continue in their side of the covenant (it was impossible; Romans 8:3), God promised to make a new covenant, "not like the covenant I made with their fathers, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them" says the Lord (Jeremiah 31:32)."This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law into their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor saying 'Know the Lord', for they all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest among them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:33-34).
This is the New Covenant which Jesus has ratified by His blood (Luke 22:20).
Psalm 40:8 is a prophecy of the Messiah:
"Behold, I come; in the scroll of the Book it is written of me: 'I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart'". In fulfillment: "When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law, so that He might redeem those who were under the law" (Galatians 4:4).
Jesus Christ has kept the law of God, loving the Lord His God with all His heart, and His neighbor as Himself. This is obvious from reading the Gospels. Delighting to do God's will (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38), Jesus had the law of God (the Ten 'Words' of God) in His heart, just as the Ark of the Covenant kept the stone tablets of the Testimony. The Word of God had become flesh and tabernacled among us, full of grace and truth (reality, Greek) (John 1:14). Through Jesus' death on the cross, as a perfect SIN OFFERING we are forgiven our offenses under the law and redeemed from slavery to it.
God undertakes to write His laws into our hearts and inscribe them on our minds, by sending forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts (Galatians 4:6 Hebrews 8:10-12). Thereafter, an inner working of life takes place, "Christ who is our life" (Colossians 3:4), "Christ being formed in you" (Galatians 4:19), that will result in at least the same testimony of God as the Ten Commandments. The children of Israel broke the old covenant, and we still do, because of trying to keep it by self-effort in our flesh. In the New Covenant, God undertakes to write His laws into our minds by His Spirit (Romans 8:4 Ezekiel 36:25-28), providing we walk by the Spirit.
Moses instructed everyone to appear before the Lord the next day. They were to fill bronze incense burners and place them before the Lord. God was furious and judged Korah and his cronies. Their censors became used in the covering for the Burnt Offering Altar as a reminder of God's wrath from heaven against the ones who had spoken so vehemently against Him and those He had chosen (Numbers 16:29).
But the incident did not finish there. The whole congregation then started to murmur against Moses and Aaron because they had 'killed the Lord's people'. Again God reacted furiously and plague broke out, quenched only when Aaron obeyed Moses and placed his (the authorized) incense burner before the Lord in the Tabernacle. The plague had exacted a devastating toll on the people and God had proved negatively that Moses and Aaron were indeed his choice.
However, God wanted to prove positively that Aaron was his choice for the priesthood (Numbers 17:5). A rod from the head of each of the twelve tribes was marked with the name of the tribe and placed before the Lord, at Ark of the Testimony (Numbers 17:4). When Moses returned the next day, Aaron's rod, a dead piece of wood, dried and dead for a long time, had budded with sprouts, yielding blossoms and ripe almonds.(Typifying Resurrection, just as Jesus was a “root out of dry ground “ Isaiah 53:2, so was He a” shoot from the stump of Jesse, A Branch which will bear much fruit”. He was called “the Branch of the Lord”; Isaiah 4:2) God instructed Moses to place Aaron's rod back before the Testimony, "to be kept as a sign against the rebels" to prevent further murmurings and death (Numbers 17:10).
3. The Golden Pot of 'Hidden' Manna
Manna was the food that came down from God to feed the children of Israel daily in the wilderness for the forty years of their journey to Canaan. It was given to the children of Israel in such a way that it required them to develop self-discipline. Manna only came in the early morning with the dew (Exodus 16:13-14). By the time the sun was up, it would have evaporated (Exodus 16:21). It had to be gathered every day, any residue would breed worms and smell (Exodus 16:20), and they had to gather a double portion on the sixth day, because none would fall on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:22-27). It was called 'Manna', because that is Hebrew for 'what is it'. It looked like white coriander seed and tasted like wafer biscuits made with honey (Exodus 16:31). The Lord commanded Moses to fill an omer vessel with Manna and keep it for a memorial to future generations of how God fed them in the wilderness (Exodus 16:32-33). This is the Golden Pot of Hidden Manna in the Tabernacle.
Now, it is obvious that if Manna was kept for longer than a day, or two days (if it was a Sabbath), then the Manna would breed worms and smell. Why then try to keep it for a memorial to future generations?
The key is the Golden Pot. The Golden Pot would last forever. It is round, indicating eternal; it is gold, indicating it is of God, The Golden Pot indicates eternal life. Our life needs to be "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3) and we need to know "Christ our life", the zoe (Greek) eternal life (Colossians 3:4). The Hidden Manna was a memorial of how the Lord had sustained His people in an impossible situation. Jesus tells the people of the Church at Ephesus: “To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.” REV 2:17.
THE ARK LEADS INTO THE PROMISED LAND
The Ark was to remain in the Holy of Holies unless the camp moved. Then it was to be covered and be born by the Kohathites in the center of the march. (Jesus in the midst of His people, and all marching in their appointed order, in relation to God and their neighbors).
That is until Moses had a lapse of judgment. In Numbers 10:29-35; Moses begged his father-in-law to join them and be a guide, to “be their eyes”( vs. 31). Moses seems to forget the Cloud of the Lord who had been their guide. Perhaps Moses, who had his hands full and felt alone and tired, valued the advice his father-in-law had already given and needed the support. Whatever the reason, God responded in a silent rebuke to Moses.
“So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled three days. THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.” Numbers 10:33
God quietly demonstrated that He wanted no one else to lead His people to rest.
Notice that the Ark traveled THREE DAYS to bring the people to REST.
Jesus is our Sabbath Rest and He “went before us” for THREE DAYS in the grave to bring us to REST.
God then gave grace to Moses, and it was not mentioned again.
Finally, after the forty years wandering we see the Ark again leading the people across the Jordan. Joshua (a TYPE of Jesus, both bearing the name Yeshua) had the Ark enter the River a thousand yards ahead of the people, and the river rolled back to the city of ADAM. The Levites were then to stand on the dry river bed, in the middle, until all the children of Israel had passed over. They then bore the Ark up onto the Promised Land, and the waters returned.
THE ARK WENT INTO THE FLOOD FIRST, THEN STAYED TO KEEP THE WATERS BACK UNTIL ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAD PASSED.
JESUS HAS WENT BEFORE US IN ALL THINGS AND WILL STAY TO KEEP US FROM THE FLOOD UNTIL WE REACH OUR SABBATH REST.
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