THE EARTHLY TABERANCLE

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.  A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant, This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail here (Heb. 9:1-5).

Every detail of the earthly tabernacle was symbolic and had meaning. Each part and the arrangement of each part was intended to teach God’s people about Him – His nature, His holiness and His requirements; and about man and sin, the gulf between man and God which could only be breached by blood. Each piece of furniture in the two compartments of the tabernacle was symbolic.

Like the writer’s comment, we cannot discuss every feature of the tabernacle in detail here. Let’s look at the overview.

The tabernacle was a tent, a portable sanctuary which was erected in the centre of the Israelite camp. God wanted them to understand His place among them. His desire was to dwell with His people but He demanded to be in the centre of their lives. Everything they did was to revolve around Him. He wanted to show them how to live lives that worked, in their relationship to Him and to each other.

The tabernacle had several coverings which protected the interior from the elements but also obscured the Israelites’ view of the inside. No one but the priests saw what was inside, and no one but the high priest was allowed access to the Most Holy Place, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement.

The tent was divided into two unequal rooms, the Holy Place where the priests ministered and the Most Holy Place which was a perfect cube, where the symbolic presence of God resided. The Holy Place was lit by the candelabra called the menorah – a seven-branched oil lamp which the writer did not mention here, which stood on the left side of the Holy Place. The lamp was fed with olive oil and kept burning day and night. The lampstand represented the light of God – the Torah, God’s teaching.

On the opposite side of the Holy Place stood the gold table of sacred bread – twelve loaves baked from the manna God provided, representing the twelve tribes, which were replaced with fresh bread weekly. Just as the lampstand provided light, so the bread provided nourishment and strength for the way. God’s teaching was both light and bread for His people.

The third item of furniture in the Holy Place stood directly in front of the heavily embroidered curtain which covered the entrance to the Most Holy Place. It was a gold-covered altar on which incense was burned, representing the prayers of God’s people which were to be offered to Him as sweet incense. The writer of this letter put the incense altar inside the Most Holy Place. This was unlikely because the priests had to offer incense on it daily, which would have been impossible for them had it been inside the Most Holy Place since they were not permitted into the Holy of Holies.

The inner shrine, the Most Holy Place had no artificial light. It was lit by the Glory – the radiant light of God’s presence that shone above the lid of the gold box called the Ark of the Covenant. The box was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold, beaten so thin that it became transparent and reflected like a mirror.

The contents of the box were highly symbolic. The first was the tablets of stone on which were written God’s marriage covenant with His people, the Ten Commandments. The stone tablets were a replacement for the ones Moses smashed in anger when he saw his people worshipping a golden calf. The rod of Aaron which supernaturally budded and bore blossoms and fruit overnight also had a place in the ark. A pot of manna which remained supernaturally fresh, completed the items in the ark.

Each of these had symbolic significance, especially in the relation to the lid of the box which was called “the atonement cover”. The stone tablets represented the people’s rejection of God’s word. They broke the covenant by worshipping an idol. The rod of Aaron represented their rejection of God’s authority. They challenged the leadership God had appointed. Through the budding of the rod, God showed them supernaturally who was in charge. The pot of manna represented their rejection of God’s provision. They rebelled against the manna and were severely disciplined for their complaining.

All three items were inside the box, under the atonement cover upon which the high priest sprinkled the sacrificial blood every year, symbolising God’s forgiveness of their sin for another year.

However, as beautiful as these symbols were, they were only temporary, and only pictures at best. Animal blood could never atone for the people’s rebellion against God.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.