THE TABERNACLE OF GOD

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4).

A study of the Jewish Tabernacle of God in the Bible is a fascinating one to be sure.  Hidden within the blueprint of God’s House are mysteries relating to the spiritual growth and maturity of God’s people who are the true Tabernacle of God and Body of Christ.

God was very particular about the construction of the temple and the materials used to build it.  Before the first tabernacle was erected, God called Moses up to Mt. Sinai to receive the detailed instructions for how everything was to be done.  God had a specific pattern that He wanted Moses and the children of Israel to follow, and He did not want them to deviate from that pattern in any way.  “...Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” (Hebrews 8:5). 

Even the master craftsman who supervised the work was called out specifically by God and “filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship...” (See Exodus 31:1-6).  That man’s name was Bezaleel, and his name in Hebrew means “in the shadow of God,” and “under God’s protection.”

In 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 we read of King David’s desire to build God a permanent temple.  Moses’ tabernacle was more of a glorified tent that could be assembled and disassembled when the Israelites needed to move.  God had made Israel a great nation by David and Solomon’s time, and given them a permanent homeland.  David, therefore, had it in his heart to honor God with a permanent house also.  God could not honor David’s request, however, because he was a man of war.  Instead, God told David that his son, Solomon, would build the House of God.  David, therefore, began to amass great quantities of materials for Solomon to use in the construction when the time was right.  God also moved upon David by His Spirit and gave David the pattern for the building of the House much as He did for Moses.  When Solomon did eventually come to power over Israel, he inherited everything that his father, David, had prepared for him.  “Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, and the pattern of all that he had by the spirit.” (1 Chronicles 28:11, 12).  “All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.” (1 Chronicles 28:19). 

Here, we have a wonderful foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, God’s dear Son, Who received everything that was necessary to build the House of God (the spiritual House which is His Church) from His Father.  It was in our Father God’s heart from the beginning to build a spiritual House, and the pattern of that House was in His heart all along.  In the Father’s hand were all of the treasures necessary to complete such a work; but it was the Son, Who inherited all things from His Father, Who would build it.  Jesus said, “…upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18).  That work, and that House of God, was not an earthly house, but a habitation of God through the Spirit.  That House would be the people of God.  “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in Whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Why was the pattern for the tabernacle so critical?  It was because the earthly house was patterned after heavenly things and any deviation from that pattern would create a false picture of God’s perfect plan and purpose for mankind and for His people.  You see, every tiny detail was, and is, a window into the heart and mind of God the Father.  Ultimately, God was not interested in the earthly buildings and temples.  He wanted His people to follow the pattern of Jesus Christ His Son so that they might become the habitation of God.  “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest?  For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” (Isaiah 66:1, 2).  Temples and cathedrals do not interest God, for He is greater than all of that.  It is the heart of man that He is interested in inhabiting, and it is those who are meek, humble, and fear His Word to whom He wants to and reveal His glory.

The Greek word for tabernacle denotes not just a place of worship where one occasionally visits, but a dwelling place, and a habitation where one lives permanently.  God has said, “…for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16).  “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).  The Lord of the universe wants to make His home in us, and abide in us, and we in Him!  What a precious, glorious thought!

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul writes, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” (verses 9, 10).  Paul sets forth two truths here: first, that we are all God’s building (tabernacle); and second, we are also all workers on that building.  It is therefore imperative that we are careful how and what we build on this House.  When we hurt or damage it, we hurt and damage ourselves!

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians three: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (verses 9-15).

The foundation of God’s House, and the pattern from which the whole House is designed, is Jesus Christ.  His life, His words, His actions – they all form the blueprint from which we pattern our lives.  Also, the teachings of the Apostles form a solid base on which we can build because they put into practical terms the things that those men learned at their Master’s feet, and heard as they followed Him about as eye witnesses of His glory.  It is on this foundation that we each have an opportunity to build.  Whatever we choose to build on the foundation is going to be tried by fire, however.  If we build with cheap and perishable materials that have cost us nothing, they will be burned up.  We will lose our reward and suffer loss.  If, on the other hand, we build with precious materials that have cost us something of ourselves to obtain, we will receive a reward in heaven.  We will have furthered the Kingdom of God and the work of the House of God.

Paul then issues a sober warning: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (verses 16, 17).  The Apostle is drawing a distinction between building with inferior materials (teachings that do not produce a heart change or true repentance in the hearers), and defiling the temple of God (teaching false doctrines that encourage carnal behaviors and give a license to sin).  The one may produce a loss of reward for our labor, but not a loss of salvation, while the other will bring the judgment of God upon us!

There is truly no other foundation, no other pattern, and no other example for our spiritual growth that can be trusted and relied upon more than Jesus Christ Himself!  Over the centuries, many men have tried to build other foundations or alter the pattern by changing this or that; but forever and always “the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His.  And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19). 

Seeing then that God was so very careful about preserving for us the pattern of heavenly things, let’s take a look at the various elements of the tabernacle of God so that we may discern what it is that God wants us to understand about them. 

Like everything else associated with the House of God, the layout of the furnishings of the tabernacle was very particular.  All around the outer wall of the Temple was a large court that was called the Court of the Gentiles.  Gentile proselytes who had converted to Judaism could not enter into the Temple itself, but were restricted to this court.  As one entered the Tabernacle of God from the east, He passed through the gate that is called Beautiful.  It was here that the Apostles Peter and John encountered the 40 year old man who was lame from birth and healed him by faith in the name of Jesus.  Passing through the gate and into the temple proper one would come to the Court of the Women.  This was as far as Jewish women were permitted to enter according to Jewish Law.  Continuing west, one would pass through another gate (Nicanor Gate) into the inner Court of Israel.  Jewish men were allowed to go only this far to bring their offerings to the priests to sacrifice before the Lord. 

Between the Court of Israel and the Sanctuary (the enclosed part of the Temple), was the Court of the Priests.  Here, only the priests and Levites were allowed to perform their duties for the people of God and the service of the House.  In this space, there were two items of particular importance.  The first thing that one would see just past the Court of Israel was the Altar of Burnt Offerings.  This is where the priests would burn the offerings that were brought to them.  The other item in this court was just behind the altar to the west.  It was the Brazen Laver, or Brazen Sea.  This is where the priests washed their hands and feet before performing the functions of their various offices. 

One thing that was striking about the arrangement of the Temple was the separation of the different groups of people and the different levels of access that each group had.  Gentiles, Jewish women, Jewish men, the priests, and the Levites – all had different access, and if anyone would try to enter another level from which they were restricted, they would be struck dead by God.

As one proceeds westward past the Altar of Burnt Offerings and the Brazen Sea, one comes to the door of the Sanctuary leading into the Holy Place.  Here were three items: the Table of Showbread, the Golden Lampstand, and the Altar of Incense.  These were all made of, or overlaid with, pure gold.  The first of these, the Table of Showbread, was where loaves of unleavened bread were laid out before the Lord.  These loaves were replaced once a week with freshly baked ones.  The next item was the Golden Lampstand, or Menorah.  This had seven lamps that were all attached to a central stand.  The lamp burned pure olive oil which was replenished every day.  These lamps burned continuously.  Lastly, there was an Altar of Incense upon which the priests burned incense every morning and evening before the Lord.  Only priests could enter the Holy Place – Levites were restricted from the Sanctuary altogether.

Finally, as one continued through the Holy Place, one encountered a veil that hung between it and the Holy of Holies beyond.  If one passed through the veil, they would see the Ark of the Covenant with two Cherubim of gold on either side of it.  This is the place of the Mercy Seat, and here the presence of God dwelt.  Inside the Ark were three items which we will mention in particular later.  Only the high priest was permitted in the Holy of Holies, and he was only allowed there once a year on the Day of Atonement. 

As we consider this tour that we have just taken through the Tabernacle of God, think of it as being representative of our spiritual walk and our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Of course, our walk begins and ends with Jesus, for He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.  Throughout the Tabernacle of God we see types and shadows of our Lord hiding in plain sight and there for us to discover. 

Our Lord is a destroyer of barriers.  All of the restrictions that were in place under the Old Covenant between God and Israel have been demolished in Christ.  Paul told the Ephesian Church, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off [referring to Gentile believers] are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  For He is our peace, Who hath made both one [Jew and Gentile], and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Ephesians 2:13, 14).  There was literally a wall that separated the Jews and Gentiles in the Jewish Temple.  Jesus has broken it down!  He has made all men one in Him.  He also has broken down gender barriers, wealth barriers, culture and race barriers; and He has formed us all into one Body, one Church, and one House.  “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:27, 28). 

Under the law, there was a separation between the tribe of Levi and the other eleven tribes of Israel.  The Levites were elevated spiritually above the rest of the tribes because they did not side with the idolaters who worshipped the golden calf in Moses’ day.  Therefore, they were given duties to do in the Temple in service for the Lord.  Out of this tribe were the priests selected according to certain qualifications.  In Christ Jesus, however, we have all been granted access into the priesthood.  “…and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father.” (Revelation 1:6).  “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5). 

The high priest was the only individual with clearance into the Holy of Holies.  He could only enter once a year, and he had to approach the Ark with blood – blood to atone for his own sins, and for the sins of the Israelites.  When Jesus poured out His own blood on Calvary’s Cross, He entered within the veil as our High Priest to once and for all remove the partition that separated us from the presence of Almighty God.  He gave His body – His flesh and His blood – to secure for us this victory!  “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22).  We can now come boldly before the Throne of God to obtain mercy, and find the grace to help us when we need it (See Hebrews 4:16).  When Jesus died, the veil of the temple was miraculously torn from top to bottom indicating that God Himself had removed the partition that obstructed man’s access to Himself.  The blood of Jesus’ sacrifice was the only agent powerful enough and acceptable enough to God to accomplish such a thing!  Now, we too are accepted in the Beloved!

So, regarding access, our Lord has erased all of the barriers that stand in the way of us proceeding on to the very Throne of God and the very Mercy Seat of our Heavenly Father.  Christ has given us complete access into all of the riches of God’s grace.  “By Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2).  “For in Him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:9, 10).  Our spiritual progress is only limited by our reluctance to proceed.  Every mountain and every barrier has been removed.  We only need to believe!  Christ has cleared the path for us! 

So, starting at the Beautiful Gate again, and realizing that there are no restrictions or hindrances to our total access, let’s make our way to the Holy of Holies and see what things God has placed along our path to enhance and ensure our spiritual growth.

As we mentioned earlier, the first thing that we encounter after passing through the Beautiful and the Nicanor gates is the Altar of Burnt Offerings.  This was the place where God accepted all of the free will offerings and sacrifices that Israel brought to Him.  This was a place of death and of letting of blood.  To our modern sensibilities it seems barbaric in many ways.  The lesson of the Altar, though, is one that goes back to the Garden of Eden.  It was there that Adam and Eve made the fateful decision to disobey their Maker and transgress His commandment.  Even after being warned that such a choice would bring death (upon the world), they still chose to eat the forbidden fruit. 

God made man and woman to live forever.  In the Garden there was no death, no sorrow, no crying, and no pain before man’s transgression.  That first sin, and all of the sins that came as a consequence of that one, brought all those things on the world because “the wages of sin is death.”  God knew the ugly truth: only the blood of an innocent could pay the ransom for man’s sin.  So God substituted the life of a spotless lamb, goat, bullock, etc., until the time was right to send His only begotten Son into the world.  Those blood sacrifices that were under the Old Covenant were merely a shadow of the real Lamb of God Who would take away the sins of the world.  It was He Who would pay the ransom for all those who would believe in His name and receive the free gift of His grace, love, and mercy.  The Altar, therefore, is the symbol of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and is the place that we all must begin our spiritual journey.  It is here that we lay down our sins in heart-felt repentance before God, receive forgiveness, and become born again.  This is only the beginning of our journey, though, and not the end.  Without it, we can proceed no further; but with it, God invites us to wade deeper into the River of Life.  Many have begun, and ended, their spiritual walk right here.  They believe that once they have taken this step with God, His expectations of them have ended.  They may attend church and throw some of their money into the offering plate, but they do not go on to grow in Christ or reach for the potential that is theirs in Him.  Paul encourages us to continue in Christ when he writes, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” (Colossians 2:6).  Many have fallen away from the faith because they have not been challenged to go on to know the Lord in His fullness.

As we move past the Altar, we next approach the Brazen Sea, or Brazen Laver.  This is where the priests would wash their hands and feet before performing any of their service to the Lord.  The purpose of such washings was for the purification of the priests before they performed any service for God.  Here is a lesson that we all must understand: those who serve in the Tabernacle must purify themselves before the Lord before they can minister to others.  God uses His precious Word to wash us day by day.  “Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27).  Notice that the priests weren’t required to wash their whole bodies in the Brazen Laver.  Just their hands and feet needed washing because God commanded that they be washed thoroughly before they put on their priestly garments (See Exodus 29:4) and only their hands and feet were soiled after that as they performed their service.  Likewise, we have been thoroughly washed in the blood of Jesus Christ when we are born again; but in the course of our service to the Lord, we must walk through, and interact with, this fallen world.  As a result, we become “soiled” by what we see, hear, and experience of the world, and must continually come to the wash basin of God’s Word to cleanse ourselves and renew our spirits.  Jesus set the example for this when He washed His disciple’s feet during their last supper together.  Peter was reluctant at first to let his Master wash his feet; but after the Lord explained its’ importance, Peter was ready to be washed head to foot!  Jesus told him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean.” (John 13:10 NKJV). 

God’s Word is alive, and it is powerful.  Like a sharp surgeon’s scalpel, or a double edged sword, it is able to dissect and separate that which is of our soul from what is of our spirit.  Yes, it can even discern the thoughts and true intentions of our heart (Hebrews 4:12).  It is necessary after our conversion to constantly wash ourselves in the water of God’s Word.  It’s an interesting fact that when Moses had the first Laver made, he collected hand-held polished brass vanity mirrors from all of the women who congregated at the door of the tabernacle.  The women used them just as women use small mirrors today: to check and adjust their appearance.  Moses only accepted these mirrors from those women who were willing to give them up (See Exodus 38:8).  I can’t help but think of the contrast between these women willingly giving up their vanity, and the priests approaching the Laver to draw water and seeing their reflection there staring back at them.  As we look into God’s Word, it reflects the condition of our inner man in much the same way that a mirror reflects the condition of our outer man.  James was thinking of this when he wrote, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:22-25).

The Brazen Sea also speaks of the need for Christian baptism after we are converted.  Again, Jesus is our example in this.  He had John the Baptist baptize Him in the Jordan River just before His earthly ministry was to begin.  He told John, “Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15).  Clearly, Jesus considered water baptism to be a necessary act of cleansing and purification prior to public ministry and it behooves all of us to follow in His steps. 

Baptism took on a whole new significance once Jesus began His ministry.  It became the means by which new believers were publicly baptized into the Body of Christ and identified themselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  Through faith in this work, we become dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through our precious Lord and Savior.  For an in-depth study into Christian baptism, write and ask me for a copy of the special edition newsletter entitled The Doctrine of Baptisms: Foundation Principles Series, Part 3.  These are free to anyone who requests them.

Most everything in the outer tabernacle was made of, or overlaid with, brass.  Brass in the Bible seems to signify the human nature in relation to the redemption that is in Christ (for instance, the Brass Serpent in Numbers 21:9 and John 3:14).  The Outer Court of the Tabernacle was all about the redemption and cleansing of our human nature through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Proceeding west through the temple, we next come to the door of the Sanctuary.  Entering through the door, we find ourselves in the Holy Place.  Here we see three items: the Table of Showbread on our right hand, the Golden Lampstand on our left, and straight ahead is the Altar of Incense.  Each of these items represents different important aspects of our spiritual progress in Christ. 

First of all, the Table of Showbread was a table made of wood and overlaid with pure gold on which the priests set several loaves of fresh, unleavened bread.  The loaves were replenished by the priests every Sabbath with fresh loaves.  This table with its loaves of bread represents Jesus, the Bread of Life, Who is the Living Word of God.  This Bread is not raised, for it is made without yeast.  Spiritually speaking, it is not the product of man’s pride, wisdom, or intellect – this bread is free from such agents as those, and therefore pure.  “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:8).  It is never stale, but always kept fresh and relevant by the priests of the Lord.  Gold signifies the Divine nature and therefore the table is overlaid completely with God’s holiness and nature.  Here we have a picture of a very common material being overlaid with something extremely valuable. This is what God wishes to do in us.   What God wants us to understand about this item is the importance of the inspired Word of God in the growth of the child of God.  God wants His Word to be on display at all times in our words and in our actions.  We then become like a Table of Showbread and living epistles.  Paul admonished Timothy to, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15).  He also said, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly [thoroughly] furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16).  If we are to continue in the Lord and grow up into mature Christians, we must study what our God says in His Word.  The Bible is our how-to manual for life.  How can we know how we are to operate if we don’t read it and learn it?

Secondly, across from the Table of Showbread is the Golden Lampstand.  This was made of pure gold.  It had seven oil lamps that extended up from a single main branch.  The lamps themselves were fueled by reservoirs of pure olive oil which were replenished by the priests regularly so that the lamps always gave light in the Sanctuary.  This Lampstand represents the light of God’s truth as it is inspired and anointed by the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Just as the lamps were dependent upon the oil to keep their light shining, the light of Jesus in us is dependent upon a steady supply of the Holy Spirit fueling our passion for God.  The difference between the wise and the foolish virgins that Jesus talked about was the supply of oil in their lamps.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12).  The Lampstand can also represent the Church of Jesus Christ in the world today.  It is God’s people, and His Body, who hold forth the light of Jesus Christ in the darkness of the world.  Jesus encouraged His followers not to hide their light under a basket, but to put it in a prominent place where it would light the whole room.  We, too, must hold up the light of the Gospel so that all can see it and give God glory!

Lastly, there was the Altar of Incense that stood in front of the veil that hung between the Holy and the Most Holy Place.  This was also made of wood and overlaid with pure gold.  Upon this altar the priests would burn incense morning and evening every day.  This represents the prayers of God’s saints which ascend up to God continually.  “Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” (Psalms 141:2).  “And another angel came...and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.” (Revelation 8:3).  God’s people should be a praying people.  We are exhorted to be, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18).  As we grow in the Spirit, our prayers will be less focused on selfish wants, and more discerning of God’s will.  We will learn to be touched by the heart of God and our prayers will become much more effective as we pray according to His purpose.  As we feel His burdens and allow Him to direct our prayers, we will see miraculous things take place as a result. 

Everything in the Holy Place is overlaid with pure gold.  It is, therefore, all about learning to put on the divine nature and choosing to walk in God’s holiness.  Here, we discover what true servitude is all about.  Here, we learn how to function as priests to the Lord.  This is not just a call to the few to enter this ministry; it is to whosoever will!  God would have every one of His children to step into his/her full potential in Christ Jesus.  Just as we earthly fathers wish for every one of our children to succeed in life, likewise, our Heavenly Father wishes for all of His children to succeed spiritually and obtain the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Our carnal, human will is our own worst enemy and the greatest hindrance to our growth in Christ.  We want all of the benefits and rewards of godliness without any of the sacrifice, dedication, or fidelity. 

Our last stop is the Holy of Holies, or Most Holy Place.  Before entering, we must first pass through the veil that separates it from the Holy Place.  As we part the curtains of the veil (and notice that they were ripped from top to bottom upon Jesus’ death), we catch sight of the Ark of the Covenant.  It is not much more than a glorified wooden box with a lid on top and covered over entirely with pure gold.  On either side are golden cherubim whose wings reach out and overshadow the Ark.  Only the High Priest could enter here, and only once a year.  On the Day of Atonement he would enter within the veil and sprinkle the blood of atonement in the Holiest Place for himself first, and then for the people of Israel.  In Solomon’s temple, the Holy of Holies was completely covered with gold.  Everything - the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and the Ark, along with the cherubim was overlaid with pure gold.  This was the place where the presence of God dwelt among His people.  In the case of Moses’ tabernacle, a pillar of cloud hovered over the Holiest Place by day and a pillar of fire by night.  When Solomon’s Temple was dedicated, the glory of God’s presence was so strong that the priests had to flee the temple for a time!  This is the place where God is drawing all of His children - into His presence!  He wants to walk with us and talk with us just as He did in the beginning with Adam and Eve when He first created man and woman. 

Inside the Ark there were three items kept.  The first item were the tables of stone upon which God Himself had carved the Ten Commandments before giving them to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  The second item was a pot that contained some of the Manna that God sent to the Children of Israel when they were hungering in the wilderness.  Finally, the third item was Aaron’s rod that had miraculously budded when his priesthood was challenged by others.

Jesus is our Ark.  It is in Him that we find the fulfillment of all that God has called us to be.  “For in Him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:9, 10).  “For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus] should all fulness dwell.” (Colossians 1:19).  “In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3).  Praise His name!  Just as all those precious treasures were hidden inside the Ark of the Covenant, so also are all the treasures of godliness and holiness hidden in Christ Jesus our Lord!  When we enter the Holiest Place, we find that God’s presence dwells there because Jesus rests there.  He and His Father are One (John 10:30).  When we stand in the presence of the Ark, we stand in the presence of Almighty God!  “…he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.” (John 14:9). 

Upon the top of the Ark’s lid was a space that was called the “mercy seat.”  This term comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to cover, placate, appease, cleanse, cancel or make atonement for.”  One day a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of sacrificed animals and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat as atonement for his sins and for those of every Israelite (See Leviticus 16).  This was the only place in the world where this atonement could take place.  What a glorious picture of our Lord’s atonement for sin!  By the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus we are cleansed once and for all from an evil conscience.  It is here, at the mercy seat, that we find our peace in Him.

In Christ, our Ark of safety, we find the fulfillment of God’s Law.  The presence of the stone tablets of the Law inside the Ark indicate that the Law’s fulfillment is in Christ.  Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” (Matthew 5:17).  We can struggle our whole lives trying to do good and be good, and strive to bend our will to the will of God, only to fail repeatedly.  We will never find victory, however, until we discover that Jesus is our righteousness.  Paul wrote, “But of Him [God] are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30).  It is our faith in the finished work of Christ that will bring the victory and win the day!  “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4).

In Christ, Who is our Ark of safety, we find the Manna from heaven - the Bread of Life.  Jesus said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35).  “For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” (verse 33).  Jesus is that Word that was made flesh and blood.  He was in the beginning with God, and He was God.  Everything that was made was made by Him.  When the Word spoke, order was restored, boundaries were set, and life was formed.  He was the brightness of God’s glory, and the expression of God’s perfect will.  In Christ we find this life giving, anointed Logos, Bread, Manna, Word.  There are those who are content to minister the dead letter of the Word, and miss the spirit of it altogether.  The true Manna is only to be found in Jesus. 

In Christ, our Ark of safety, we also find the secret of anointed ministry.  Aaron’s rod budded and bore fruit, not because Aaron willed it, but because God had chosen him and anointed him for the work of the priesthood (See Numbers 17).  Ministry is not about education or preparation – it is about the gifts and calling of God.  He has called each of us to a ministry and gifted us according to His good pleasure.  It has nothing to do with our own works lest we become puffed up and boast.  It is purely a gift of His grace.  Somehow, these old dead sticks form buds and produce fruit like Aaron’s did – something we could never do on our own.  We find that our sufficiency is not of, or by, ourselves at all; but our sufficiency is in Christ alone.  It is He Who makes us able ministers of the Gospel, not our education or having letters after our name.

We find, then, a progression of spiritual growth as we pass through the Tabernacle of God.  The Apostle John mentions three main levels of Christians in his first general letter.  He lists these levels in 1 John chapter 2.  The first group he calls “little children” and says that he is writing to them “because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake,” and “because ye have known the Father.”  John is referring to those who are newly converted to the faith, not necessarily people who were young in years.  This group corresponds to those in the Outer Court of the Tabernacle.  The emphasis for them is the forgiveness of their sins and learning to know God as a gracious heavenly Father. 

The second group that John addresses is the “young men.”  Three things define this group: they have learned to overcome the wicked one, they are strong, and the Word of God abides in them.  This group has moved past the Outer Court and entered into the Holy Place.  There, they learn how to handle the Word of God (showbread), how to pray effectively (Altar of Incense), and how to witness to the world and let their light shine (Golden Lampstand).

Finally, the last group John addresses is the “fathers.”  One thing defines this group, and John repeats it twice.  John says they “…have known Him that is from the beginning.”  These are those who have matured enough to pass into the very Holiest Place.  These have come to know the Lord, not just as a father and a Savior, and not just as a Warrior and the Everlasting Word, but as the Beginning and the End, the One Who is, and was, and is to come!  He is the One in Whom we live, and move, and have our being!  Remember that Christ has broken down the barriers and given every believer access into the Holiest Place.  The question is whether or not we will take advantage of that access, or will stop advancing in the Lord and grow lukewarm and complacent in our faith, and in our walk.

The Apostle Paul said that he did not consider himself to have already attained perfection in Christ, but he was ever following after the Lord so that he reach the goal that Christ had called him to.  He said, “…this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:11-13).  This, too, should be our commitment and goal!

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1Peter 2:5).  

"But Christ as a son over His own house; Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6).