Secrets
of the Sanctuary
Experts have proven that one of the most successful methods of
memorization is through picture association.
The Lord uses this teaching technique because He knows that humans are
extremely visual creatures. This is one
of the main reasons Jesus taught with parables. Picture stories help
people understand and remember the many abstract principles of salvation by
associating them with visual images.
God first illustrated the plan of salvation immediately after
Adam & Eve sinned by having them sacrifice a lamb. This process impressed upon the first couple
the heinous results of sin & foreshadowed the ultimate death of the “Lamb
of God” for their sins.
By the time the children of Israel had spent 400 years in
Egypt as slaves to a pagan nation, the Lord saw that His people needed a
complete re-educating as to the “big picture” of the plan of
redemption--including their role & God’s role in cleansing them from their
sins & restoring them to His image.
This is why, when the children of Israel finally limped out of
Egypt with scars on their backs & visions of the Promised Land dancing in
their minds, God didn’t immediately lead them north toward the Promised Land,
but south toward Mt. Sinai. He was
about to deliver to this infant nation one of the most powerful & enduring
object lessons ever recorded. And He
would do it almost entirely with symbols.
Turn to Ex. 25:8. The
Lord told Moses, “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among
them”. Keep in mind that this earthly tabernacle
was never intended to be a edifice to shelter God from the elements. Jehovah is not a homeless God.
What, then, is the key to the puzzle of the sanctuary? The structure & ceremonies were to serve
as symbols to illustrate the sequence & process of salvation.
As we consider the sanctuary symbols, lets look at the first
earthly sanctuary-the one that Moses had the people construct in the
wilderness. This portable tent was
often call the “tabernacle.” Moses did
not simply dream up what he thought this structure should look like. In the same way God spelled out the precise
dimensions for Noah’s Ark. God gave
Moses exact plans for everything in the sanctuary, even to the minute details
of the accessories.
God’s plan wasn’t arbitrary either. He already had a real dwelling place in heaven where the plan of
salvation was first conceived. The
earthly sanctuary was to be a miniature model, or shadow, of the heavenly. God told Moses, “According to all that I
show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle (in heaven), & the pattern
of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it” (Exodus 25:9). Unlike any other building ever constructed,
the sanctuary would be a three-dimensional, life-sized lesson book. Every component, from the largest curtain to
the tiniest piece of furniture, had a symbolic meaning that helped the children
of Israel to see, experience, & comprehend the plan of salvation & the
role of the heavenly sanctuary in a very practical way.
A Journey to God.
Let’s begin a brief tour through this unusual structure &
learn a few basic lessons before examining the deeper meanings of the sanctuary
system.
The sanctuary consisted of three principal areas: the courtyard,
the holy place, & the most holy place. These three locations represent the three
primary steps in the process of salvation known as justification, sanctification,
& glorification, & they correspond with three phases of
Christ’s ministry: the substitutionary, the priestly mediation,
& the final judgment.
The holy of holies, the tabernacle’s most sacred spot,
represents the presence of God. The
walls around the courtyard & the holy place vividly illustrate man’s
separation from God. Turn to Isaiah 59:2.
“But your own iniquities have been the barrier between you and your
God. Your wickedness has caused Him to
hold back, to cover His face and not hear you”. All of the sanctuary services represent a sinner’s journey back to God.
In the first three chapters of the Bible, sin enters the world & man
is evicted from the garden of Eden. In
the last three chapters, sin is eradicated & man is restored to the garden
& communion with God.
Please keep in mind as we venture onto this holy ground that
we are gathering only a few gems of truth.
Volumes could be & have been written on the sanctuary & its
symbols without exhausting the subject.
In 1985 when we lived in Little Rock, I was the Pathfinder
Director. Our pathfinders took on the
project of building a model of the wilderness sanctuary. We studied the measurements to make
everything to scale. We carved
furniture out of balsa wood & spray painted it brass & gold. We measured curtains & curtain rings
& material for coverings. We got to
know the sanctuary very well. Then in
the summer of that same year. We took
the pathfinder club to Colorado for the NAD Camporee.
There was a life-size model of the sanctuary. I didn’t know exactly what the meaning was
for the sanctuary, but I could draw one in my sleep. Since then I have read everything I could find written about
it. I still don’t know all there is to
know. I’m still learning, but the
subject still fascinates me.
The Door
The first thing we notice as we approach the sanctuary is that
there is only one door. Not even a fire
exit! Remember Jesus’ words: “I am the
door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9).
All that are saved are redeemed by Jesus alone. “Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved”
(Acts 4:12). The only way to God is through Christ,
the only door. Point!
The Courtyard
The entire edifice
of the sanctuary was surrounded by a courtyard made of linen curtains set up in
a very specific orientation. It was
twice as long as it was wide (150 ft. long &
75 ft. wide) & 7.5 ft.
high & was to be set up with the one opening facing east. That arrangement ensured that the worshipers
& priests who stood at the door had their backs to the rising sun, instead
of facing it like the pagan sun-worshipping religions of the day. God’s people worship the Creator instead of
the creation.
The Altar of Burnt
Offering
Immediately upon entering the door of the courtyard sat the
brazen altar of burnt offerings. The
altar was actually made of acacia wood & overlaid with brass. Some have likened the wood portion to human
works & the brass to Christ’s work.
Without the brass, the wood during the burning of the offerings would be
burned up, just as we will be consumed by the lake of fire if we do not believe
that Jesus’ grace must cover our good works.
The Laver
Between the altar of burnt offerings & the entrance to the
holy place stood the laver. It was also
made of brass & was filled with water for the cleansing of the priest.
The picture of the sinners’ justification became clear in the
courtyard. Before God gave the
Israelites His law on tables of stone, He saved them from slavery in Egypt by
virtue of their faith in the Passover Lamb (symbolized by the altar) &
baptized them thru the crossing of the Red Sea (symbolized by the laver). God takes us just as we are &
forgives our sins. When we accept
Christ, confess our sins, & ask for forgiveness, our heavenly record of sin
is covered by Jesus’ blood. Then we are
to be baptized.
Change Overhead!
The Holy Place
The actual tabernacle stood in the west half of the
courtyard. It was divided into two
compartments, or rooms. While the width
of the two rooms was the same, the length of the first room, the holy place,
was twice as long as that of the most holy place. The walls of the central structure were made of acacia boards overlaid with gold & connected
with silver hardware (Exodus 26),
All who entered the holy place to minister saw themselves
reflected in the golden walls on every side, reminding them that the eyes of
the Lord see all. “And he made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red,
& a covering of badgers’ skins above that” (Exodus 36:19). The priest could look up & see that they
served under a red skin. Likewise,
Christians are a nation of priests that serve Jesus under His blood.
The holy place had three articles of furniture. We will review them one by one.
The Golden Lampstand
Just inside the holy place on the left (south) side, stood the
golden menorah that had seven candlestick branches
(see Exodus 25:31-40). They were not wax candles as we know them,
but lamps fueled by pure olive oil. The
priest trimmed the wicks daily & refilled the bowls with oil so that the
menorah would constantly be a source of light for the holy place. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”
(John 8:12).
He also said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt.
5:14). The olive oil in the lamps
symbolized the Holy Spirit that illuminates the church. The lamp is a symbol of the Word, as well.
The Table of Showbread
Opposite the lamp was the table of showbread on the north
side. It was constructed of acacia wood
& covered with gold
(Ex. 25:23-30). On it were kept 12 loves of unleavened bread
(Lev. 24:5-9). There loves were
symbolic of Jesus, who is the Bread of Life.
The number 12 signified the 12 tribes of Israel & 12 apostles of
Jesus who were to feed God’s people with the bread of life--which is also a
symbol of the Bible (Matt. 4:4).
The Altar of Incense
The altar of incense was located directly across from the door
standing against the ornate veil that separated the holy place from the most
holy place. Like several other items in
the sanctuary, it was also made of acacia wood & covered with gold. It was much smaller than the altar in the
courtyard & contained a brass pot that held hot coals from the brazen altar
of burnt offerings. It was here that
the priest burned a very special blend of incense which filled the sanctuary
with a sweet -smelling cloud, representing the prayers of intercession &
confession of the believers sweetened by the Holy Spirit (Ex. 30:8).
The Holy Place represents the process of sanctification. This corresponds to the wilderness
wanderings of Israel. The pillar of
fire was their menorah, & the manna was their showbread. The pillar of cloud was their cloud of
incense.
Sanctification is the process in the Christian’s life of
learning to obey. It is made up of a
series of justifications. Each time we
sin we ask for forgiveness, & we are justified again. However, God offers more than forgiveness
when we confess. In 1 John 1:9, He
promises us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful & just to forgive
us our sins, & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
It is that “cleansing from unrighteousness” that constitutes
sanctification. The key ingredients
in our sanctification are a devotional life in the Word, prayer,
& witnessing. The
sanctuary’s bread, incense, & lamp represent these
elements.
The Most Holy Place
The length of the most holy place equaled its width so that it
formed a square. It was also as high as
it was wide & long, making it a perfect cube--just like the New Jerusalem
will be (see Rev. 21:16)). The
apartment contained only one piece of furniture.
The Veil
This veil, or curtain, separating the holy & the most holy
places of the sanctuary has great significance, because it was this veil that
tore at the very moment Jesus died on the cross (Matt. 27:51: Mark 15:38: Luke
23:45). His death symbolized the end of
the need for the exclusive Levitical priesthood to mediate between man &
God.
The veil represents the body of Jesus (Heb. 10:19,20). It was only by passing through this veil
that access was possible to the most holy place. The tearing of the veil symbolized the death of the Lamb of God,
which now permits the believer immediate access to the most holy place through
the new High Priest-Jesus Christ-the one & only Mediator between man &
God.
The Ark of the Covenant
Inside the most holy place, or “holy of holies,” was one piece
of furniture-the ark of the covenant.
This sacred box, also constructed of acacia wood & covered with
gold, contained the tables of stone upon which God had written the Ten Commandments. Later it also contained Aaron’s rod that had
budded & a small pot of manna.
The lid of the ark was call the “mercy seat”, & above it
was the shining glory of the Lord, or Shekinah (which literally means “the
dwelling”). The Shekinah was radiating between two covering cherubs, or angels,
on either end of the ark. This was a
symbol of the throne of God & the presence of the Almighty in heaven.
A Broad View of
Salvation
The plan of salvation is the theme of the entire Bible. The salvation of the children of Israel from
Egypt follows this plan exactly. Egypt
corresponded to the courtyard where justification transpired. God sacrificed all the first born of Egypt,
representing those who will pay for their own sins. But the Israelites were allowed to substitute the blood of the
Passover lamb for their firstborn child, representing those who accept Jesus’
payment. After the sacrifice came the
cleansing. All of the children of
Israel were “baptized” in the Red Sea (1 Cor. 10:1,2) symbolized by the laver.
This daily progress in character building is the process of
sanctification. But what is the end
result of sanctification? Eventually we
come to the place where we would rather die than dishonor our Saviour by
sinning. That is when the new convenant
is fulfilled in us. “But this shall be
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith
the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, & write it in their
hearts; & will be their God, & they shall be my people” (Jeremiah
31:33). When God’s law is our delight
& pleasure & sin has no more power over us, then the process of
sanctification is complete.
Atonement
For 10 days leading up to the Day of Atonement, the children
of Israel were to clean their camp, houses, bodies, & their guilt by
confessing every know fault. After the
high priest went through the ritual of cleansing the sanctuary, God had a clean
sanctuary & a clean people.
Now, as the real atonement is taking place in heaven, God’s
people must be purified again. In order
to finish the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary & bring His people to
heaven, Christ cannot have any more sins confessed. The wicked will go on sinning, but they will bear their own sins
& pay sin’s wages in the judgment.
The righteous, on the other hand, will have gained the victory
over sin through the blood of Jesus Christ.
This takes place when they all have the new covenant experience, which
takes the law from the stone tables & makes it an integral part of their
hearts. At that time, Christ can finish
cleansing His heavenly sanctuary & come for His bride because His earthly
sanctuary-His people- have also been cleansed.
He will have a clean sanctuary in heaven & a clean sanctuary on
earth. Doesn’t Jesus say that we are His temple? (Eph. 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 3:16).
Jesus Is the Sanctuary
This sermon could go on for hundreds of pages, but ultimately
the central theme of the whole sanctuary system is Jesus. Jesus is the Door, the spotless
Lamb, & our High Priest.
He is the Light of the World & the Bread of Life. He is the Living Water in the
laver & the Rock upon which is written the law of God in the
ark. His love is the gold
shimmering throughout the holy place.
It is His blood that makes it possible for us to approach
the Father. Indeed, Jesus is the
essence of the temple, for He said, “Destroy this temple, & in three days I
will raise it up... But he spake of the temple of his body” (John 2:19,21).
Have you made Christ your sanctuary? The Scriptures promise: “According to the Lord’s plan, the day
will come when the Righteous King will reign in Jerusalem & the governors
serving under Him will rule with justice.
The King will be a shelter from the wind, a place to hide in the time of
storm. He will be a stream of water in
the desert & a mighty Rock for shade in a hot & thirsty land” (Isaiah
32:1,2).
“So God’s promise rests on two unchangeable facts which make
His word totally reliable. One fact is
that God never lies & the other is that He confirmed what He said by an
oath. So having fled to Him for refuge,
we can lay hold of the hope before us with absolute assurance. This is what gives us courage to carry
on. This hope is a sure & steady
anchor for our souls. Our hope is not
in ourselves; it is in Christ. This is
the hope that allows us into the Sanctuary behind the curtain” (Heb. 6:18,19).
In closing I would like to read Hebrews 4:16, “Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need.