Grace For Your Day October 17

 The tabernacle was one of the most sacred places in the Old Testament. From the time of Moses all the way up until the time of Solomon, it was the location where the Jews went to worship the Lord. Since this subject is unfamiliar to many of us today, I thought it would be helpful to include a brief explanation of the objects that were contained within it. These descriptions are taken from David Levy’s book, The Tabernacle.  

THE TABERNACLE
Description: movable place of worship for Israel; 15 feet wide, 45 feet long, and 15 feet high; it was surrounded by a courtyard 30 feet wide and 150 feet long; the twelve tribes of Israel camped around it wherever they went
Significance: center of worship and location of sacrifices from the time of the Exodus until Solomon’s temple
Scripture: Exodus 25:1-9; 35-40  
 
THE BRASS ALTAR
Description: altar used for animal and grain sacrifices; it was the first object you encountered as you went inside the courtyard; 7 ½ feet wide, 7 ½ feet long, and 4 ½ feet high
Significance: used for daily burnt offerings; placed in front of the entrance to the tabernacle
Scripture: Exodus 27:1-8; 40:6
 
THE BRASS BASIN
Description: used for purification purposes; “The laver had no measurements, symbolic of the limitless cleansing power of God”
Significance: priests used it to wash their hands and feet before offering sacrifices; placed between the Tent of Meeting and the Brass Altar
Scripture: Exodus 30:17-21; 38:8; 40:7
 
THE FIRST VEIL
Description: functioned as a door to the tabernacle; 15 feet wide and 15 feet high (to cover the height and width of the Tabernacle)
Significance: there were two veils in the Tabernacle: one  covering the entrance into the Tabernacle itself and a second one covering the entrance into the Holy of Holies (where the Ark of the Covenant was kept)
Scripture: Exodus 26:31-35; 36:35-38

THE GOLDEN LAMPSTAND
Description: it was the first object you encountered as you went inside the Tabernacle and was used to provide light; its height and width are unknown but it was made out of solid gold and weighed around 90 pounds
Significance: to provide light for the Tabernacle; it was placed on the south side of the Tabernacle, across from the Table of  Showbread
Scripture: Exodus 25:31-40; 37:17-24; 39:37
 
THE TABLE OF SHOWBREAD
Description: used to hold bread inside the Tabernacle; 1 ½ feet wide, 3 feet long, and 2 1/3 feet high  
Significance: fresh bread was placed on it every Sabbath to signify the Lord’s covenant with Israel; the table was placed on the north side of the Tabernacle, across from the Golden Lampstand
Scripture: Exodus 25:23-30; Leviticus 24:5-9  
 
THE ALTAR OF INCENSE
Description: small altar used for burning incense; 1 ½ feet wide, 1 ½ feet long, and 3 feet high; part wood, part gold
Significance: priests burned incense on this altar every day so the fragrance would fill the Tabernacle; it was placed before the Veil that led to the Ark of the Covenant
Scripture: Exodus 30:1-10, 34-38
 
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
Description: portable chest containing the Ten Commandments, a golden pot of Manna, and Aaron’s Rod; 2 ¼ feet wide, 3 ¾ feet long, and 2 ¼ feet high; later placed in Solomon’s Temple; the golden lid of the Ark was known as the Mercy Seat – it was regarded by the Israelites as the resting place of God
Significance: the most sacred object in the Jewish religion; once a year – on the Day of Atonement – blood was applied to the Mercy Seat on top of the Ark to symbolize the forgiveness of Israel’s sins; it was the only object located in the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies)
Scripture: Exodus 25:10-22; 37:1-9
 

The reason I wanted to mention all of this is because the Book of Hebrews describes each of these objects in Hebrews 9:1-5. After doing so, it explains how they relate to Christ in the following words:

 
In other words, when Jesus came, He did away with the need for the tabernacle and all of the objects inside of it because He provided an eternal redemption for us. He paid for our sins once and for all which is what we are going to talk about this week at Grace Fellowship Church.

Have you ever wondered why we do not worship the Lord in a tabernacle anymore? The answer is because of Jesus. Have you ever asked yourself why we do not have to keep all the customs of the Jews? It is not because those customs were bad. They were good because they were given by God. However, we do not keep them anymore because Christ has come to offer us something better. He has fulfilled everything that the Old Covenant stood for.
 
He is the light of the world for the golden lampstand. He is the bread of life for the table of showbread. He is the perfect sacrifice for the animal sacrifices. As such, He has entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle in order to save us. Please join us this week as we talk about that. It is my prayer that it will give you a deeper and more profound love for your Savior.

– Jeremy Cagle