(Most of this material is directed copied from the workbook, "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place" by Beth Moore)
In the diagram above, you will see the outline of the Tabernacle that the Israelites carried with them while they wandered through the wilderness to their Promised Land. Over the top of the Tabernacle diagram, you will see a cross that is placed over and directly connected to the 4 objects shown.
The 4 objects, the Tabernacle, and the Cross represent the absolute consistency and continuance of the Old and the New Testaments. The two testaments are mirrors to one another. The Old Testament reflects the promise of salvation and the New Testament testifies to the fulfillment of that promise. We will see in the next blog exactly how the Cross and the 4 objects mirror one another.
I have a deep hunger and desire to study God’s Word so that I can know Him for Who He is! It never ceases to amaze me how consistent and how perfectly the Bible is written! It is the most intriguing masterpiece I have ever been fortunate enough to get my hands on! During my prayer time, God placed the above diagram on my heart. I was blown away by how clear the message of the Bible is.
The message is simple; God loved man in spite of sin and would do everything in His Power to establish a personal relationship with each of us. From the beginning of the Old Testament in the Garden of to the end of the New Testament when John shares his astounding vision of the last days, the Bible is very clear that this is God’s deepest heartfelt desire.
By seeing the cross over the Tabernacle of the Old Testament and by seeing the cross over the Tabernacled hearts of believers in the New Testament, God does not see sin. God sees that He is able to dwell among us and we with Him.
The blue arrow on the diagram above represents the timeline of the established covenant of God represented by the Cross that began in the Garden of Eden, continued through the Old and New Testament, and ultimately ending in the New Testament. The Old and New Testament are in perfect sync and perfect continuance. Jesus did not do away with the Old Testament Law but He gave Himself on our behalf so that He could fulfill it.
During the Tabernacle construction, God had dictated divine and detailed instructions. Each article in the Tabernacle was expressly created to tangible convey God’s desire to provide salvation to mankind. Each article in the Tabernacle had symbolic meaning that directly tied into the future death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I see God’s love in each one of them because each and every detail testified to His desire to be close to mankind. Each and every detail promised future deliverance and salvation to those who diligently sought His Face. I am not going to go into each and every article of the Tabernacle and expound on how they are representative of Jesus and His Salvation.
What I am going to do, however, is focus on the four main parts of the Tabernacle and how the Cross is directly related to each of them. Using material from the sources listed at the end of this blog, I will do my best to present a clear connection of God’s intangible plan in the Old Testament being tangibly fulfilled in the New. I will then tie the symbolism represented by each object into the reality of the Cross of Christ.
The objects shown in the diagram above are:
(1) The Bronze Altar of Sacrifice
(2) The Basin of Undefiled Water
(3) The Veil separating the Holy and the Holy of Holies
(4) The Ark of the Covenant
~The Bronze Altar of Sacrifice~
When the metal, bronze, is mentioned in the Bible the meaning that is collectively associated with it that it represents strength and judgment. Below, we will research the various aspects of the construction of the bronze altar of sacrifice. We will seek to understand the divine and omnipotent representation of these aspects and how they directly tie into the plan of salvation secured through the Cross of Christ.
In Numbers 21:5-9, we see that the Children of Israel were being punished for their blasphemous behavior towards God.
God sent serpents to bite them for their murmurings. If they were being bitten by serpents they would immediately die from their bites. However, when the people began to repent for their sin and seek God’s mercy, God was quick to hear their cries. God then instructed Moses to create a bronze pole with a bronze snake on it. When the people looked directly at the snake, they lived and did not die from the serpent venom.
When speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus compares Himself to this snake of salvation. Jesus says that as the snake was lifted up in the wilderness, so shall the “Son of Man be lifted up.” Jesus was referring to His impending crucifixion. Just as the people in the wilderness looked to the bronze snake to live, those of us who look at the cross of Jesus and believe on Him will live. (John 3:14-16).
In both cases, mankind is being threatened with judgment. But when mankind cries out to God and seeks absolution from their sin, God provides them an escape. The escape must be stronger than the judgment that the sin invoked on us. The snake was stronger than the judgment of serpents because those who looked on it were saved. Even more so, Jesus represents the ultimate strength and ultimate remission of sins.
When you first walk into the Tabernacle from the East entrance, the first thing you see is the Bronze Altar of Sacrifice.
This altar occupied front-and-center priority in the Tabernacle courtyard. God instructed that the Altar be constructed of acacia wood. Acacia wood is known for its incorruptibility because it resisted decay. This wood clearly represents Christ’s humanity; He was incorruptible in each and every moment of His Life. In death, His body never decayed (Psalms 16:10).
Another remarkable similarity between Christ and the acacia wood is that the acacia wood bore heavy, sharp thorns. I wince as I realize that the crown of thorns that were brutally pushed into the scalp of my Lord during His mock trial were heavy and sharp. I cannot imagine the pain He endured from that crown of thorns; it is horrible to even conjecture.
A horn at the corner of the square bronze altar served as the means by which the innocent sacrifice was tied down. The primary role of the horns was to secure the sacrifice. In Genesis 22:13, God provided a substitutionary sacrifice so that Isaac did not have to die. The Bible says that the animal was caught by its horns in a thicket. The animal’s horns in the thicket secured it so that it could be offered on Isaac’s behalf. In Psalms 18:2, David calls God “the horn of my salvation.”
Christ is the horn of our salvation; the One Who was willingly secured on a horrible cross by huge nails so that we could be secured in the Lamb’s book of life. Just like the animal caught in the thicket was sacrificed in place of Isaac, so was Jesus sacrificed in place of each one of us. Do you realize that He would willingly sacrificed Himself for each one of us that truly sought salvation and a covenanted relationship with God?? Such a thought is astounding and beyond human comprehension. Yet that is how much God loved each of us.
When John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son…it meant it in *every sense* of the word.
Just how important was the altar on which the horns rested? Jesus, in Matthew 23:16-19, clearly answers this question for us. As usual, the Pharisees were full of their own pride and only sought to glorify themselves. The Pharisees thrived on theatrics that placed all of the worship and glory on them and not on God.
The Pharisees “piously” declared that “if anyone swears by the altar it means nothing….but if they swear by the gift on it, they are bound by that oath.” Jesus was outraged at the Pharisees’ twisting of the Scriptures and asked them what was greater…the altar that sanctified the gift or the altar itself?
The obvious answer to His question was the altar. If the altar, representing the means by which we bring an offering, is unacceptable, how can the sacrifice placed on it be acceptable?? The acceptability of the altar itself was necessary for the acceptability of everything placed on it.
Everyone from the priests to the actual sacrifice itself had to meet God’s Divine approval.
The sacrifices offered upon the altar did not provide a permanent mend to the chasm between man and God but it did provide a temporary remission. The sacrifice enabled God to temporarily dwell among the children of
It is also important to note that the fire on the altar was to be kept burning; the flame must not go out. The priests continually added firewood to ensure the fire was continually burning (Leviticus 6:12-13). The original fire that lit the altar was provided by God Himself. When the priests placed the sacrifice on the altar, God would demonstrate His acceptance by sending fire from heaven that would consume the sacrifice.
It is often assumed that the priests did all the sacrificial slaughtering; however, this is far from the truth. Each person that desired atonement made a personal sacrifice. Can you imagine laying one hand o the animal’s head and slaughtering the animal with the other?? We cringe at the thought; yet as the sinner held the animal’s head while its life fled, God’s purpose was clearly stated in living, crimson color; an innocent victim lost its life because of the sin of its killer. God desired that humans comprehend to some degree what price would later be paid on a wooden altar (remember the bronze altar was made of acacia wood) mounted at
Guilt was the emotional tie between the Israelite and the animal. Unspeakable love was the emotional tie between God and His Son. I can’t imagine how much He longed to NOT see His Son have to pay for our sins. Can any of us imagine allowing a child of ours who knew full well what he or she would endure to take on all the sins of the world?? We cringe in total horror at such a repulsive thought. Who is to think that God would feel any differently about His Own Son???
But Jesus knew, and God knew, that if Jesus did not die that all of humanity would be eternally damned. Sins could be atoned for on the cross only by heaping them on Christ Jesus, the unblemished Lamb. Think how many of them were yours and mine!! His Father had no choice but to muster every degree of His omnipotence and to turn His head. Jesus willingly agreed to do this for us (John 10: 11,17-18). He also said in John 6:39, that His sacrificial death was the “will of Him Who sent me; that I lose none of those He has given Me.”
God christened the altar with fire from heaven, bathing it in purification and consuming its blessed contents in glorious approval. We must not miss the perpetual significance of this heavenly fire. Only fire directly originating from God could truly purify and consume, or approve of an offering.
Therefore the fire must never be allowed to go out. Wood had to be added continually so that the original, divine flame would never be exhausted. God lit the fire, but humans had to fuel it.
At nightfall, Aaron and his sons were to offer an evening sacrifice that God commanded to be left burning on the altar all night. They were then to rise early in the morning and wait for the last of the ashes to fall through the bronze grate of the altar. The ashes invariably fell at dawn. Ancient Hebrew history records that the moment the last ash fell, the priests blew their trumpets in celebration, shouting, “It is finished.” Right before Jesus died, He shouted, “It is finished!” He then bowed His head and gave up His Spirit (John 19:30).
II Timothy 1:6 says, “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.” The Greek word for “gift” is “charisma”…which is defined as “a gift of grace, an undeserved benefit from God.” It refers not only to salvation but also to the gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed as God deems necessary to every believer. Even your talents were not earned but given by God.
When we accepted Jesus, from that moment on, He lit the divine flame of salvation in our souls. II Timothy 1:6-8 tells us to actively partake in the testimony of our salvation. How can we keep the fire of God burning in our hearts if we do not spiritually tend to it? How do we tend to it? We testify about God’s grace in our lives, we seek to know Him more intimately and deeply each and every day, we believe Him and place our hope and trust in Him.
Again, we see God’s sovereign desire to interact with His Children. Power is up to God. Participation is up to us. It is our right to participate and interact with God. Such interaction would not have been possible without the ultimate altar of sacrifice – the Cross of Jesus.
Isn’t it amazing how God’s intricate and detailed design tangible represented so much the impending death of Jesus?
The Bible is truly consistent and is truly representative of the unfathomable love of our God. Amen?
~Basin of Undefiled Water~
Psalm 24:3-4 asks, “Who may ascend to the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” This verse sums up the content of this section. We will now learn about the basin of undefiled water and how it is directly connected to the New Testament covenant of Christ.
If you were to continue past the bronze altar, the next item you would see would be the bronze basin. The bronze basin was located between the altar and the Tabernacle. The exact purpose of the basin was for the high priest (Aaron) and his sons to wash their hands and feet.
What is the purpose of washing just the hands and feet? What purpose did this accomplish? In Exodus 29:4, Aaron and his sons were required to be “wash” themselves from head to toe at the Tabernacle door…BUT…in Exodus 30:19, they are only instructed to wash their hands and feet. Exodus 29:4 implies washing of the entire man and Exodus 30:19 speaks of the need to wash only their hands and feet.
The purpose of the cleansing is shown in both verses. Exodus 29:1 says, “This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests.” God was consecrating the priests for service in a one-time experience in which they were sanctified and deemed acceptable. However, in Exodus 30:19, the process of washing is seen as an ongoing act of cleansing that the priests performed before entering into the holy place (the first room in the inner part of the Tabernacle). The first act of cleansing was initiated for them. The second was initiated by them.
The obvious comparison seen here is the fire that had to be maintained so that it continually burned on the Altar of Sacrifice; God provided the fire for them and it was maintained by them.
This is an ongoing theme for New Testament believers as well. God will light the fire of His Spirit in our heart but it is up to us to maintain it daily by growing in our relationship with Him.
The inner court of the Tabernacle was the sanctuary of fellowship. This is where the priests could be most close to God and His Presence. Priests could enter God’s court based on complete cleansing performed only once; however, to enter the place of fellowship with God, ongoing cleansing had to occur. That’s why the priests had to pass by the bronze altar BEFORE they could wash in the bronze basin.
Without passing by the place of sacrifice, there was no cleansing from ongoing sin.
It is the same for New Testament believers. We cannot come before God unless we pass by the Cross and are covered in its sacrificial Blood. Unless we are covered by Jesus’ Blood we cannot come before God. Once covered, however, we can be cleansed from ongoing sin. However, just like the 2 types of cleansing we read about above, God can cleanse our spirit and purge all sin from it until we are clean and white as snow. However, God expects us to maintain that cleaning by daily dying to self and washing ourselves in the sacrificial Blood that His Only Son shed for our sins (I Corinthians 15:31). When we “die” daily, we are glorifying God for Jesus’ sacrifice.
Another interesting fact about the bronze basin is that it was formed from mirrors….what was the reason for that?? The Israelite women presented the “mirrors” as an offering; the mirrors most likely came from their stay in
The mirrored basin also provided a sharp reflection of the priest as he stood before it for cleansing. The purpose is clear: before we can truly come before God for cleansing, we must examine ourselves to discover what parts of our hearts need to be cleansed in the healing water of the
No doubt you realize that every detail of the Old Testament Tabernacle reflects a deep New Testament truth we can apply. Here are some examples of New Testament truths reflected by the intricate design of the Tabernacle:
Ephesians 5:25-26 says that, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.”
Hebrews 10:22 says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
The outer court of the Tabernacle had only 2 fixtures, the Altar of Sacrifice and then the
In order to progress more deeply into the heart of the Tabernacle, you must pass by the blood and water to enter the place where the fellowship is sweet. Just as the bronze basin offered the Israelites the right to be cleansed daily from sin, the perfect Sacrifice was offered for us on
John 13 records the Passover Feast where Jesus washed His Disciples feet. Verse 1 tells us that the intent behind washing His disciples’ feet was to “show them the full extent of His Love.” It was a well-known Jewish tradition that if you wanted to show respect to guests in your house, you had a servant wash their feet. Since most of the traveling in those days was done on foot and the shoes that the common person wore resembled sandals, it is safe to assume that every substance in the road got on their feet….from dirt to animal manure. The servant who was delegated this job was considered the lowliest servant in his master’s house.
So picture the Son of God humbling Himself to this position! Is it any wonder that Peter told Him, “You will never wash my feet!” Such an idea seemed preposterous to Peter! But Jesus told Peter that He did not wash His feet that He would have no part “with Him.” Peter then responded, “Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash their feet.”
This conversation about the two types of cleaning tie back into the 2 types of cleaning that the priests practiced. One type was a complete cleaning that was done for them and was the only way they could enter into God’s Presence. The second type was the cleaning of the feet which allowed the priests to maintain an ongoing relationship with God. Note the word “ongoing”; in order to maintain this relationship, their feet had to be continually cleansed by water.
It is exactly the same message that is portrayed in the above conversation of Jesus and Peter. Notice that Christ did not say, “You have no part *of* Me” but, “You have no part *with* Me.” The crucial message is the full cleansing they had received on accepting Him concerned regeneration. The partial cleansing of their feet concerned relationship.
~Veil Separating the Holy and the Holy of Holies~
Psalm 91:4 says, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings will you find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” God will cover us with the sanctified, priestly garments of His glory and faithfulness. This verse sums up the importance of the altar of sacrifice and the basin of undefiled water. When we are covered by the Blood of the perfect sacrifice and cleansed in the waters of purity, we are covered and protected by God.
We will now progress into the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle that only those covered by God dare to enter.
After we pass by the
When we go inside the front door of the Tabernacle, we first enter into the Holy. When we enter into the Holy [Place] we see 3 furnishings that adorn the area. We see the Lampstand, table that held the Bread of the Presence, and the Altar of Incense. I would highly encourage individual study on each of these 3 furnishings. Just like a divine quilt, it is absolutely astounding how each of these furnishings intricately weave themselves into the truth of New Testament salvation through Jesus Christ.
The main purpose of the
Within the
Judging from its name, we can see that it was a most sacred room, a place no ordinary person could enter. It was God’s special dwelling place in the midst of His people. During the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness, God appeared as a pillar of cloud or fire in and above the Holy of Holies.
A thick curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the
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.
“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)
So the presence of God remained shielded from man behind a thick curtain during the history of
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)
“We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s Glory, are being transformed into His likeness with every-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:18)
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the
The phrase, “Since we have confidence.” is very important to note. Since Jesus’ death on the cross caused the veil to be split in half, we need to be confident that we have free access to our God. Jesus’ death made this possible; to not take advantage of such a divine privilege is nothing short of blasphemy. Jesus died so we could enter into God’s Presence and to not take the time to invest ourselves in a relationship with God makes His death in vain.
If you are not going behind the veil into the Holy of Holies with Him through worship and through intimacy with Jesus, it is not because you do not have access.
A further definition of the word “confidence” is provided in the New Testament Lexicon; the definition is very intriguing. To have “confidence” means that we have the “freedom to speak all that one thinks.” We are to approach and come before Him in truth. He knows when our words differ from our heart. He said through the prophet Isaiah that “your mouth is really close to me but your heart is not.” (Isaiah 29:13) He hears what we say but also recognizes it does not match our heart. Jesus also chastised the Pharisees’ theatric “praises” by saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Matthew 15:8)
God would much whether we say less, speak less, and have our mouth match the words of our heart.
~The Ark of the Covenant (or Testimony)~
After passing by the Altar of Sacrifice and the purified waters of the basin and then come to the torn veil of the Tabernacle, the next object we see is the Ark of the Covenant.
In Exodus 25:22, God introduces the first object we see as we enter into the Holy of Holies; we see “the ark of the testimony (or covenant).” What was the purpose of this structure? The Hebrew word for “testimony” is “eduwth” which means “witness.”
The verse also indicates God’s divine reason for constructing the ark of the testimony, “There, above the cover between the 2 cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” God designed the ark of the testimony to witness and testify to not only His Omnipotent Presence but also His desire to commune personally with man.
Every ark that is mentioned in Scripture has a common purpose. In Genesis 7:7, the Bible speaks of the “ark” of Noah, which was used to preserve his family, himself, and the animals. Another example is seen in Exodus 2:3, which refers to the ark of bulrushes that Moses’ mother hid him in to protect him from harm. Biblical translations define “ark” as a “box, chest – an ark or a basket.”
No matter what name your version calls the “ark”, the purpose remains the same. Preservation was the common purpose of the arks in Scripture. The ark of the testimony was to preserve God’s witness. Without a doubt, the ark of the testimony had a priority position in the tabernacle.
Our relationship with God always begins where He is because He is the originator of all relationships. On our own accord, we can do nothing that pleases God. We cannot approach Him for our salvation or for a relationship with Him; God is the One Who approaches us. We can only approach God on the basis that He first approached us.
Our approach is always based on His approach. And His approach is always for the expressed purpose of our approach. God has had this agenda since creation, and it will continue until He approaches us in the air and I the twinkling of an eye invites us to approach Him there. (I Thessalonian 4:16-17)
The ark of the testimony was the place where God’s approach began in the tabernacle of his Presence. The Tabernacle was not just a sacred building. It was not simply a place of sacrifice or a center of worship. The Tabernacle was tangible evidence of intangible truth. It was a heavenly picture drawn on an earthly canvas.
In Revelation 11:19, the “ark of God’s covenant” was seen in the heavenly temple. The Apostle John had the unfathomable experience of getting to see the “true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.”
(Hebrews 8:2) Proceeding from “the ark of the covenant “were “flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.” The earthquake and the great hail signify God’s impending judgment. However, it is important to note what the origin was for the lightning, voices, and thundering. When we look in Revelation 4:1-5, we see that all of these manifestations of glory originated from the throne of God.
Could it be that the true ark of the testimony, from which the earthly ark was patterned, was none other than God’s throne?? No one can be entirely certain.
But one thing is for certain; in the earthly tabernacle made divinely with human hands, the ark of the testimony was the throne of His Glory. It was the focus of His dwelling, the seat of reconciliation. It is important to note that the ark was made of acacia wood and was overlaid with pure gold inside and out.
Recall the representations that acacia wood and gold signified? The acacia wood speaks of Christ’s incorruptible humanity. The gold represents His Deity. Together they represent the unity of incorruptible man and God. Only One can fill such a position: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
God also had divine plans for a cover that was placed on top of the ark of the testimony. This cover was known as “the atonement cover” (or “mercy seat”). The atonement cover was the lid for the ark. On top of it stood two cherubim (angels) at the two ends, facing each other.
The cherubim, symbols of God’s divine presence and power, were facing downward toward the ark with outstretched wings that covered the atonement cover. The whole structure was beaten out of one piece of pure gold. The atonement cover was God’s dwelling place in the tabernacle.
It was His throne, flanked by angels. God said to Moses:
“There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the
Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” (Exodus 25:22)
“Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the
The angelic figures that hovered over the mercy seat represent heavenly hosts gathered around God’s throne. This conclusion can be drawn from several significant passages that describe a similar angelic posture. In Psalm 80:1, God is described as “sitting enthroned between the cherubim.” Psalm 99:1 also speaks of God “sitting enthroned between the cherubim.” Isaiah 6:1-3 speaks of the Lord on a throne in between 2 seraphim angels who continually proclaimed the glory of God to one another. Isaiah 37:16 refers to the “God of Israel that dwells between the cherubim.”
Ezekiel 1:11 describes the posture of the angels as, “Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body.” The cherubim overlooked the “throne” or the “atonement cover/mercy seat” in the holy of holies as pictorial evidence of those who live to surround His Highness with praise in the true sanctuary.
Okay, this next part is totally cool! The Hebrew word for “ark of the testimony” is “arown”. It differs from the Hebrew words used for Noah’s ark and the Baby Moses’ ark. Although all 3 arks share the common purpose of preservation, the Hebrew word “arown” stretches the intent even further, meaning “chest or coffin.” Why would a coffin serve as the earthly throne of God’s Glory??
Because God’s mercy rests on God’s “death”.
The mercy seat was a fitting cover for a coffin. Had there been no plan for death, there would have been no possibility for mercy. How fitting that both the first and last objects in the tabernacle pointed to access by death. Whether in God’s approach to persons or to our approach to God, there is no approach at all without death – the death of the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8).
In Luke 24:1-8, we see that the women came to the tomb of Jesus with spices that they had prepared. When they arrived at the tomb site, they noticed that the stone was rolled away and Jesus’ Body was not there. When the women went into the tomb, they were met by two angels that informed them that Jesus was risen.
Notice that there are 2 angels. Let’s discover their role and position at Christ’s tomb…or coffin. In John 20:10-13, we see that one angel was positioned at the head and one at the foot of where Jesus had lain. The angels overlooked the place where He had lain. The angels on the “mercy seat” or “coffin” also overlooked the central area of God’s glory.
The mercy seat was the focal point of God’s manifested glory to his People. The Hebrew word for “mercy seat” is “kapporeth” which means “lid or cover of the sacred ark”. The Hebrew word “kaphar” is a derivative of that word, meaning “to cover the sins, to reconcile, to pardon, to cancel, or to make atonement.” There are 69 instances in the Old Testament in which “kaphar” is translated “atonement.”
In Hebrews 9:1-5, the word for “mercy seat” is “hilasterion.” The Greek test that speaks of the direct correlation between Jesus and the mercy seat (of Romans 3:25) would read like this, “God presented [Jesus Christ] as a [mercy seat] through faith in his blood. Jesus Christ is the “hilasterion; He is the mercy seat. God sent His Son to be the mercy seat for our sins.
In the depths of our depravity Christ died for us. He did not wait for persons to get as “close as possible” through obedience through the law and righteous living. Our righteousness is considered as “filthy rags” (defined as used menstrual rags) before Him. (Isaiah 64:6) Christ, who was not blemished by sin, died for us, who were as dirty as a filthy, blood-soaked menstrual rag. Such love is too high for me to attain. (Psalm 139:6)
In the breadth of our separation from God, Christ died for us. He died for the people that yelled, “Crucify Him.” He died for those who whipped His flesh with whips. He died for those who slapped Him and spit on Him. He died for those that mocked Him and who embedded a crown of thorns into His brow. He died for the soldier who pounded spikes into His hands and feet. He died for those who humiliated Him by stripping away His garments. He died for the 11 who ran for their lives, abandoning Him in
Christ did not just die for the depths of that generation’s depravity. He, Who knew all things, died in advance for the most depraved deed any of us could do. We may not have been present in the crowd on the day of His death, but our sins were. So horrendous were the sins that hung on Christ that day, His Father was forced to look away. His Father had to forsake His Own Son so that through His Sacrifice Christ could intercede on our behalf.
Jesus experienced the excruciating pain [the word "excruciating" originated from the unspeakable pain of crucifixion] of being forsaken by God, so that we would not have to. And because He did, “we have peace with God.” (Romans 5:1)
The 4 objects shown in the diagram above are deeply connected with the meaning of the cross that is placed directly on top of them.
Please continue to PART TWO to see how the Old and New Testaments perfectly mirror the divine salvation plan set forth by the God Who is in diligent pursuit of mankind’s hearts.
Sources:
I want to begin this blog by giving all credit for the material in this blog to Jesus Himself. Without Him, I would have not had the resources or desire to publish this blog. Without Him, I would have not had the opportunity to study the Bible, Without Him, I would not have been able to even approach such an intimidating subject.
Please pray and give thanks to the Lord, not because of what I wrote or did not write, but because of Who He is.
I was also privileged enough to learn how to truly appreciate the Bible and its message through the Bible study, “A Woman’s Heart: God’s
This Bible study is the main source for the written material in this blog. Many of the concepts and most of the material in this blog came directly from and was copied directly from the Bible study, “A Woman’s Heart” by Beth Moore.
The website www. .the-tabernacle-place.com also provided excellent resources for this blog. Some of the researched material from this site was copied directly into this blog.
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