Chapter 15
THE FURNISHINGS
Part 1 - The Ark of the Covenant and the Veil
Before we begin our study of the Temple's
furnishings let us pray,
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Father please bless our study of the Temple's furnishings. Please open our eyes, our ears and our hearts to hear and see and receive the teaching that comes from the Old Testament Temple and it's furnishings. In Jesus' Name we pray.
Amen
For our study of the Temple's furnishings we will:
OVERVIEW OF THE TEMPLE/TABERNACLE AND IT'S FURNISHINGS
In chapter 14 we found that the Tabernacles that were built under the direction of Moses and King Solomon were designed by God. God gave them the pattern, measurements and also identified the materials to be used in its construction.
The first Old Testament Temple area, that is the one built under the direction of Moses, was approximately 150 feet long and 75 feet wide. To set apart the Temple area, it was enclosed by a wall made of wooden posts and linen curtains.
The Temple or Tabernacle structure, which was sometimes called the Tent of Meeting, resided inside the Temple area. The Tabernacle was approximately 45 feet long and 18 feet wide. The area surrounding the Tabernacle was called the outer court or courtyard.
Inside the outer court and in front of the entrance to the Tabernacle was placed: (1) a large basin of water called the Bronze Basin or Laver and (2) a bronze altar called the Brazen Altar or Altar of Burnt Offering.
Within the Tabernacle there were two sections or partitions. The first area was called the Holy Place. Inside the Holy Place there were three major furnishings. These furnishings were: (1) an altar made of gold called the Table of Show Bread or Table of the Bread of Presence, (2) a Gold Lampstand or Candlestick that contained seven gold lamps and (3) a second gold altar called the Altar of Incense.
Behind the above furnishings a large veil or heavy curtain was raised. This veil was made from blue, purple and scarlet yarn along with finely twisted linen. Pictures of Cherubim were also woven or embroidered within the veil. Behind the veil was the second partition or section of the Tabernacle. This section was called the Most Holy Place or the Holiest of Holies. In this section of the Tabernacle was placed the Ark of the Covenant.
Since it will require a fair amount of time to adequately address each of the above items, our study of the furnishings is partitioned into the following three chapters:
Chapter 15 - The Ark of the Covenant and the Veil
Chapter 16 - The Table of the Bread of the Presence, Altar of Incense and the Lampstand
Chapter 17 - The Altar of Burnt Offering, the Basin and Epilog
In the epilog we will look upon the furnishings of the Temple as a born again believer in Jesus Christ might have seen them before they were destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman army.
The remaining portion of this chapter is devoted to the study of the Ark of the Covenant and the Veil.
Within the Most Holy Place or Holiest of Holies was placed,
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
A description of the Ark of the Covenant is provided for us in,
Exodus 25:10-22
""[10] Have them make a chest of acacia wood--two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. [11] Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. [12] Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. [13] Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. [14] Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. [15] The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. [16] Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. [17] "Make an atonement cover of pure gold--two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. [18] And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. [19] Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. [20] The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. [21] Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. [22] 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."
Let us notice the following verses,
10 … The chest of the Ark of the Covenant was approximately 3 3/4 feet long, 2 1/4 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high.
12-15 … The Ark of the Covenant was to be carried using two poles on each side of the ark. As we will see later, the reason for this was because while it was in the Tabernacle, God's Presence or Glory rested on top of the Ark. Hence, it was most holy and not to be touched by man. The second restriction was that only a Levite, that is a person from the tribe of Levi, was allowed to carry it. To see this let us read an excerpt from the incident of when King David was returning the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines. Instead of using poles, a cart drawn by oxen was used to transport the ark. Unfortunately, the cart tipped and the ark began to topple. To prevent it from falling Uzzah reached out to steady the ark. With this background let us now read what happened,
2 Samuel 6:1-7
"[1] David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all. [2] He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark. [3] They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart [4] with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. [5] David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals. [6] When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. [7] The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God."
Let us notice that in verse 2 we read that God was enthroned between the cherubim. Some translations, such as the New Kings James Version, clarifies this a bit more by stating that it was God's Presence that was between the cherubim. Let us also notice that in verses 3 and 4 we are told that instead of using the prescribed poles to carry the ark it was placed upon a cart. Finally, in verse 6 we read that because of Uzzah's irreverence in touching the Ark, God struck him down.
Let us now read the proper manner in which the ark was to be moved. We find an example of this in,
1 Chronicles 15:11-15
"[11] Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. [12] He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. [13] It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way." [14] So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. [15] And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD."
As we continue reading from 1 Chronicles chapter 15 we read about the joyful transportation of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem where it was returned to the Holiest of Holies.
With the above in mind let us now return to the book of Exodus and finish reading about the Ark of the Covenant. To do this, let now notice the following verses in Exodus 25,
16 … The Testimony, which was the Ten Commandments, that God gave to Moses was placed in the ark.
17-19 … An Atonement Cover was made and placed on top of the ark. The reason this was called the atonement cover is because once a year the High Priest was to enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement, that is seek forgiveness, for his sins and the sins of the people of Israel. To do this the High Priest sprinkled the sacrificial blood on the atonement cover which was on top of the chest that contained the Law, that is the Ten Commandments. To see this let us read from,
Leviticus 16:11-17
""[11] Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. [12] He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. [13] He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony, so that he will not die. [14] He is to take some of the bull's blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover. [15] "He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull's blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. [16] In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. [17] No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel."
Let us notice the following verses,
12-13 … Even the High Priest was not allowed to look directly upon the Atonement Cover. We must remember this is where the Presence of God resided and no one was to look upon Him.
15 … To make atonement and receive forgiveness for his sins and the sins of the people, the High Priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice upon the Atonement Cover.
17 … This was the provision that God gave the people of Israel so that amends could be made for their sins and hence receive forgiveness (please see chapter 7 for a more in depth study).
This is why in some translations, such as the New King James Version, the Atonement Cover is translated as the Mercy Seat. In other words, it was here that God extended His Mercy to the people of Israel and forgave them of their sins.
Let us now return to the book of Exodus, chapter 25 and examine the following verses,
18-19 … On top of the Atonement Cover or Mercy Seat two cherubim were placed.
20-21 … The faces of the cherubim faced each other and looked down upon the Mercy Seat or Atonement Cover. This was a very vivid illustration of God's Law which is also covered with God's Mercy. It also represents two covenants: (1) The Law which was given through agency of Moses and (2) God's Grace and Truth which came to us through Jesus Christ. To see this let us read what John the Baptist said about Jesus. The passage of interest is in,
John 1:17
"[17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
Let us now return to the book of Exodus, chapter 25 and explore verse,
22 … God told Moses that it was above the Mercy Seat and between the two cherubim He would meet with him. This is why the Temple or Tabernacle was sometimes called the Tent of Meeting. As we read in 2 Samuel verse 2 it was between the cherubim on top of the Atonement Cover that God's Presence or Glory resided
Because God's presence or Glory resided on the Ark of the Covenant the room in which it was placed was called the Holiest of Holies or the Most Holy Place.
Separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the Tabernacle, identified as the Holy Place, was,
THE VEIL OR CURTAIN
To see this let us read from,
Exodus 26:31-33
""[31] Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman. [32] Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. [33] Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place."
The Holiest of Holies was so sacred that only the High Priest was allowed to enter into it. Once a year on the tenth day of the seventh month, the High Priest was permitted to pass through the veil and enter into the presence of God. As we saw earlier this was the time when the High Priest sought the Mercy of God and made atonement or amends for all the trespasses and sins that he and the people of Israel committed. This day was called the Day of Atonement. For a more in depth study of this day please see chapter 7.
The Message of the Veil
The Veil in front of the Ark of the Covenant reveals to us the Holiness of God. It reveals to us how unapproachable He is to those who have not been called or chosen to do so. Only once a year and only the High Priest could safely pass through the Veil and enter into to Most Holy Place. He did this to seek God's Mercy and make atonement for his and the people's sins. This passing through the veil was also a foreshadowing that pointed to the time when Jesus Christ, the Messiah, would come to atone for the sins of the world.
When Jesus Christ died on the cross this Veil was miraculously torn in two. To see this let us read from,
Matthew 27:50-51(a)
"[50] And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. [51] At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom..."
This tearing of the Veil symbolized three major truths.
First of all it reveals that after Jesus shed His Blood on the cross He entered into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, once and for all, for the forgiveness of our sins. In other words He entered into the Holiest of Holies and obtained eternal redemption for you and me. However, the Holiest of Holies that He entered was not of this earth. No, it was the one in Heaven it self, that is God the Father's Throne Room. To see this let us consider the following excerpt from the Book of Hebrews,
Hebrews 9:11-12
"[11] When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. [12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption."
Now let us read from,
Hebrews 9:24-28
"[24] For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. [25] Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. [26] Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [28] so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
The second truth of the torn Veil is that the old covenant, that is the one God gave through the agency of Moses, is obsolete and passing away. In other words, through Jesus Christ God the Father has made a new covenant with those who belong to Him. To see this let us first consider the following prophecy God gave through the prophet Jeremiah. The prophecy of interest is recorded in,
Jeremiah 21:31-34
""[31] The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. [32] It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, " declares the LORD. [33] "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [34] No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.""
Let us notice the following verses,
31 … In this verse we read that through Jeremiah God tells us that He will make a new covenant with the houses of Israel and Judah. In reading the prophecies given through Isaiah we discover that the new covenant was and is not limited to Israel and Judah. It was and is extended to all peoples living in all nations (Isaiah 49:5-6).
32 … The new covenant is not like the one given through Moses. The covenant given though Moses was one that contained laws engraved upon stone and written on parchment.
33 … The new covenant's laws are written upon the hearts and minds of those who belong to Him. As we have seen in previous lessons this is what happens when a person is born again. Specifically, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within them. Hence, those that have been born again of the Holy Spirit have God's Laws as part of their nature. In other words through the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, God's laws are written upon their hearts and minds.
34 … Since all those who have been born again have God the Holy Spirit living within them, they now know God. In addition, God has forgiven and forgotten all their sins and lawless deeds. Consequently, there is no longer any need for a priest to enter the man made Tabernacle to make atonement for the sins of the people. Jesus Christ has done this once and for all. Hence, the old covenant is now obsolete. To see this let us read from,
Hebrews 8:13
"[13] By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."
This now brings us to the third truth of the torn Veil. The torn Veil also symbolized the fact that every single born again believer in Jesus Christ has the privilege to spiritually enter into the presence of God the Father. We do this through faith in Jesus Christ. Specifically, when we believe with all our heart and soul that Jesus offered His body, symbolized by the veil, and His Blood to God the Father to make atonement for our sins, we too can spiritually enter into Heaven's Holiest of Holies. To see this let us prayerfully read from,
Hebrews 10:19-22
"[19] Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] 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."
Thus, at any time and in any place, in Jesus' Name we can present to God the Father our petitions, prayers and praise. To see this consider what Jesus once said to His disciples concerning their and our relationship with Him. The teaching of interest is in,
John 15:12-16
"[12] My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."
Shall We Pray?