The Veil of the Tabernacle

Exodus 26:31-33 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: ... and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

Just beyond the Altar of Incense a veil hung in the tabernacle. The veil stretched from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. It contained the same colors as the gate and the curtain that marked the entrance to the Holy Place. The color, scarlet which points to Jesus’ shed blood. Blue speaks of His coming from Heaven. Purple shows us His majesty, His right to be King.

Woven into the fabric of the veil would be intricate, cunning embroidery of cherubim.  Angels much like those which stood at the entrance of the Garden of Eden to prevent entrance back into the Garden.

The Room

The Most Holy Place measured 15' by 15' by 15'.  It was overlaid with the coverings we studied in lesson one and the pillars which made up its walls were fastened together with rings and rods to form a solid wall.  These pillars were covered with solid gold overlaying acacia wood. Entering into the Most Holy Place would be like walking into a room with walls of gold and a ceiling of angels. The tabernacle and later the temple were representations of heaven, and the throne room of God. The Most Holy Room represent the throne room of God in Heaven. Gold show His deity and the angels show His praise.

The Ark

Exodus 25:10-22 10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. 12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. …. 16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, ...

The Ark of the Covenant stood in the center of the Most Holy Place. It was the most important article in all the tabernacle. It measured 2 1/2 cubits long, 1 1/2 cubits wide and deep.  It was a box constructed from acacia wood overlaid inside and outside with pure gold.  Along the top edge of the ark a crown would go around the box forming a raised rim.  A gold ring was fastened to each corner of the ark and a gold overlaid pole would be inserted there for carrying the ark.  On top of the ark the mercy seat was placed.  This would be the exact dimensions to form a lid upon the top of the ark.  It was constructed of solid and the two cherubim, one on each end, knelt on top of the mercy seat. They faced each other with their wings spreading up and over the mercy seat itself. Inside the ark, God instructed Moses to place three items, the ten commandments, Aaron's rod and a pot of manna.

The Censor

Leviticus 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

In addition to the things that stayed inside the Most Holy Place, there was an article that entered into the room with the priest. This was a censor used to carry live coals from the Brazen Altar into the Most Holy Place. The high priest would pour finely ground incense upon the coals in the censer to was to obscure the presence of God with the smoke from the incense.  Aaron, on the Day of Atonement, would sprinkle the blood from the slain lamb upon the mercy seat.

Entering Our Spiritual Most Holy Place

If I can apply these things found in the Most Holy Place to my walk with God, then I will believe we will more fully know Him. A knowledge that is ever growing, every fulfilling, ever new each day but never can it be exhausted.

God’s Person - The Ark of the covenant is a symbol of who God is.

 In the Ark of the Covenant God told Moses to place the tablets of stone that contained the Ten Commandments of God toward His people.  They were a revelation of God's attributes and character.  Through the Ten Commandments they would know their God.

 If I am to ever walk closely with God, I must know Him deeply and intimately. Yes, part of that knowledge comes through the law, or the names of God, but it is only fully revealed in the grace and love that can only be found in God the Son. To know God I must know Jesus, deeply, daily and devotedly.

 This was Paul's desire expressed in Philippians 3:8-10 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

God's Providence

 God's providence was symbolized in the ark by the pot of manna given to the Hebrews. But His greatest act of providence was the grace given through Jesus Christ. Jesus himself tells us that the manna was a symbol of Himself. He was the true bread of life.

John 6:32-33 … my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

 When we know and trust in God’s complete provision, we can some to the full assurance Paul had in Philippians 4:11-13 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 -- I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

God's Priest.

 Aaron's rod was also kept inside the Ark. This rod was a proof that Aaron and his sons were the family through which God would establish His priests. The rod was an undeniable token of God's will for Aaron to be the mediator of the tabernacle sacrifices.

In the full assurance of a Most Holy Room Christian there is the sure knowledge that we cannot ever be lost as a child of God, because our High Priest ever lives to intercede for us. Jesus is our High Priest, he is our mediator of the New Covenant who made us epistles written in the heart.

Hebrews 7:24-25 But this man (Jesus Christ), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 This understanding is vital for it brings us to a total confidence in our salvation through Him. I am His because He will his love is ever interceding, His grace is ever sufficient, and His word is ever true.

God's Pardon.

 You cannot come into the Most Holy Place remembering what took place there once a year on the Day of Atonement. On that day, the High Priest would enter with the censor and the blood and as the smoke of the incense filled the room he would sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat that sat atop the ark of the Covenant.

This is the vivid picture of Jesus pouring out His own life's blood upon the cross before God, that we might receive His righteousness and be reconciled to God.  A forgiveness which by its very nature is so powerful and so complete that it can never be repeated.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 A Most Holy Place Christian knows that grace, forgiveness and mercy did not end at the cross. They know that forgiveness is a daily, moment by moment event of turning from sin and self and to the one who shed His blood for us. The Christian, at this level of relationship with God, yearns to dwell with "clean hands and a pure conscience" in the presence of God's holiness, therefore he humbly and constantly seeks forgiveness.

God's Presence

 The most outstanding characteristic of the Most Holy Place was the presence of God which dwelt above the mercy seat and between the cherubim.  It was God's presence in the room that made it the Most Holy Place. By Him it was a place of reverence, a place of power and a place of wonder in the majesty of the most high God.

 Most Holy Place Christians come to a place in their lives where they truly grasp the reality of the presence of God in their lives.  This is not a mystical experience, a second blessing or ecstatic vision, instead it is the clear and powerful reality of God's presence in our hearts, lives and the circumstance of our lives.

Isaiah, who saw the glory of God in the temple said this in Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

 Jesus who was God in the flesh made this promise to the disciple and to us. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

I think David reflects this kind of understanding of God in his life in Psalms 139

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down,and art acquainted with all my ways... 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Where do you dwell with God? The Outer Court? The Holy Place or the Holiest of Holies? When Jesus died and the veil was torn asunder, it was our invitation to dwell in the very presence of God, through Jesus Christ, His Son and the gift of His Holy Spirit.