Psalm 26
8 Lord, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells.
Tell me about this place. What do we know? What can we know at present about it?
Great question! The earthy Sanctuary in the old Testament is a replica of the Heavenly Sanctuary. Everything in the Temple is symbolic and is whats needed for salvation.
Your way, O God,
is in the sanctuary Psalm 77:13
What is interesting when you get to the book of Revelation it is all about the sanctuary.
In the Old Testament, when a person sinned one would take a lamb without blemish and take it to the courtyard as a sacrifice for sins. The first piece of furniture is the the Altar or Burnt Offerings Exodus 28:1-8. This points us to Christ on the cross. His sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.
The next piece of furniture is the laver.
The laver had water in it and the priests used it wash their feet and hands. Exodus 30:18-20. This represents baptism. Your sins washed away and you are a new creature in Christ.
After the priests were cleansed at the laver they entered the sanctuary.
There are 3 pieces of furniture in the first compartment (the Holy Place) and represents our sanctification process.
-to the north is the showbread Exodus 25:23-30- there were two stacks of bread 6 each representing the 66 books in the Bible and the “Word of God” And our walk with Jesus through the Holy Bible. “I am the living bread” John 6:51. Two things to note the showbread was changed out every Sabbath Leviticus 24:7-8 and its where satan wants to exalt his throne above the stars of God on the north Isaiah 14:13 above the Word of God that was priest changed every Sabbath.
-to the left side is the gold lampstand Exodus 25:31-40. The light represents giving our time to God and letting our light shine for Jesus. The Word is a lamp to our feet Psalm 119:105
-last is the altar of incense (Exodus 31:1. 37:25, 40:5 ) which represents our prayers. Jesus not only forgives our sins He continues to guide us (convict us of our sins and when we stumble we have a Mediator- Christ and the Holy Spirit will guide us in all Truth if we allow)
There is a veil separating the Holy from the Most Holy Place.
In the Most Holy- two cherubim angles stood over the ark of the covenant. (Exodus 25:10-122). Inside the ark of the covenant is a jar of manna, Aaron’s rod and two tables of stone engraved with God’s own finger Exodus 31:18, the Ten Commandments.
The manna came from Exodus which fell every day of the week except the Sabbath. This represents the Word of God- I am the Bread of Life John 6:48. The manna was gathered every morning before sunrise - we should fill ourselves every morning with the Word of God before we get busy as the sun would melt the manna. We should gather twice (double portion) as much manna on the preparation day (Friday) to last for the Sabbath. The manna is on the inside of the ark representing the Word is in our hearts and minds. Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33 Hebrews 8:10
Aaron’s rod that budded represents the twelve tribes of Israel and Moses wrote there names on them. They each took their rods to the tabernacle of meeting. The rod of Levi with Aaron’s name on it that not only budded but had almonds on it. (The full story is in Numbers 16-17)
Numbers 17:10 And the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.”
This is a perpetual sign that we do not have the right to make up our own rules or change God’s rules (His laws).
Next we have God’s Ten Commandments which is God’s perfect law. Psalm 19:7 God’ will for us. Psalm 40:8. The ark of the covenant is also revealed in heaven Revelation 11:19
There is much more to the sanctuary and I highly recommend this series which goes step by step through Revelation like you have never heard and shows exactly where we are in Revelation as it relates to the sanctuary. I recommend having your bible open when going through this series. They are about 30 minutes each and after Revelation they go through the book of Daniel as it is a parallel book.
Salvation in Symbols & Signs”