The Tabernacle, A Shadow of the Church and Heaven

According to the Pattern• Hebrews 8:5 “Who serve the copy and shadow

of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain’” (Exodus 25:40; 26:30; Acts 7:44).

Copies of Things in Heaven

• Hebrews 9:23-24 “Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in heaven should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these, For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

Jesus Serves in the Greater Tabernacle

• Hebrews 9:11 “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.”

The Laver

• A laver stood outside the tabernacle in which Aaron and his sons were to wash before entering the tent of meeting or ministering at the altar – Exodus 30:18-21.

Cleansing for Service

• The laver was used for cleansing before ministering before God.

• Observe that one must have his sins washed away in baptism before he can serve in the church – Acts 2:38-41, 47; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21.

• Continual cleansing is available through the blood of Jesus – 1 John 1:7.

The Holy Place Was a Type of the Church

• Hebrews 9:1-2 “Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary.”

The Holy Place Was a Type of the Church

• Acts 15:14-17 “Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things’” (Amos 9:11-12).

The Lampstand

• On the south side of the Holy Place stood the lampstand (Exodus 25:31-40).

Light in the Church

• Jesus is the light – John 1:4-8.

• God’s word gives light.– Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my

feet And a light to my path.”– Psalm 19:8 “The statutes of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

Light in the Church

• Churches dispense the light of the gospel.– Revelation 1:20 “The mystery of the seven

stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”

• Christians are to be the light of the world – Matthew 5:14-16.

The Table of Shewbread• The table of shewbread was placed on the

north wall – Exodus 25:23-30.

• It held twelve cakes of fine flour placed in two rows on the table every Sabbath, with the cakes which were removed being eaten by the priests – Leviticus 24:5-9.

The Lord’s Table

• The table of shewbread seems to typify the table of the Lord in the church.

• The early church came together to eat the Lord’s supper – 1 Corinthians 11:17, 18, 20, 33.

• They came together on the first day of the week – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 20:7.

• Christians are described as priests – 1 Peter 2:5, 9 – therefore, they should eat of the table.

The Altar of Incense

• Exodus 30:1-10, 34-38 On the altar of incense, which stood before the veil, the priests offered a sweet smell every morning and evening.

• Blood was also placed on the four horns of the altar on the Day of Atonement.

The Prayers of the Saints

• Revelation 8:3-4 “Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.”

The Veil• A veil divided the Holy Place from the Most

Holy Place.• Exodus 26:31-33 “You shall make a veil woven

of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy” (Hebrews 9:3).

The Veil Was a Type of Christ’s Body

• Hebrews 10:19-20 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.”

• Matthew 27:50-51 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.”

The Most Holy Place

• Inside the veil was the Most Holy Place – Hebrews 9:3-5

The Most Holy Place Is a Type of Heaven

• Hebrews 6:19-20 “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

The Ark of the Covenant

• In the Most Holy Place was the ark of the covenant, with an omerful of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the two tables of the covenant inside – Exodus 25:10-16

The Mercy Seat

• Placed on top of the ark of the covenant was the mercy seat, where God said He would meet His people – Exodus 25:18-22.

The Mercy Seat

• Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

The Mercy Seat Was a Symbol of God’s Throne

• Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”