The Tabernacle as a Picture of Christ: Part 2 – The Inner Court and Holy of Holies
Through studying the Tabernacle’s design—its design, purpose, and use—we see that Jesus perfectly fulfilled its purpose. Just as the Tabernacle was a place for God to dwell with His people, Jesus came so God could be with us. In Part 1, we explored the Outer Court, where sacrifice and cleansing took place. In Part 2, we step into the Inner Court and the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place of the Tabernacle. Here, we will uncover how the lampstand, the table of showbread, the altar of incense, and the Ark of the Covenant all foreshadow Christ’s work as our High Priest and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s presence with His people. The Holy Place – The Inner Court of the Tabernacle Only priests could enter the inner court into the Holy Place. Within the Holy Place, there were three pieces of furniture: the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense, each significant to Old Testament worship and New Testament truths. The Golden Lampstand (Exodus 25:31-40) The Lampstand’s Design Lampstand Artisans crafted the lampstand with pure gold. It was a hammered work, designed as a tree, with the top and each branch made like an open almond flower, each flower holding an oil lamp. A hammered work meant that the lampstand was beaten into shape to achieve its design. Similarly, God allowed Jesus to be beaten and bruised (Isaiah 53:5) to accomplish the plan of salvation that God had put in place before the beginning of time. The Almond Tree and the First Fruits The almond tree was always the first to blossom and bear fruit in the spring. For that reason, it was called the “first fruit.” Jesus was also the first fruit because He was the first to rise from the dead to everlasting life (1st Cor 15:20). Because of His resurrection, we will all be raised to life (Romans 8:23). The Lampstand as the Only Light Seven lamps were on the lampstand; seven represent God, completion, and fullness. Man is only complete in Jesus (John 15:5). The lampstand was the only light source in the Tabernacle, and it was to burn continually (Exodus 27:20-21). Likewise, Jesus is the only true light for the world (John 8:12, John 9:5), and He will be our light forever. The Oil and the Holy Spirit The lampstand burned with pure, beaten olive oil. “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually” (Exodus 27:20). Olives had to be pressed to make pure olive oil. In Hebrew, “Garden of Gethsemane” means the garden of the olive press. Interestingly, the Garden of Gethsemane is the same garden where Jesus agonized over His impending death so much that he sweated drops of blood. Jesus had to be crushed to produce oil for the rest of us. This oil represents the Holy Spirit. Jesus says, “Unless I go, the Holy Spirit won’t come” (John 16:7). Because of Jesus’ willingness to be beaten and crushed, we now have the gift of the Holy Spirit, who marks us for salvation when we believe. Our Call to Shine as Lights Just as the lampstand was continually filled with oil, we must be continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Our fire for God should never go out. Because the lampstand was the only light in the Inner Court, we as Christians are the only lights in a dark world. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We need to be the light! The Table of Showbread (Exodus 25:23-30) Table of Showbread Per God’s instructions, artisans made the Table of Showbread out of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold. Twelve loaves of bread were placed on the table to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The bread served as a reminder of how God sustained the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness. The Bread of the Presence The bread placed on the table was called the bread of the presence (Exodus 25:30). It was ever-present before God and could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place. The Unleavened Bread and Christ The bread was to be made of fine flour, ground and baked without leaven. The Jewish people ate unleavened bread on the night of the Passover. The wheat had to be ground, and the bread passed through fire to be baked. The showbread is a type of Christ. In Scripture, leaven often represents sin. The unleavened bread depicts the body of Jesus, who was completely sinless (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was the bread that fed the Israelites daily in the wilderness. He declares: “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” (John 6:51) Jesus, the Bread of Life Like the showbread, Jesus is holy before God. He provides true sustenance. He is always present. Jesus alone can satisfy us. Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry’” (John 6:35). Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1-16, 34-38) Altar of Incense The altar of incense was made of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold, and placed right in front of the veil, the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Burning coals from the brazen altar were brought to light the incense every day and every night. The incense rose to the Lord, just like our prayers. The Psalmist cries out in Psalm 141:2, “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” Revelation 8:4 describes the sanctuary of God, saying, “The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended