Let’s take a final tour together of the Tabernacle of Moses, shall we?

On the first anniversary of the Passover, Moses takes that big pile of finished pieces and sets up the tabernacle.

It’s kinda like setting up a campsite crossed with putting together the world’s most expensive LEGO set.

Before we go through the curtains and begin our tour, let me just say that I’m not going to cover Leviticus 1. It’s basically the first class of Priesthood 101 – How To Offer A Whole Burnt Offering, the step-by-step guide.

Leviticus is legal writing. Law code. Don’t expect swashbuckling adventures. There will be no swashing or buckling until we get to the other side in Numbers. But that doesn’t mean that Leviticus is a snooze-fest. (Well- ok… maybe you shouldn’t read it at night if you hope to finish and not fall asleep.) You’ll see. There is beauty in Leviticus…in between the fat tails and long lobes of liver and death-penalty sins.

But for now- let’s go tour the tabernacle. It’s really a tour of the Gospel and the journey of a disciple. Let’s begin.

From the outside all we can see are tall white curtains. Before a person becomes a believer, he’s outside of fellowship with God. All he can see of God is the righteous deeds (fine linen) of God’s people.

“In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭LEB‬‬

In order to enter you must bring an offering. Bringing an offering is an act of obedience. It is public acknowledgement that you are a sinner in need a Savior.

When you enter the court, you first come to the brazen altar. This is where the sin offering is given. Jesus Christ is the once-for-all sin offering so the brazen altar is a picture of the cross where He was offered up for our atonement. Because of this, bronze is connected with judgment. The cross is where sin was judged.

“On the next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“because you know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb” 1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when he came into the world, he said, “Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but a body you prepared for me; then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second, by which will we are made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, ‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭LEB‬‬

Having placed your faith in Christ as the offering for sin you now come to the basin for cleansing. This is both a picture of baptism and sanctification as the Word of God cleanses the soul from sin.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for her; in order that he might sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; in order that he might present to himself the church glorious, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she may be holy and blameless.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“let us approach with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for the one who promised is faithful.” Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭LEB‬‬

Now that we are cleansed we may enter into the Holy Place. Here we find 3 pieces of furniture: the lamp on our left, the table on our right, and the altar of incense in front.

The lamp is the only source of light in this space. The light is the LORD Himself, and His Word. The Holy Spirit (oil) shines the love of God into our hearts.

“And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” 1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“The unfolding of your words gives light, giving understanding to the simple.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭130‬ ‭LEB‬‬

The Word of God gives light to our souls. It is the only light source that can enable us to see the table where the covenant fellowship meal is shared and the altar of incense where our prayers and worship ascend like a fragrance.

“But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭LEB‬‬

The table has upon it the unleavened bread of the presence and the wine for the drink offering. This is the covenant meal that joins us to Christ and our fellow believers. As we continue in faith, we gather with other faithful saints to share Christ, His Word, His presence, the covenant meal, and fellowship.

“And he took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭19‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“And every day, devoting themselves to meeting with one purpose in the temple courts and breaking bread from house to house, they were eating their food with joy and simplicity of heart…” Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭46‬ ‭LEB‬‬

Now we come to the altar of incense. Here we take the precious tears of incense that have been crushed and offer them up in smoke. We commit our needs and requests to the Lord. We intercede for others. We worship. The priest offered the incense alone. Illuminated only by the lamp.

“But whenever you pray, enter into your inner room and shut your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭LEB‬‬

“May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The raising of my hands as the evening offering.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭2‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

I don’t know if there was an opening in the veil in the center or if the priest went around to the edge or (the more far-out suggestion) if he was teleported thru it – the bottom line is… after repentance and faith, baptism and cleansing, after a life of being washed and renewed by the illuminating Word, and communion with God and man, and faithful prayer and worship, one day we will finally enter the very throne room of heaven and see the Lord seated above the cherubim. I believe we will see the bloodstains of Christ on the eternal Mercy Seat.

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

There is only one place to sit in the entire Tabernacle space. It’s the Mercy Seat.

🪑

The only rest we have is in Christ- both now and for eternity.

Here’s a little diagram to help you remember our trip through the Tabernacle.

It’s always about Jesus. Always.

Forgiveness. Cleansing. Illuminated worship, prayer, and fellowship. Glorification.

Thanks for reading. See you back at the brazen altar in Leviticus 2 for the grain offerings.