HeBrews: A Better Blend
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
You have just read about the earthly throne room of God. Do not gloss over this reading. Please don’t allow familiarity to rob you of the enormity of what you just read. This is the place where God’s Presence dwelt on earth in the days of Moses. Unlike our churches of today, this room was never entered by the common man, nor was God easily accessible even to the priests. Only the High Priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies, and then only once per year. He entered this room where God dwelt in fear and trembling and always with blood.
Think about the most sacred place you have ever visited. Where was it? What did you feel when you entered? What did you do while you were in that place? How did the entering of the place affect you?
Now, magnify what you felt and experienced by a gazillion times and you might have a sense of the awe and respect with which the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies during each yearly visit to the amazing room.
The focal point of this room, in fact, the only piece of furniture in the room, was the Ark of the Covenant. It was sometimes called the Ark of the Testimony, or simply the Ark. It, like many of the other pieces of furniture in the tabernacle, was fashioned of wood overlaid with gold, pointing forward to the humanity and divinity of the coming Christ. The mercy seat, also known as the atonement cover, was fashioned of pure gold and covered the top of the ark. It was on the atonement cover that the sacrifice for the sins of the people was offered by the High Priest once each year on the Day of Atonement. Two cherubim, or angels were fashioned out of gold as part of the atonement cover. Their wings were spread outward and upward over the cover, while their faces were turned in and down toward the mercy seat. Inside the Ark was placed the tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments; commandments that were broken over and over by the people.
The significance of the Ark and the mercy seat cannot be understated. It was the place where Holy God condescended to meet with sinful man. The Ark was where God’s mercy met man’s sinfulness. This was the most sacred place in all the world at that time. No singing took place, no preaching was heard, no money was given as an offering. Nothing that we consider to be part of ‘church’ occurred in the Holy of Holies. The sole purpose of this place was for God to meet with man in the presence of a sacrifice offered to atone for man’s sin. That’s it. That was enough in that day.
You and I have little frame of reference for the holiness of this room and the Ark. Do you remember as a child going into a store with lots of beautiful china and crystal and your mother hissed at you, “Do NOT touch anything or I will wear you out!” Well, this was that kind of place, only the consequences for misbehavior were much more severe than a spanking.
Meditation Moment: Share about the most sacred place you have ever visited? Where was it? What was it like?
