This week we enter the tabernacle compound in our study of “When Better is Best – the book of Hebrews”. This is a series of teachings looking at things that are ‘BETTER’. The series began in July 2008 and you can find those posts in the archives section of this blog. Currently we are looking at the need for a ‘better’ tabernacle.
God explained to Moses that not only would this tabernacle be a place set apart for God, He would actually dwell there. He would move into the neighborhood, as it were. Hundreds of years later, another member of the Holy Trinity would move into man’s neighborhood. John 1: 14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Greek word that the beloved disciple uses here for ‘dwelt’ is skenoo and it means to pitch a tabernacle or live in a tent. God the Father dwelt in a tent called the wilderness tabernacle among the Israelites, God the Son pitched His tent in the midst of a people for whom He would give His life, and after we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God the Holy Spirit dwells within our hearts in these bodies of flesh, often referred to as tents of flesh (see 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Peter 1: 13 and 14). God has a thing about dwelling in tents as you can see and so that first dwelling in a tabernacle constructed like a tent was symbolic of what was to come.
Ah, but that is not where the symbolism ends. The tabernacle was actually a compound around which the children of Israel encamped with the tribe of Judah pitching their tents directly in front of the eastern side which contained the only gate into and out of the compound. This gate faced east according to the pattern that God showed Moses. This single gate “is a graphic picture of Jesus Christ, who said, ‘I am the way’ and ‘I am the door’. Just as there was only one entrance to the Tabernacle, there is only one way to God—the only Way and the only Door, Jesus Christ.”
During our visit to the Old Covenant tabernacle, my intention is to introduce you to each part of that tabernacle and also show you how it corresponds to the New Covenant tabernacle. Stay close, there is a lot to see as we visit this holy structure and it will take us a few posts to capture it all.
As you enter the Old Covenant tabernacle compound the first piece of furniture you encountered was the brazen altar, or the altar of sacrifice, which was situated in the open outer court. This altar was made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze. Acacia wood was an almost indestructible wood that was very prevalent in that land. On this altar was sacrificed all the animals that the Israelites brought to the priests for the covering of their sin. The average citizen of Israel never went any closer to the tabernacle than this altar. No one other than the High Priest had access to the Presence of God within the Holy of Holies and then he only once per year on the Day of Atonement.
This altar points to the cross on which Jesus died for my sin and for your sin. Only after a person’s sins were atoned for upon the altar of sacrifice was he considered to be cleansed. Jesus’ death on the cross provided the atonement for our sins. Only on the basis of blood could anyone enter the front gate of the Old Covenant tabernacle. Without bringing a sacrifice of blood, entrance would be denied. Some things never change and it is only on the basis of the blood of Jesus Christ that you and I can enter the New Covenant tabernacle, which is the heavenly dwelling place of God.
Only the priests could go further into the compound and the next article of furniture that one encountered was the brass laver or wash basin. It was here that the priests washed and cleansed themselves in preparation for their daily work in the tabernacle. The brass laver or wash basin signifies the cleansing of our sin that Jesus so graciously provides. In 1 John 1:7 Jesus tells us,” But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Ponder on the wonder of the better tabernacle in contrast with the wilderness tabernacle and we will explore further next week. 
