Exodus 37

CHAPTER 37THEME: The plan of the tabernacleEverything mentioned in this chapter has been dealt with in previous chapters in the Book of Exodus. Rather than repeating the Scriptures which have been quoted in previous chapters, I will recap some of the highlights and the things which I feel are of primary importance. The two articles of furniture in the outer court were the brazen altar and the laver. When you stepped inside the Holy Place, there were three articles of furniture: the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense. In the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. There were three compartments to the tabernacle. And there were three entrances to the tabernacle. (1) There was a gate through the linen fence that surrounded the tabernacle. (2) There was an entrance which led into the Holy Place. (3) The third entrance led into the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest went once a year on the great Day of Atonement (as we shall see in Leviticus) and sprinkled blood on the mercy seatwhich is what made it a mercy seat. There were seven articles of furniture arranged in such a way as to give us a wonderful picture. The brazen altar speaks of the Cross of Christ where we receive forgiveness of sin. The laver speaks of the fact that Christ washes or cleanses those who are His own. The laver is where we confess our sins, and receive His forgiveness and cleansing. The Holy Place is the place of worship. In it is the golden lampstand typifying Christ, the Light of the World. The table of showbread pictures Christ as the Bread of Life upon which we feed. The altar of incense is the place of prayer. It speaks of the fact that Christ is our Intercessor. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the altar of incense is placed in the Holy of Holies (rather than in the Holy Place) because our Intercessor is now in heaven.

But the altar of incense is outside in the Holy Place also where you and I can come today. When believers want to worship God, they come into the Holy Place. Confession, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, making requeststhese are the things that have to do with worship. And all of this is in the Holy Place. If you want the light which the world gives, you go outside, but if you want light from the lampstand, you must come inside. In order to serve Christ you cannot walk by the wisdom of the world but by the light of the Word of God. The Holy of Holies pictures Jesus Christ in the presence of God. In the Book of Hebrews we are told to come to the throne of grace. The mercy seat pictures this, and this is where we find grace to help and mercy in time of need. There is a mercy seat for believers in heaven. When Christ came to earth, He not only fulfilled the picture of the tabernacle, He did something quite unusual. The tabernacle in the wilderness was always horizontal with the earth. It was set up on the flat surface of the ground, with its pillars and boards fitting into the sockets they put down. But when Christ came to pay the price for our sins, He made the tabernacle perpendicular. The Cross was the brazen altar where the Lamb of God was offered for our sins. He died down here to save us.

But He returned to heaven where He lives today to keep us saved. The Holy of Holies is in heaven today. We do not go horizontally to God by going to a building or to a man, but we look to heaven and go directly to Himthrough Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Ti_2:5). Where are you today, friend, in relation to the tabernacle? Do you need to stand at the brazen altar and be saved? There are many folkeven church memberswho need to go there. Are you a soiled Christian who needs to confess your sins at the laver and be cleansed? Or are you walking in darkness today? Step inside the Holy Place and walk by the light of the golden lampstand. Maybe your spiritual life is a little anemic, and you need to feed on the Bread of Life to gain nourishment. Maybe your prayer life is beggarly and you need to stand before the altar of incense. Perhaps you are in trouble and you need mercy, grace, and help. Well, there is a mercy seat for you today. Go there and accept the help that is waiting for you. God wants to bless and guide you.