I was fascinated by the picture that developed when recently studying chapters 25 and 26 of the book of Exodus. These two chapters are an introduction to the design of the tabernacle as given Moses when he ascended Sinai.
Chapter 25 begins with Moses given instructions by Yahweh to call for a freewill offering to be given by those who had recently been delivered from the house of bondage. They were asked to give precious stones and metals, fabrics and skins, oils and perfumes for use in the dwelling that would be inhabited by the presence of God.
Rather than examine the Tabernacle from a 21st century evangelical Christian perspective and relating to everything within the structure through a fulfilled Christian perspective, I wanted to see if I could see Christ from the perspective of a recently freed slave who had just agreed to join in covenant with the Creator at Mount Sinai. They had agreed to na’aseh ve-nishma – or, “we will do and we will hear.” They had accepted the constitution that would distinguish them as a peculiar people, a holy nation; a kingdom of priests to the nations.
Examining the Tabernacle from the perspective of a Hebrew who had just recently been freed made me think about what these children would have known about the giving of sacrifices and offerings. Was their perspective molded by years of influence by Egyptian polytheism and animism? Or was their perspective founded on an understanding of the creation story, a story that began with an intimate relation between the Creator and his creation in the Garden of Eden, knowledge of the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge, and an awareness of the disruption of this relationship through the disobedience of mankind. If the Hebrew children were aware of the story of the fall of Adam and Eve, they were also aware of the cost to cover the newfound nakedness of Adam and Eve.
Adam was charged with being the caretaker of the Garden (Gen 2:15) and as caretaker was responsible for the wellbeing of all creatures in the Garden. Genesis 2:20 states that Adam “gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.” I believe that Adam and Eve knew the innocent creature that served as their substitute, whose life was taken on their behalf. from this, I believe the Hebrews were aware of the idea of “substitutionary atonement.”
Looking at the initial instructions given to Moses, I found it interesting that they began with the Most Holy Place. I believe Yahweh did this on purpose and that it was to show Moses a picture of the Garden of Eden. To begin, the Ark of the Covenant is a picture of the throne of God, and that in the Garden he was approachable upon his throne.
2 Samuel 6:2b describes the ark in this manner, “the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark.”
Outside of the Most Holy Place, Moses was given instructions for the Holy Place. Moses was given instructions for construction of two pieces of furniture; the Menorah or Golden Lampstand, and the Table of Showbread or the Table for the Bread of the Presence.
The Menorah was fashioned after an almond tree and was designed to represent both the Tree of Life and the creation story. The Menorah is described as having one shaft and six branches. The “one” shaft is a picture of the one God as described in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” The “six” branches represent the six days of creation which culminated with the creation of man. Together they form the complete number seven. It is only when man has joined himself to God that he can become complete. That is the purpose of the Tabernacle; to provide a way for us to be reconciled with our Creator.
The Table of the Bread of the Presence would be a picture of the harvest from the Tree of Life. Revelation 22 presents what I believe to be another picture of the Edenic structure. Revelation 22 speaks of the restoration of all things and begins with a picture that strongly resembles that of the Garden. Genesis 2:10 notes, “1 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden,” while Revelation 22 begins with this picture, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”
Twelve is a number that biblically speaks of governance or authority. The day is governed by twelve hours, as is the night. The year is divided by twelve months. It should be noted that the 12 loaves placed on the Table of the Bread of the Presence do not represent just the 12 tribes of Israel. As mention earlier and found in Exodus 19:6, the nation was to be a kingdom of priest. They were to bring the gospel message to the nations. Therefore, all the nations of the world are represented through the twelve tribes of Israel.
The picture in Revelation 22 is of the Tree of Life producing food, and for the healing of the nations.
It is also important to recognize the Tree of Life as symbolic of God’s word. Psalm 119:105 states, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” The disciple John in chapter 1:9 of his gospel says this in reference of Yeshua; “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” John also said of Yeshua that, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”It is not difficult to see that he Menorah represents both the Tree of Life and the Word of God.
Conspicuously absent from the Holy Place is the Altar of Incense. I believe the absence of the altar in this first layout is that it was not present in the Garden. The purpose of the Altar of Incense was to create a barrier that would protect the High Priest from the direct presence of God. Leviticus 16:13 states, “He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony, so that he will not die.”
Scriptural evidence, Genesis 3:8, shows that man did not hide from the Presence of God until he had committed his first act of disobedience. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
It is not until Exodus 27, after the instructions for both the Most Holy Place and the Holy Place, that we are introduced to anything relating to sacrifice and that is found first in the outer court. Is it possible that the outer court is symbolic of that area which was outside of Eden? Hebrews 13 speaks of both the atoning sacrifice and Jesus being offered outside of the city of Jerusalem. Jesus “also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.” Hebrews 13:12-13.
I am convinced that the Tabernacle is designed to show us the path of reconciliation. The path of reconciliation is designed to lead us to Christ. Our reconciliation/salvation is found in Christ alone. The purpose of the Tabernacle was to reveal Christ through foreshadows to the children of Israel. The purpose, or goal, of this law is to bring us to Christ. Understanding the purpose and function of the Tabernacle may lead us to a better understanding of our Messiah. I believe that the spiritual offspring of Abraham were able to see both the past and the future through this sacrificial system.
It is certainly clear from the Apostolic Scriptures (New Testament) that the apostles recogognized him in this capacity. John the Baptist called him the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world“. John the Beloved said, “he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Peter called Jesus, “a lamb without blemish or defect.” The Apostle Paul also referred to him in this manner. In the book of Romans, Paul referred to Yeshua as a “sin offering.” James says that through Christ we have become a “kind of firstfruits.”
Each of these statements recognizes Yeshua in a different sacrificial sense. It is evident through the reading of the Apostolic Scriptures that these authors recognized the fulfillment of these ordinances through Christ. I believe it is because they understood the regulations to be mere foreshadows of the reality that was found in Christ. Foreshadows that were given at Sinai and pondered and believed by the believing children of Israel.
Shalom
The Restorahter 