glory descended at the door. Moses was in the meeting place with God talking face to face. The presence of God’s power and glory exuded from the tabernacle to the doors of their tents and all the people stood in their doorways worshiping the great I AM (Exodus 33:8-11).
Oh that we could see the glory that exuded from the old tabernacles, and how God longs to meet with us the same way! The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:7-8, “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?” Paul was saying that the old tabernacles had the glory of God residing in it and above it and was amazingly glorious! But now we operate by the Spirit and there is a new way of ministering to God which is more glorious than what was under the law. Furthermore, Paul said in Hebrews 9:1, “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary,” meaning that the first tabernacle had a divine ordination of services yet the sanctuary was worldly. But now we are the sanctuary of God, we are the temple of God, and His laws are written upon our hearts and not upon the stones like He gave to Moses.
If the first tabernacles were so glorious that the face of Moses shined with the presence of God insomuch that he had to cover his face with a veil, how much more glorious shall the Lord be revealed in us for those who have the tabernacle of God residing inside them! We are the new tabernacles that have an incredible ability to exude the glory of God and shine greater than that of Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-10; Hebrews 8:1-5; 9:2-15)!
Therefore, as I have laid out this pattern of the old tabernacles, envision the glory that resided in these places. If we can see that, then we will see how the glory shall be revealed in us. Truly the glory of the old cannot even compare to the glory that shall be seen in us because Jesus Christ died for our sins and redeemed us from the curse of the law and He abides within. Whereas the blood of goats and rams were sprinkled in the old tabernacle for the atonement of sins, in the new tabernacle the blood of Christ is now sprinkled upon our hearts for the remission of sin. Rejoice as you understand the gloriousness in each part of the tabernacles and know that this resides in you.
The Mosaic Tabernacle
In laying out the pattern for Davidic Worship, it is important that you have a visual image of the Mosaic Tabernacle and the two Davidic Worship Tabernacles. Illustrated is a diagram of the tabernacle pattern given to Moses by God for the purposes of worship. Each place has a given purpose which I have detailed and is still a basic pattern of worship today.
Entrance Gate
There was only one Entrance Gate into the tabernacle, which God specifically designed of woven cloth, yet it was not a part of their worship. The people just passed through the gates to get to worship, not seeing the gates as part of their worship. As a whole, the people were allowed to enter with their sacrificial offerings to worship God in the Outer Court as the consecrated priests made the sacrifices for them. However, the eunuchs, bastards, Ammonites, or Moabites were forbidden from entering through the gates to worship at all (Deuteronomy 23:1-3). But praise the Lord! Jesus Christ is come that we all can enter to worship! Romans 10:12-13 says, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It does not matter what your ancestors did, what happened to you, or what family and ethic you were born into, we can all pass through the gates to worship our Lord.
Outer Court
The Outer Court held two items: the Brazen Altar and the Laver.
The Brazen Altar is always for sacrificial offerings. It was here where the priests made the daily blood or grain sacrifices for the sins of the people. Today, we are not under the Mosaic Law that requires the sacrifice of animals, but now by the blood of Jesus Christ there is a remission of sin (Matthew 26:28). Thus, the symbolism of the Brazen Altar is asking for forgiveness of sins.
The Laver was also known as the wash basin. In Moses’ era, the priests washed their hands and feet after making the blood sacrifices and prior to entering the Holy Place. The symbolism is how Jesus has now washed away our sins making us clean and holy, so we can enter the Holy Place. He removes the stain of guilt, shame, and fleshly desires so we can freely enter into the spiritual realm of holiness (1 Corinthians 6:11). Therefore, the symbolism of the Laver is washing of the water by the Word, which is Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:26-27).
The Inner Gate
The Inner Gate was also called a door. It was positioned immediately behind the Laver that led into the Holy Place and only the priests were allowed to enter.
The Holy Place (Inner Court)
The Holy Place was also known as the Inner Court which held three items: the Table of Shewbread, the Candlestick, and the Altar of Incense.
The Table of Shewbread was on the right as the priest walked into the Holy Place. Every Sabbath, two rows of six loaves of bread, sprinkled with frankincense were laid on the table. These twelve loaves of bread represented the twelve tribes of Israel to be fragranced by the presence of God in the Holy Place. Only the High Priest and his family partook of this bread and they were not to be seated as they ate. The symbolism was that God has a special place for His covenanted people in the Holy Place. The frankincense was fragrant but was also used as a healing balm for many illnesses. The scripture says that healing is the children’s bread (Matthew 15:24-26) which is symbolic of Jesus as the Bread of Life. We can now experience the fragrance of His presence as we partake of the Bread of Life, which is Jesus, in this Holy Place (John 6:33, 35, 48-51).
The Candlestick, also known as the Lampstand or Menorah, was on the left as the priests entered into the Holy Place. It had seven lamps which were symbolic of the seven eyes and the seven Spirits of God (Revelation 5:6). This Candlestick lit the Holy Place and the priests were required to maintain the oil and keep the wicks trimmed twice daily so the flame of God never went out (Exodus 27:20-21). The symbolism is that we are to keep the fire of God continually burning inside us. We are responsible for keeping the oil of His presence through worship by trimming off the old things in our life so the light of God can shine through us into the Holy Place (Matthew 25:7-8).
The Altar of Incense was also known as The Golden Altar because it was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. For God’s own pleasure, this altar was specially designed to continually burn His exclusive formula of perfume which could only be made by the apothecary that God anointed, (Exodus 30:25, 37). Twice daily, during the morning and evening oblations, the four horns of this Golden Altar were sprinkled with the blood of the sin offering. In addition, the perfume was waved twice a day over the Candlestick after the priest had trimmed the wicks and filled it with oil. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest filled the censor with incense and waved it through the veil prior to his entrance into the Most Holy Place. The symbolism is that we are to offer up a continual fragrance of worship as an incense unto God by the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15), and that our lives should be a sweet smell in the presence of God, meaning that we walk by the Spirit and not by our human, fleshly desires that is a stench to God. This smell gives us access through the veil into the Holy of Holies.
The Veil
The Veil was also known as the Veil of Separation and was exquisitely beautiful. It was woven of blue, purple, and scarlet with fine twined linen of cunning work in the artwork of cherubims (Exodus 26:31-34).
The
