Son 1 Daniel Son Mr. Ritivoiu English 102 9 April 2014 Salvation in the Sanctuary After escaping the persecuting powers of Egypt, Moses and God’s people walked to Mount Sinai. At Mount Sinai, Moses was
given the Ten Commandments and the blueprint of the sanctuary. The sanctuary was a place for God to dwell with His people (NKJV, Exodus 25: 8). The sanctuary was also a system for the intercession of the people who sinned against God. Yet the sanctuary as a whole, also symbolizes the Christian walk in life. The sanctuary was composed of two main areas; the outer court and the Tabernacle. Each area had different types of sacred articles. The outer court consisted of the Altar of Sacrifice and a Laver, which was encompassed with fine linen. Near the Laver, there was the Tabernacle. Inside the Tabernacle, there was the Holy Place and Most Holy Place, divided by a curtain. Inside the Holy Place, there was three articles. There was the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense. Going into the Most Holy Place, there was the ark. The articles in the sanctuary play a role in the Christian walk. The Tabernacle is defined as, “a dwelling place” (“MerriamWebster”). Like in Exodus chapter 25, verse 8 says, God wanted a
Son 2 place to dwell with His people. The Sanctuary priests were from the house of Aaron. The priest would do the daily chores of the sanctuary and would intercede for those who sinned. The intercession process began with the Altar of Sacrifice. The sinner would bring their best animal to the altar and slay it. The priest would then go to the Laver and wash their hands and feet as directed in Exodus chapter 30 verse 21. The priest would then go into the Tabernacle, which enters into the Holy Place. An online Christian website designed to explain the sanctuary states that, The Menorah, also called the “golden lampstand” or “candlestick” stood at the left side of the Holy Place.
[The Table of Showbread] stood on the right side of the Holy Place across from the lampstand and held 12 loaves of bread. The golden altar of incense, which is not to be confused with the brazen altar, sat in front of the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies (“What is the Tabernacle of Moses?”).
The priest would make sure that the lampstand was always running with oil because it was the only light source in the Holy Place. Another priest’s duty is to lift up the prayers of the people at
the Altar of Incense. The next area in the Tabernacle was the Most Holy Place. It consisted of the ark and in the ark was the Ten Commandment tablet’s, Aaron’s rod, and Manna.
Son 3 The outer courts of the Sanctuary showed the beginning steps of the Christian walk. The outer court contained the Altar of Sacrifice and the Laver. As the custom was for a Jew to bring a sacrifice, typically a lamb or bull, they would kill the animal as a symbol that the animal is dying for the person’s sin. For the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death” (KJV, Romans
6: 23). In the same manner, we give our sins to a scapegoat, which is Jesus Christ. For the next verse of Roman’s 6: 23 says that, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The first step in the Christian walk is to accept Christ’s death
on the cross. Allowing Him to take our sins as the same way in the Sanctuary, the animal would take upon the sin and die. The laver was for the priest to wash his hands and feet as he was going to enter the Tabernacle. This act of washing the hands and feet represented baptism. Baptism was the sign of the death of your old ways and habits and selfish thoughts. You were symbolically buried under the water to represent death and that death was the death of your sinful life. Baptism is essential in the Christian walk for Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God“(NKJV, John 3:3). Being born with water is the same as saying that you’re born-again when you are baptized
because you are dying to self. The Altar of Sacrifice and Laver
Son 4 show the first steps of the Christian walk, yet even the Tabernacle shows the Christian walk. In the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, the three articles being the Altar of Incense, Table of Showbread, and the lampstand, symbolizes the daily life of a Christian. In the Christian walk there are three foundations which are prayer, the word of God and sharing the gospel with others. The Altar of Incense would be the first thing to see when entering the Tabernacle. The Altar of Incense was for the priest to lift up the prayers of the people to God. In Psalms chapter 141 verse 2, it says, “Let my prayer be set before you as incense…” (NKJV).
The Altar of Incense is symbolized with prayer in the Christian walk. The Table of Showbread is symbolized as the word of God. Jesus said, “I am the living bread” (NKJV, John 6: 51). Jesus also said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (NKJV, John 6: 53). Jesus is
also the Word seen in John chapter 1 verse 1 through 5 and verse 14. It is seen that the word of God is vital for Christian walk. The next sacred article is the lampstand. The lampstand is see as sharing the gospel with others. Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 and 16 says, “You are the light of the world… Let your light so
shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (NKJV). As Christian’s we should share
the light that God has given us, for God has commanded us to. It
Son 5 is seen that the Holy Place in the Tabernacle shows our daily Christian walk. Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle also shows the way Christians should live. In the Most Holy Place there is one article which is the ark. The ark consists of three times which are a jar of manna, Aaron’s rod, and the Ten Commandments. The ark was designed with two cherubim’s with their wings spread out. It was said in the Bible that God’s Shekinah glory was rested in between the two cherubim’s on the mercy seat. The jar of manna came from Exodus. During the time in the wilderness, God’s
people complained for food and God met their request by giving them manna every day of the week except for the seventh day, the Sabbath. The manna represents the Word of God. Knowing the previous Bible text, it is assumed that bread equals the Word of God. Interestingly enough, manna fell everyday which the people gathered and ate. In the same manner, the Christian walk should consist of daily mediation on the Word of God. The daily devotion in God’s word should not be neglected. Another
significant item in the ark is Aaron’s rod. Aaron’s rod was significant because it was actually budded. This symbol was an eternal promise and a reminder that trusting in God keeps the Christian connected but when rejecting the trust, cuts the Christian off from God. The story is found in Numbers chapter 16. There were three men who believed that Moses and Aaron were not
Son 6 good enough leaders. The men challenged Moses and Aaron’s
authority. It is sad because God was the one who appointed Moses and Aaron to be the leaders with 250 other leaders to help them. Yet the three men brought the whole congregation against Moses and Aaron. The earth opens up and swallowed all the rebellious leaders and their family. Yet the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron saying that they were the one who killed the people of the Lord. God sent a plague that killed 14,700 more people. The story goes on by Moses and the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel taking their rods to the tabernacle of meeting. And out of the twelve rods, one budded which was Aaron. In Numbers, chapter 17, verse 10 it said, “The Lord said to Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept
as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their murmurings away from Me, lest they die” (NKJV). This story showed that Christian’s do not have the right to make up their own rules or even change God’s rules. Christian’s should have faith and trust
in God. The last article in the ark is the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were written on stone with God’s own finger. This shows that the law of God is forever. It cannot be erased as easily if God was to write it with paper and pencil. The Bible says in John chapter 14, verse 21, “He who has My
commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and
Son 7 manifest Myself to him” (NKJV). The Christian lifestyle is to
love God and the Bible clearly shows that if a Christian loves Him, they will keep God’s commandment. One thing that a famous
Christian writer, Ellen White, says is, Do not place your influence against God's commandments. That law is just as Jehovah wrote it in the temple of heaven. Man may trample upon its copy here below, but the original is kept in the ark of God in heaven; and on the cover of this ark, right above that law, is the mercy seat. (White, “The Ark of the Covenant”). It is seen that God’s law is even in heaven and that it is
eternal and is kept even in heaven. The most important thing is that Christ is the High Priest who intercedes for Christians. It says in Hebrew’s chapter 9 verse 34, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (KJV). It is interesting how Christ is in a sanctuary that is in Heaven. Ellen White states that, “The sanctuary in heaven, in which Jesus ministers in our behalf, is the great original, of which the sanctuary built by Moses was a copy” (White, “What Is the Sanctuary”). It makes sense because the earthly Sanctuary was a
copy of the heavenly one. Even the Bible states this in Exodus
Son 8 chapter 25. So wherever someone may be, they can still pray and Christ will intercede for them. Christ on earth also followed the steps of the Christian walk portrayed in the sanctuary. The word Christian is defined as, “a person who believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ”
(Merriam-Webster). This shows that the Christian should follow the example of Jesus. During Jesus’ life, he went through the same Christian walk as portrayed in the sanctuary. What is interesting is that, the Altar of Sacrifice was actually Jesus himself. He was the sacrifice that took the sins of the world. He was selfless and made sure that He was doing the will of God. Jesus in the beginning of His ministry was baptized by John. Going through His life, Jesus would always be praying. It is seen that Jesus even models the way a Christian should pray. Found in Matthew chapter 6, it is written that Jesus gave the Christian a guideline of what and how to pray. It would make sense that if Jesus prays, the Christian should too. Jesus then goes on in John chapter 8, verse 31 saying, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed” (NKJV). It is observed that
Jesus knows the importance of His word for the Christian and that if the Christian is a true follower or disciple, they must abide in His word. As for sharing the gospel with others, Jesus Himself was the one that clearly said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 and 16 that, “You are the light of the world… Let your light
Son 9 so shine before men…” (NKJV). Jesus was constantly sharing the knowledge God has given to Him to others. Jesus’ whole ministry
was sharing the gospel to other. For the Ten Commandments, Jesus was fulfilling every commandment. He says in Matthew chapter 5 verse 17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (NKJV).
Jesus expounds further saying in Matthew chapter 22 verse 37 to 40 that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. It is seen that Jesus was validating the sanctuary symbolism of the Christian walk. The Christian walk is portrayed through the sanctuary system and sacred articles. It is seen that each item in the sanctuary portrayed the life of a Christian. Not only does the sanctuary show the Christian’s life but Jesus even lived His
life the way the sanctuary showed it to be. Jesus is the Christian’s priest in heaven interceding for the Christian, just as a priest back then would have done. The sanctuary’s system
and article symbolize the Christian guidelines.
Son 10 Works Cited "Bible Gateway." New King James Version (NKJV Bible). N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. Kazen, Yosef Y. "The Tabernacle - Jewish History." The Tabernacle Jewish History . N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
KJV / King James Version, New King James Version. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1991. Print. Merriam-Webster . Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 03 May 2014. The Remnant Study Bible: With E.G. White Comments. Coldwater, MI:
Remnant Publications, 2009. Print. "What Is the Tabernacle of Moses?" What Is the Tabernacle of Moses? N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
White, Ellen. "The Ark of the Covenant,." Will It Be Found? N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014. White, Ellen G. "What Is the Sanctuary?" GC: Chap.23. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.
