Beautiful Sanctuary

“You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of a hundred cubits long for one side… And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits… The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits… And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits… And for the gate of the court shall be a hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, worked with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.” (Exodus 27:9-16)

The temple—the holy and most holy places—was not placed in the middle of empty space. It was set in a courtyard bounded by hangings, and later by a stone wall. This marked a sort of transition zone for sinners.

Revelation 11:2 says, “The court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles.” It would seem that the outer court for the heavenly sanctuary is Earth itself, where Jesus lived and died for fallen humanity. It is here that sinners submit to the transformation process in preparation for translation to heaven. A person does not randomly or carelessly wander into the temple, but instead consciously decides to be converted. They choose to cross the boundary line from enemy territory into a process of preparing to enter God’s dwelling place.

The wall served the same purpose physically as the law does spiritually. It clarifies right and wrong. And it is that clarity that begins to wake up the morally careless. It is the opposing differences between good and evil that prick the conscience of the spiritually indifferent. Those whose hearts are atrophied become poor in spirit as they realize on which side of the sacred line they live.

The wall around the courtyard shows what Jesus said in His sermon, “Until heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, until all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:18) The boundary line between good and evil cannot be moved. If it could have been moved then it would have been moved a long time ago, before the Son of God needed to die for sinners.

In God’s eyes there is a clear distinction between those on the inside and those on the outside. The carnal wanderer in sinful pleasures and greedy pursuits is different from the sincere seeker for truth and the humble follower of the Lamb. Their attitudes, words, and behaviors are changed and being changed. Those inside the courtyard are learning to live for God, while those outside are determined to live for self. If it was not for the open gate, then there would be no conversions.

From the common and unsacred area outside, the sinner brought a lamb through the opening into the holy and sacred courtyard. Rather than remove the wall, a single opening was made through which only the poor in spirit may enter. When the entrance is revealed to them, they realize the kingdom of heaven is being offered to them.

The fact that there was an opening in the otherwise impenetrable wall was a gift from heaven. This exception in the boundary pointed to the apparent loophole in the eternal, immutable law. Life is inside the sanctuary, while death is outside. The actuality that any sinner is in existence in the face of an unbreakable law is an apparent contradiction, but all is resolved by the plan of redemption. He who gave His life for us is able to maintain His holy law while at the same time saving unholy transgressors. That opening came at a price and in the face of opposition and questions. Satan claimed the whole world, and all who are in it, as his. The open gate, he claims, is a contradiction and a show of cheap favoritism to humanity. The loyal angels questioned if any sinners should or could be saved. However, Jesus, “that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” (Hebrews 13:12) By this sacrifice He blasted a hole in the wall that whosoever is willing might enter.

When a person sins their immediate consequence should be death—the withdrawal of the approval and life of God. However, redemption by the Substitute of God opens one exception and provides one life of probation. The fence is not moved. Good and evil are not redefined. Love and loyalty do not become optional, and selfishness does not become permissible.

The open gate in the wall of the courtyard is the beginning of a process of transformation that brings the sinner into harmony with the perfections of heaven. Those who live in the dark defilement of this world’s ways are led gently and wisely into the light. Those who are a danger to themselves and all the universe are re-created into the lovely and dependable image of Jesus. This transition process is painful and humbling, but it is guaranteed. Christ, not us, is the Author and Finisher of our faith. All the credit goes to Him, and the poor in spirit gladly give it, because they are eternally blessed.

“And you shall make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height of it shall be three cubits. And you shall make the horns of it upon the four corners of it his horns shall be of the same: and you shall overlay it with brass. And you shall make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels of it you shall make of brass. And you shall make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shall you make four brass rings in the four corners of it. And you shall put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.” (Exodus 27:1-5)

The poor in spirit know they have problems. Those who mourn want to fix them.

The poor in spirit are not allowed entrance empty handed. They must bring a sacrifice. They must bring a lamb upon which they will lay their hands, confess their sins, then slit its throat. Those who mourn must kill an innocent lamb in substitution for their own death. This all prefigured the sacrifice of Christ. The mournful have not only hurt themselves and others, but they have caused the death of the Son of God.

“The life… is in the blood.” (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11) The blood circulates throughout the body providing the cells with oxygen and nutrients. It also removes the toxins and waste. Stop the flow of blood and the body dies. Spilling the blood of an animal meant taking responsibility for its death. Thus, the ultimate consequence of every sin was dramatically, painfully, realistically enacted in the slaying of the sacrifice. “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

In everyday life, when a sinner sins, a victim suffers and to some degree dies. This fact needed to be taught in a way to impress the heart. Furthermore, any pain or suffering in the universe is ultimately an attack against God’s perfection and He chooses to pay whatever cost necessary to repair the damage. The death of an innocent lamb in the sinner’s place was not an indulgence nor a get-out-of-jail-free-card. It was a theological lesson of life and death.

If God had intended His people to consider the sacrifices as legal payments or arbitrary appeasements, then He would not have allowed the poor to bring only two small birds or the destitute to bring only a few cups of flour. He would not have instituted a continual morning and evening sacrifice that covered the entire nation of Israel. Through the slain lamb, God provided both an object lesson of Himself and a painful parable of the ultimate results of sin.

The fact that most of the ancient Jews viewed the sacrifices as an end in themselves does not change the truth of why God instituted them. It is often thought that the Israelite ceremonies were created from the heathen rituals, but the opposite happened. The heathen blood rituals and human sacrifices were perversions of the more ancient offerings given to Adam. God wanted Israel to preserve and promote the true meaning of the Sacrifice to come.

“Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you, I am God, even your God. I will not reprove you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of your house, nor he goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you for the world is mine, and the fullness of it. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay your vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.” (Psalms 50:7-15)

The sanctuary sacrifices were worthless without faith in the Savior who appointed them. If God simply demanded animal blood in place of human blood, then there would soon be no mourning and no comfort. The temple would simply become a slaughter house extracting a pound of flesh for every transgression. Sin and sacrifice would become a legal compliance and not something of the heart. The spiritual meaning would be destroyed in the business transaction. People would become cold-hearted conformists worried only about themselves and making sure to pay the minimum price to escape the penalty. Victims would be untreated, unheard, uncomforted. People would have hearts incapable of compassion and feeling. There would cease to be repentant mourning, and so real comfort would be replaced by a mere mechanical obedience covering up a miserable, begrudging heart.

This is the same point that Christ made in the sermon on the mount when He advised us to do our charity, praying, and fasting in secret. True repentance must come from the heart if the heart is to be comforted and healed. If mere blood or external acts is what God was after, then the hypocrite rich enough to afford them could buy his way to heaven.

“You shall also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash with it: and you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and you shall put water in it. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet at it: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD.” (Exodus 30:18-20)

The sinner did not physically go beyond the altar of sacrifice. Moving forward, he/she was represented by the priest. Before entering the holy place, the priests had to wash their feet in a large brass bathtub-like basin. This foreshadowed Christian baptism and foot washing.

This scene was repeated on the night of Passover before the crucifixion. “He [Jesus] rose from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples‘ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then came he to Simon Peter: and Peter said unto him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter. Peter said unto him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash you not, you have no part with me. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, He that is washed need not save to wash his feet, but is clean every bit and you are clean.” (John 13:4-10)

After a person has committed themselves to Christ in baptism there will be mistakes. The meek are not sinless, but they are committed to learning. Full rebaptism is not necessary. Like the dust that collects on the feet of the traveler that is then washed away, so the follower of Jesus renews their vow of loyalty and continues on the journey. At the altar the sinner comes to Christ. At the laver the sinner starts walking with and in Christ.

It is a mistake to think that we commit ourselves to do all that God has told us and expects of us. We cannot possibly do it. Through baptism we commit ourselves, and through foot washing we recommit ourselves, to be in Christ and He in us. Then, and only then, is the righteousness of the law fulfilled in us. (Romans 8:4) We see this illustrated at Christ’s baptism.

“Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of you and come you to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.” (Matthew 3:13-15)

Jesus fulfilled all righteousness—all expectations of perfect harmony with God’s eternal will—at His baptism. There is no other righteousness outside of it. Therefore, the Christian’s baptism is not a stand alone commitment or an act of righteousness, but an entering into the baptism of Jesus where all righteousness exists.

“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:3-6)

So just as the priest’s washing was a figure of Christ’s baptism, our baptism is a figure of our spiritual entry into Christ’s baptism. Self disappears. Self is left behind. Only the life of Christ is seen. Thus, as the sinner is in Christ, so the sinner was in the priest washing in the laver before going into the holy place.

When self has died, only meekness remains, only a perfect contentment to love God and others remains. This is why the meek inherit the earth. They have been spiritually washed from all conscious selfishness. They have committed themselves to the Master. Self no longer strives for the mastery. God’s motives have become their motives. God’s priorities are their priorities. They lay up treasures in heaven because they treasure God.

The meek make no claims to their inheritance. They exercise no power, lordship, or control over anyone or anything. All things are theirs, but only through Christ and in Christ. He inherits a clean, perfect universe, then the meek inherit it as stewards and followers through Him. Christ will “teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach his way.” (Psalms 25:8-9)

The meek enter into the laver, and into the new spiritual life, through the priest. They give up all claims to self-achievement, self-worth, self-identity. The sacrifice of the Lamb of God does not make them worthy—it makes them dead. Then, by the new life of Christ now in them, they live. Everything they have and are is now of Christ and through Christ. Thus, the sinner stops at the altar and then enters vicariously and virtuously into the holy place through the priest.

“And you shall take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes of it, two tenth deals [about a liter] shall be in one cake. And you shall set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. And you shall put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons‘ [the priestly order]; and they shall eat it in the holy place.” (Leviticus 24:5-9)

We now enter through the first veil into the holy place. By this point, the sinner has been converted and is in the priest who represents Christ. We will now continue the Christian journey inside the sanctuary where, right on cue, the hungry are blessed with bread from the table of showbread.

“And you shall set upon the table showbread before me always.” (Exodus 25:30) The showbread, also called “bread of the Presence,” consisted of 12 large loaves in two stacks of six each, something like layer cakes. There was one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Thus it was shown that all the physical and spiritual needs of the nation would be supplied by the God of heaven.

Every Sabbath a fresh batch replaced what was on the table. The week-old bread was eaten by the priests. The lesson here is slightly different from the food and material needs we saw supplied on a daily basis in the sermon on the mount. The priests, as leaders of the nation, ate the loaves representing nourishment. The weekly Sabbath was when the nation came together to hear the teaching of the Word and to worship God.

The table of showbread was the first item in the holy place, and like the candlestick and altar of incense, it was made from and/or covered in gold. The walls also were covered in gold. This was a fitting symbol of the resurrected life the sinner was now living. All the items in the outer court were made of brass, but now by faith the convert has entered into “the riches of the glory of his inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:18)

Let’s focus more deeply on the bread of the Presence, for by eating it Christ comes into us and we into Christ. “Then Jesus said unto them, Truly truly I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me.” (John 6:53-57)

We saw that the meek do not commit to obeying all that God has said. They commit to Christ. Through the bread of the Presence—His body and blood—Christ lives in the Christian to obey all that God has said. In this way, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer. In due time, Jesus brings out His perfection.

The bread of the Presence is Christ’s presence. By eating His words, His presence enters into us, motivates us, and fills us. We always hunger for more and yet are always satisfied. We are alive, but it His life.

Those in the holy place entered meekly by the laver. They traded self for Christ. They traded their life for death and His life. They consecrated themselves to learning and living in Christ alone. Now, at the table of showbread, they begin eating Christ and therefore they begin living Christ. The eaters are not living their own lives. Christ’s life is animating them by surging through their veins and nourishing their cells. The old man is dead. Only the Priest appears.

Without the Light, even the holy place is dark. In the same way, we are not our own. We have been bought with a price and we are but temples of the Holy Ghost which is Christ in us. “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him.” (Colossians 2:6)

The meek died in Christ, but now they are resurrected to life eternal because they hunger and thirst to the point of eating and drinking the life of Christ. They have mortified the flesh and so they live unto God by God. The Christian is not merely a meek corpse, but filled with life and joy and the power of heaven. Like a newborn baby, one of the first signs of life is a hunger and thirst for life. Therefore the hungry are always full and always hunger for more.

When the meek surrendered self, they also committed themselves to grow in Christ. Now, they are hid in the Priest as He stands before the bread of the Presence and feeds Himself which feeds His people. They cannot even take credit for feeding themselves, because “no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glories let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:29-31)

“And you shall make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knobs, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side…. Their knobs and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. And you shall make the seven lamps of it and they shall light the lamps of it that they may give light over against it.” (Exodus 25:31-38)

“Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually.” (Leviticus 24:2-3)

Technically, the candlestick was not a candlestick because it had lamps burning oil, not candles burning wax. The closest we have today is a lantern with a wick dipped in kerosene. Now imagine seven of those mounted on a big branched stand.

Just as the beatitudes are complementary, the table and the candlestick are complementary. The bread was a source of energy. The lamps burned energy. The eater received nourishment from the bread. The candlestick gave light to the holy place.

The branched candlestick represented God’s church in action. Seven was the Hebrew number for completeness and perfection. Seven branches merging into one main trunk showed perfect diversity in perfect unity. Among God’s people are not just a random variety of talents, but a complete spectrum to meet all contingencies, because the fuel is the Holy Spirit.

“Behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps on it, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top of it. And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side of it… Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:1-6)

The candlestick does not fight with itself. The lamps cannot fight among themselves. All is powered by the Spirit and the Spirit does not fight with itself. Therefore, the children of God’s family will not fight, envy, gossip, or tear down in any way. They will instead have mercy and understanding for each other.

The job of each lamp is not to judge, but to shine. They each shine in different places in different directions and for different purposes. It is not for one lamp to tell another lamp what to do and when. That is the Spirit’s job.

Realize that the candlestick is in the golden holy place inside the courtyard surrounded by the wall that divides good from evil. To be a lamp on the stand, to be a member of God’s family, means that a person has not only separated themselves from the dark world, but they have committed to living the golden life in the Priest of priests. Each lamp has accepted their place and calling from Divine Wisdom. They are not so different from each other that some are good and some are evil. They are all good, but they are exercising different gifts towards the same great goal of conquering evil.

Rather than criticizing the new babe in the faith making mistakes or the old veteran buckling under the heavy load, it is better for us to ask for more oil, for more of the Spirit, that we may burn brighter and help our struggling brothers and sisters. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives and he that seeks finds and to him that knocks it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

Our Father in heaven will not give us a club or a judge’s gavel, but He will gladly give “good things to them that ask him.” He will give us mercy so that we may show mercy and receive mercy.

Working together, the lamps can light every corner of the holy place. Every dark corner of the house in which God’s family lives may be filled with a golden brightness, encouraging lost souls to come inside from the darkness.

This cycle of sharing, of receiving and giving, was the key to Israel’s success and is the key to the church’s success today. The oil was God’s natural resource, but it needed to be put into the lamps by human hands. A natural light was then produced. Energy in, energy out, and it was all stewarded by people. When the merciful show mercy they are not giving of themselves so much as passing along the oil given to them. They have different roles, different talents, but all participate and contribute in the great cycle of sharing. Like the rays of light reflecting off the golden walls onto the candlestick that originally made that light, giving always means receiving. Showing mercy results in receiving mercy, and that is the golden circle of blessing.

“And you shall make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shall you make it. A cubit shall be the length of it and a cubit the breadth of it foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height of it the horns of it shall be of the same. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, the top of it and the sides of it round about, and the horns of it and you shall make unto it a crown of gold round about…. And you shall put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning: when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn incense upon it.” (Exodus 30:1-8)

The heart of the sanctuary was the holy and most holy places. They were filled with light and sweet smelling incense. The outer court had no special lighting and it was overwhelmed with the smell of burning flesh. This was an accurate portrayal of the putrid consequences of, and messy remedy for, sin. However, inside the golden compartments were two elements that purified: light and incense.

Both elements worked by positively pushing outward. The air inside the tabernacle was not vacuumed out and then the incense was lit. The incense was burned continually and the sweet smelling smoke pushed out the foul air. The light illuminated the darkness by shining. These were object lessons of the spiritual life.

Our mortal bodies are temples of the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) in which the infinite God of the universe desires to dwell. While our bodies on the outside grow old and malfunction, our inner heart may be filled with the sweet smelling presence of God which purifies our souls. As that incense continually wafts outward it pushes back against evil temptations.

How does the incense get into the heart? By the person coming into the presence of God. In Christ we are brought to the altar of incense which stood just before the vail into the most holy place. In heaven, where there is no vail, the altar is in the holy of holies (see Hebrews 9:3-4).

The pure in heart see God by faith in this life and will see Him face to face in the next life. In a touch of irony, the smoke from the incense actually clouded the divine glory and protected the priests from being overwhelmed or even killed from the powerful revelation of God’s presence. Yet, that same incense symbolizes the purification of the heart which enables the mortal to sense and see Infinity.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” “Let my prayer be set forth before you as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” (Psalms 24:3-4; 141:2)

The sweet smelling smoke lifts and purifies our prayers and hearts. Christ is our incense, broken and burned and consumed into wisps of virtue that enter and purify the soul and refine our prayers so that there is less and less of self. Often our prayers are putrid clouds seeking entrance to the perfect glories of heaven. Along the way, the incense reshapes and rewords those prayers so that the requests become truly beneficial.

The sermon on the mount spoke of a narrow way and a narrow gate. That way is in the sanctuary (Psalm 77:13) and that gate is the opening in the outer court and the vails leading to the most holy place. Few there be that persevere all the way to the presence of God Himself. Many there are who want to be healed just enough to do their own thing again. It is only the pure in heart who become purer in heart by the refining influence of continual prayer that rises as incense to God.

Our prayers not only have an uplifting influence on us, but they lead us to pray and intercede for others.

“And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire in it from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.” (Numbers 16:46-48)

Aaron did not run into the congregation empty handed. His censer was full of incense, representing the fullness of experience that all God’s people, especially the leaders, should and could have. Sweet smelling incense is not to remain closed in a safe box, but burned on the altar for the saving influence of all around. Purity of heart inspires a person to work earnestly for the salvation of others. They become a peacemaker as they teach how to make peace with God.

“And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length of it and a cubit and a half the breadth of it and a cubit and a half the height of it. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, within and without shall you overlay it, and shall make upon it a crown of gold round about. And you shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners of it and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And you shall make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.” (Exodus 25:10-16)

The whole purpose of the sanctuary was to illustrate the plan of redemption which brings God back into the souls of fallen humanity. Redemption also brings humanity back into harmony with God and His perfect universe. Perfection is defined by, and the basic operating principles of the universe are expressed in, “the testimony”—the ten commandments.

The ten commandments engraved on stone and placed inside the sacred box are an adaptation of the law in heaven that is written in the language of heaven. The Beatitudes are another adaptation. Both express the will of God in succinct form. Both mirror the principles of “righteousness and judgment” that “are the foundation of” His "throne." (Psalm 89:13)

The ark of the covenant was beneath the mercy seat. On top of it was the Shekinah Glory—God’s presence. The ark with the law truly was the foundation.

Notice the direction of the items in the most holy place. It is vertical. We moved forward through the outer court, then added left and right in the holy place. Now the third dimension is introduced. The ark can be thought of as a base or foundation for the spiritual ladder to heaven upon which the divine glory ascends and descends (see Genesis 28). In this way the earthly temple was always in connection with the heavenly sanctuary. Thus, earth was linked to heaven.

The law in its foundational position illustrates another important principle—judgment. While the fence around the outer court separated sacred from profane and warned the sinner of his lost condition, the ark now represented the execution of that law. Eternal life would finally be given, or not, based on how the person measured up. This sounds legalistic and scary to many, but remember that to get to this point in the most holy place, the sinner has been converted and submitted to be represented by the priest. No person standing before the law can be pronounced perfect, innocent, or sufficient. However, in the High Priest, in Christ, all can measure up. In a way, the true Christian is not judged, because Christ stands in the judgment for him and the believer is in Christ, and His life always passes the strictest judgment. Our only question is, Am I in Him?

This is why true evangelists are peacemakers, not fear makers. What all the threatenings of eternal torment and pains of death cannot achieve, God is able to do through the plan of redemption. Faith, hope, and love can do what fear and guilt cannot. By entering into Christ we grow in harmony with Him and therefore we grow into harmony with His universal law of goodness. We become reconnected to heaven and on a personal level the problem of evil is solved. What remains is communicating this to others so that they also may find solution in Christ.

False prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing, and evil trees all produce evil fruit. Miracles and wonderful works are irrelevant. They cannot change evil into good. They cannot change the law of goodness to get approval for even one evil act. Genuine, permanent peace comes only through being judged worthy of acceptance into a perfect universe. All imperfection causes loss of peace.

Therefore, peacemakers are declared children of God by the law of God. They are deemed safe to enter eternity because they have first entered Christ and now nothing can harm them nor they harm anyone else.

“The LORD shall endure for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.” (Psalms 9:7-8)

The child of God does not fear the judgment of God. Far from it, they who are in Christ are eager for judgment, for vindication, for the final bestowal of salvation that takes them up to heaven. They want to ascend the spiritual wormhole that finds its base on the ark of the covenant.

“Stir up yourself and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to your righteousness.” “Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in my integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my affections and my heart.” (Psalms 35:23-24; 26:1-2)

“And you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length of it and a cubit and a half the breadth of it.” “And you shall put the mercy seat above upon the ark.” (Exodus 25:17, 21)

The foundation of God’s throne is the ark with the law, but the throne upon which God sits is the mercy seat atop the ark. “Who is a God like unto you that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19)

The mercy seat covering the ark shows us the same lesson we see in nature. Just as the strong wood in the tree is wrapped in bark and leaves, so the legal framework of the universe was covered by personal mercy. Again, the skeleton of the body is covered in soft beautiful skin. The bones give strength and form by serving as a sort of foundation, while muscles and flesh give shape and movement. Form and function, justice and mercy, it takes both. Flesh without bones is a useless blob. Mercy without law is meaningless chaos.

The mercy seat was central to the cleansing of the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. The high priest “shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins.” (Leviticus 16:13-16)

The children of Israel transgressed the law in the ark, but they were cleansed by the blood on the mercy seat. Israelites and Christians are represented by the High Priest, but our sins are transferred by the blood. Sprinkling them seven times on the mercy seat completely obliterates them and blots them out. The blood was never sprinkled on the ark with its broken law. Only the mercy seat received the blood because it was the blood of Christ that enabled God to extend mercy to the transgressors of the universe.

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” (Lament. 3:22)

The condition to receive this unfailing compassion so that we fail not of receiving eternal life is to confess our sins on the head of the Lamb, spill His blood, then enter into the Priest’s life. We must enter into Christ (justification), then stay in Christ (sanctification). Our eternal life depends on it.

If our hearts are right with God today, then we are ready if Christ should come today. Fearing for the future distracts from our present connection. Everything depends on who we are in Christ right now.

Therefore, “examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

The world will examine the Christian and accuse him falsely, and find her guilty of all manner of “heresies.” Yet He who sits on the mercy seat knows who are His. All people, including Christians, are worthy of the second death, but the believers living in Christ and by the blood of Christ are worthy of resurrection, though God bear long with them.

The mercy seat of the King of the universe means everything to those persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Under pressure from every side, racking their brains to figure out where they went wrong, endeavoring to stay true to their Savior in the midst of betrayal, hoping they will not deny their Lord under torture, harassed by Satan for their past failures, loyal Christians have only one clear spot in the swirling tempest of persecution. They must look up through the dark angry clouds to the glorious mercy seat and to the One who sits thereon. There they will see the sprinkled blood by which they live. That blood, that soul sacrifice of the Son of God, enables God to carry the universe with Him when He pronounces, “Pardoned,” upon the persecuted sinner, upon those who appear guilty before man, but are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

“And you shall make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shall you make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubims on the two ends of it. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And you shall put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. And there I will meet with you and I will commune with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give you in commandment unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 25:18-22)

The Old Testament sanctuary, far from being a primitive collection of rituals, was a teaching tool designed by an infinite good person to foreshadow the soul sacrifice of the coming Savior. It illustrated the fundamental principles of the universe and the spiritual steps of redemption. It prophesied the turning points in the long conflict between good and evil. This demonstrates a God worth worshipping.

It is God’s glory, not to seek His own glory, but to seek our salvation, to physically and spiritually restore fallen humanity to heaven. He does not wait up there with His arms folded seeing how high we can climb the ladder on our own. The sanctuary teaches us that He reaches out and down to bring us back step by step to our full eternal potential. This character trait of earnest love is why the cherubim attend Him continually.

Cherubim are angels, who are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” (Hebrews 1:14) The use of the word “spirit” here does not mean ghost. Angels are intelligent beings with choice, feelings, and the ability to worship and appreciate God. They are not Gods. They are another order of created beings like us. Usually behind the scenes, they work with Him to help alleviate suffering, provide instruction and inspiration, and generally carry out missions for the benefit of the universe.

In the duality of angel and Divinity above the mercy seat we see the same duality of salt and light in the Beatitudes. Salt was to be mixed with every sacrifice for its taste and preservative qualities. Angels, like unselfish people on earth, help preserve what good remains in the universe and prevent decay. The light we are to let shine is the glory of God through us which reflects back on His goodness and leads others to praise Him. The follower of Christ is a temple with Glory shining out.

There are important distinctions to draw between the glories of the holy of holies and the light in the holy place. The light of the candlestick was a diffusion of the energy of the oil. Make no mistake, it was God’s energy, but the light was the passive side effect of a natural process that took place within the the candlestick. This represents the Christian performing their duties in the church and their kindness in the world. The angels, however, actively shed the light of heaven to the world. They come directly from God’s throne to communicate truth to those who should be heirs of salvation.

This distinction between the light of the candlestick and the light of the Shekinah Glory is even more pronounced. The church is the visible body of Christ in the world. To make that light, resources are consumed, heat is generated, and a small amount of pollution is released. The church does God’s work in the world, but not without loss, sacrifice, internal friction, and inefficiency. Some of this is unavoidable as mortals who exist in a decaying, limited world. Some of it is due to personal sin. The goal is to maximize the light and minimize the waste. Of course, there are no such evil side effects with God’s glory. He is always pure, efficient, and creative.