In this latest draft chapter for “Priests of the Bible” and having introduced the Tabernacle in the previous chapter, we now turn our attention to the furniture inside the Tabernacle and its significance,

Figure 13 – The Tabernacle – the Furnishings

Chapter 6: The Tabernacle – the furniture

In our previous chapter, we considered aspects such as the construction of the Tabernacle and its significance in the life of Israel, as well as the numerous lessons that can be drawn from studying the Tabernacle. We now turn to the items of furniture that were to be found inside the Tabernacle. Before we do, readers are invited to refer to Chapter 2, Figure 13, for what these items looked like. These items were designed to be readily transportable, often with rings attached so staves can go through and they could be easily carried as part of the journeying that took place in the Wilderness

Many of the activities recorded that pertain to (the Aaronic) Priests of the Bible were to do with these six items. When we consider their purposes, each item had enormous spiritual significance and as we can later find were types and shadows of what would be revealed when we come to the New Testament. We will consider each item, albeit not in the order that Moses received his instructions concerning their construction but with reference to the Priests journey from the outer court (Brazen Alter and Brazen Laver), into the Holy Place (Golden Lampstand, Table of Showbread and Altar of Incense) and that once a year entry by the High Priest into the Holy of Holies (Ark of the Covenant):

The Brazen Altar

“And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.” Exodus 27:1-4

The first thing anyone saw entering the only way into the Tabernacle would have been the Brazen Altar, used to offer sacrifices, as detailed in Chapters 9 and 11. The altar was effectively a box overlaid with brass, with horns at its three corners and where blood can be applied and collected and so too the ashes as a result of burning the offerings. Along with the altar, there were a number of utensils, such as pans, shovels and flesh hooks, which as we considered in our previous chapter, the details of which were carefully prescribed. In Chapter 9, we consider two main categories of sacrifices (offerings), i.e. to show gratitude to God and to receive atonement for sin, who through the priests who made the offering for sacrifice on their behalf, and the meaning and details of what took place. It was something open to every Israelite to do as well as those particularly for the priest. The key theme of the sacrificial system was justification, for without it one can go no further with a holy God, who can’t stand sin. In the New Testament, such sacrifices are not required because Jesus offered Himself up as an atoning sacrifice, so that we may be justified by faith alone and thereby be able to enter into God’s presence, just as the priests did when they entered into the Holy Place.

The Brazen Laver

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 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 30:17-20

The next item of furniture one would see when entering the Tabernacle outer court, was situated between the Holy Place, and the Brazen Altar was the Brazen Altar. This was for use by the priests alone and is where they would wash. There were two types of washing: when they were ordained for the priesthood and on the Day of Atonement, which was a full body wash and as part of a daily ritual before priests were permitted to make sacrifices on behalf of others, and then they would thoroughly wash both hands and both feet. Whereas the Altar represented the need for justification, the Laver represented the need for sanctification. As believer priests we need to be both justified and sanctified. While justification is what happens when we put our faith in Christ, sanctification is a continual process and one that is needed for a healthy relationship with God. Unlike other items of Tabernacle furniture, we do not have full details of what was needed in making the Laver, although interestingly it was made from the mirrors the women took with them when leaving Egypt and the reflection of one’s image when washing from the basin was a constant reminder of our position before God and the need for holiness. The washing with water throughout the New Testament, whether in baptism or Jesus washing of His disciples’ feet, was a continual reminder of the need to be inwardly clean. A salutary reminder for both Old and New Testament believers is “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” Psalm 24:3-5.

The Golden Lampstand

“And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, 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: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlesticks shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.” Exodus 25:31-34

Having been justified and sanctified by sacrificing at the Altar and washing at the Laver, the priest was now able to enter into the Holy Place through a curtain, which non priests could only view from the outside but never from inside. There are three items of interest in this 30 feet by 15 feet room and here we begin by considering the Golden Lampstand, which alone provided light. Of interest is this was made from a single slab of gold and contained seven sticks (prongs) comprising clusters of cups, knobs and flowers. The lamp was tended on a daily basis and fuelled by specially prescribed oil. The word “light” appears 309 times in the Bible. While a study around light would be a profitable one, we will cite just five of the word’s usages. The Psalmist could say “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid” Psalm 27:1 and “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” Psalm 119:105. In introducing the Word that became flesh, we read concerning Jesus: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” John 1:9. Jesus claimed to be the Light of the World e.g. “But as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” John 9:5. As believer priests we are called to walk in the light: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1 John 1:7  

The Table of Showbread

“Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.” Exodus 25:23-26

The Table of Shewbread (the Bread of the Prescence) was just that – a table made out of shittim wood and overlaid with gold and around the top was a gold rim. Associated with the table were two plates on which twelve loaves were place – each loaf representing one of the tribes of Israel, and spoons. We also learn: “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord.  And thou shalt 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’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire by a perpetual statute” Leviticus 24: 5-9. Just as with “light” the word “bread” appears many times throughout the Bible (410 times) and has enormous and manifold significance. When it came to Jesus, we can associate bread with His body, when he offered Himself when He died on the cross, in the Lord’s Supper: “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” Luke 22:19. Then there were His claims about being the Bread of Life: “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst … I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die” John 6:33-35, 48-50

The Altar of Incense

“And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.” Exodus 30:1-4

We now come to the final item in the Holy Place – the Altar of Incense, significantly placed before the veil that separated it from the Holy of Holies. Like the Brazen Altar this was a box made from shittim wood but rather than being overlaid with bronze it was overlaid with gold and having on the top a gold rim and horns at each corner. Both morning and evening incense was offered by the priest who took a censer full of burning coals from the Brazen Altar in one hand and specially prepared sweet incense in the other and ignited the incense by sprinkling it over the burning coals (Leviticus 16:12-13). Offering the right incense was crucial as Nadab and Abihu found to their cost, and by the right person as King Uzziah found to his cost. A thick cloud of smoke curled upward filling the Tabernacle, symbolic of Israel’s prayers to God. It is a salutary thought and a sacred privilege to be reminded that this was the closest the priest could get to God, other on that one occasion on the Day of Atonement, but today’s believer priest through Jesus our Great High Priest can go inside the Veil and commune with God. Once again, we are reminded of the importance of prayer, for us and to God, and on top of sacrifice (justification) and washing (sanctification) there is the important part played by prayer in today’s believer priest relationship with and approach to God: “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints” Revelation 5:8.

Sweet hour of prayer

Sweet hour of prayer

That calls me from a world of care

And bids me at my Father’s throne

Make all my wants and wishes known

In seasons of distress and grief

My soul has often found relief

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare

By Thy return, sweet hour of prayer

Sweet hour of prayer

Sweet hour of prayer

The joys I feel, the bliss I share

Of those whose anxious spirits burn

With strong desires for Thy return

With such I hasten to the place

Where God my Savior shows His face

And gladly take my station there

And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer

The Ark of the Covenant

“And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.”  Exodus 25:10-12

We come to our final item of furniture in the Tabernacle and the one that was the most important (discussed further in Chapter 47) – the Ark of the Covenant (a box overlaid with gold) along with the Mercy Seat (Atonement Cover) (the lid to the box that was all gold, along with two cherubim that faced each other with wings touching and which formed part of the mercy seat), all of which was placed inside the 30 feet by 15 feet Holy of Holies. It was the place where Moses communed with God after the Tabernacle had been built and centuries later where the likes of King Hezekiah prayed toward, since it was there that God dwelt between the two cherubim. As we discuss in Chapter 11, the Mercy Seat was where the High Priest brought the blood of the bull and goat that had been slain on the Day of Atonement and where it was sprinkled. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were three items. Firstly, there was the replacement tablets on which was written the Ten commandments. Secondly, there was some of the manna that was sent from heaven to feed the Israelites during their journey in the Wilderness. Thirdly, there was Aaron’s rod that budded, proof that God had chosen Aaron to minister before Him and not those who wished to usurp his authority. Above all, the Ark of the Covenant represented the glory of God and His dwelling among men, which was fully realised in Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made … And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” John 1:1-3, 14.