The Tabernacle

It was God’s own mind from before the creation of the world to have a people and to dwell among them. After Adam’s fall in sin, mankind was driven from God’s presence, and the way of return was barred by Cherubim with flaming swords. But God’s plan of redemption was already set in place. He called a people to himself, made them great, and raised up Moses to deliver them from bondage. Taking them into the wilderness, God commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle according to His perfect and detailed instructions—a house for the great God of creation to dwell among his people. The key to understanding everything in the Tabernacle is the central Person of the entire Scripture, Jesus Christ. God intended this holy structure to be the most visual presentation of the glory of Jesus Christ. It’s really the gospel in the Old Testament.

Once inside the Gate, we see the Brazen Altar, the symbol of justification. Animals were sacrificed there as substitutes to pay the penalty for sin, removing guilt before God. It was made of wood and covered with bronze, symbolizing the two natures of Christ—perfect God and perfect man. The fire is kept burning day and night, as God’s holiness and justice are a consuming fire to guilty sinners. This all points to the final sacrifice for sin, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Rev. A.T. Vergunst is minister of the Gospel in the Reformed Congregation of Carterton, New Zealand.