Leviticus: Tabernacle as Symbol, Part Two

As we discussed in the previous blog, the Tabernacle was not only a place to perform sacrifice and meet with God but was also a symbol of what the Israelites believed about God and His interaction with creation. We previously discussed the Tabernacle as a type of “Eden”, a representation of creation without the taint of sin. Today we’re going to explore how the Tabernacle functioned as a symbol of the world itself, and the world as it should be.

The Tabernacle as Microcosm of Creation

The Tabernacle divides into three distinct parts: Courtyard, Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The courtyard is a representation of the earth or land. We find in the courtyard water (in the laver, which is called the “sea” in the Temple), an altar of uncut rocks (land), and fire. Here any person who is ceremonially clean can come, both priests and lay people.

The Holy Place represents visible heaven. It has blue and purple curtains like the sky, lamps with seven lights representing the largest visible lights (sun, moon and five planets), and incense rising like clouds or mist. This area is restricted to a select few, the priests.

The Holy of Holies represents invisible heaven. Here we find angels embroidered into the cloth, Cherubim guarding God’s presence, and the Ark serving as the footstool of God’s throne. It cannot be seen or entered by anyone except the High Priest who God appoints.

The central meaning of this system of symbols is that God is at the center of creation and rules over it all as a king.

2.   The Tabernacle as the Goal of Creation

While the Tabernacle functions as a symbol of what is, it also functions as a symbol of what is to come. The Tabernacle is a place where creation is properly ordered, where humans and God are in proper relationship, where death is controlled and where everything (time, space, people) is made holy by God’s presence. The reason this is so is because the Tabernacle was created according to what God showed Moses of the heavenly Temple (Hebrews 9:23). This is ultimately what God desires and will do for all of creation (Revelation 21:9-27). Furthermore, the Tabernacle then is an example of God’s “will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. It is a reflection of Heaven (the age to come) given in the present and is a forerunner to Jesus’ teaching on this in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:10).