Tuesday, February 07, 2023

"I Can Enter In"

Exodus 40.2b-3; 5c; 8b NASU

“…set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil… and set up the veil for the doorway of the tabernacle… and hang up the veil for the gateway of the court.”

The Tabernacle was a mobile worship center for God’s people during the wilderness journey following their mass exodus from Egypt. Moses built the Tabernacle according to the pattern God gave him on Mount Sinai. It covered a space of ground rectangular in shape and approximately ½ the size of a football field. The open air boundaries were established by a heavy linen fence nearly 8 feet high. Only priests from the tribe of Levi were allowed to enter behind the first veil through “the gateway of the court.”

The second veil was set up at “the doorway of the tabernacle,” also called the Tent of Meeting. This was a covered structure erected inside the courtyard and further divided into two spaces: The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies which were separated by a third veil through which only the High Priest could pass once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement described in the sixteenth chapter of the book of Leviticus. In this most holy place a special golden box was kept. It was called the Ark of the Covenant and contained the Ten Commandments.

Why God chose to triple barricade Himself from His creation, I may never fully comprehend or appreciate. But when Jesus died, all barricades came down:

“Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold,
the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” [1]
Matthew 27.50

I am unrestricted. I have full access. I can enter in and meet the living God.

Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud
had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
Exodus 40.35

When Jesus died, the veil between God and me was ripped open and I may now enter into His holy presence. Moses could not enter in. But, I can!
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[1] The wilderness Tabernacle was eventually replaced by Solomon’s Temple which was destroyed by the Babylonians and later rebuilt by Zerubbabel around 520 B.C. This new Temple was extensively remodeled by Herod about 20 B.C. It was the veil in Herod’s Temple which was torn at the death of Jesus.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, never fully understood the significance of the veil and the fact that it was torn. In the temple. also have historically struggled to fully comprehend the layout of the tabernacle, tent of meeting, and courtyard, etc.

I must admit, here in the last section of Exodus is where I begin to struggle with patience in my bible study. will try to walk with you step by step in Leviticus.

---CMM

davescriven said...

Thanks for your comments. The Tabernacle layout is not too complicated. Check out a good Bible encyclopedia or handbook for some pictures. Or, go to http://www.bibleplaces.com/tabernacle.htm for information and pictures on Timna National Park and life-size model of the Tabernacle. Also, some great links there.

Dave