The Sanctuary

Notes

1. The Lord does not leave without help those who are called to do an important work. Designing and preparing material for the sanctuary demanded wisdom from God, and it was given. Moses was also careful to tell the people of the choice the Lord had made of workmen, and also to inform them about how they had been qualified to do the work. This information gave the people confidence and secured their cooperation. See Ex. 35:30-35.

2. In Exodus, chapters 25 to 30, is found a detailed description of the sanctuary and its furniture. All should study those chapters. In brief, the tabernacle was an oblong building, thirty cubits in length, ten cubits wide, and ten cubits high. When pitched, it faced the east, so that the worshipers, on approaching it, always faced west, and had their backs toward the sun-rising. This building, which was placed inside of what was called the court, had boards for its sides and for the west end. It was divided into two apartments by a veil placed ten cubits from the west end, and was closed in front with a veil, or curtain. The first apartment was ten cubits wide and twenty cubits long. In this apartment was a golden altar, called the altar of incense. On the south side stood the seven-branched candlestick with its seven lamps; on the north, the table of showbread. In the second apartment, or holy of holies, was placed the ark, which contained the law of God, covered by the mercy-seat, and overshadowed by the cherubim of glory.

3. The glory connected with the sanctuary was especially associated with the inner apartment, or the holy of holies. It was there that the sacred ark, containing the law of God, was deposited. At a later date, when the Philistines defeated Israel and took the ark of the Lord, it was said, "The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken." 1 Sam. 4:22.

4. John had a view of the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary some sixty years after He had ascended to heaven. He was there seen ministering in the apartment which contained the seven lamps. This was the first apartment. See Ex. 40:24; Heb. 9:1, 2.

5. This view of the opening of the temple in heaven was at the time when the work of judgment commenced. A view is therefore given of that part of the sanctuary where the ark is, which contains the law of God. This law is the great rule of the judgment; by it the lives of all men are to be compared.