After God delivered ancient Israel from slavery in Egypt around 1446 BC, He gave them His law on Mount Sinai. There, He also instructed Moses to build a sanctuary according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain (Exodus 25:8, 40). This tent structure was to be built exactly according to the instructions given, for all the details were symbolic and highly significant. God then gave detailed instructions for the building of the furnishings of the sanctuary and how they were to be used.
The sanctuary itself was a tent-like structure, approximately 13.5 meters long and 4.5 meters wide, surrounded by silver pillars and white linen that formed the outer courtyard. Inside the courtyard, the altar of burnt offering stood at the entrance, where animal sacrifices were made. Adjacent to it was the brazen laver, where priests washed their hands and feet before entering the sanctuary.
The tent was divided into two compartments: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. In the Holy Place were the table of showbread, the golden candlestick, and the altar of incense. The Most Holy Place contained the Ark of the Covenant, which held the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Above the ark, on the mercy seat, was the Shekinah—the visible glory of God’s presence.
Every day, priests ministered in the Holy Place, bringing the blood of animal sacrifices. A heavy curtain separated the two compartments, shielding the priests from the glory of the Most Holy Place.
The Most Holy Place was sacred and could only be entered by the high priest, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
The Day of Atonement was a solemn feast day when Israel would fast and pray. The high priest, after making atonement for himself and confessing the sins of the people, entered the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the entire nation. On this day, Israel’s sins were blotted out, and they were reconciled with God.
But why did God provide the sanctuary with all its ceremonies and details? Was God pleased with animal sacrifices and people blindly following rituals and ceremonies without having understanding of their meaning? No, God gave the earthly sanctuary as a representation of the sanctuary in heaven (Hebrews 8:3). The earthy sanctuary and its ceremonies was a condensed prophecy of the gospel in model form, so that mankind could comprehend the plan of salvation. The Bible says, “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary…” (Psalms 77:13)
Every element in the sanctuary pointed to God’s salvation plan. The altar of burnt offering represented the cross, where Jesus would sacrifice Himself as the sin offering for the world. The laver symbolized baptism, the washing away of sin. The table of showbread in the Holy Place represented the throne of God, where the Father and Son are seated. The golden candlestick, with its seven lamps, symbolized the seven churches, illuminated by the Holy Spirit’s light. The altar of incense represented the prayers of the saints, mingled with Christ’s merits.
Each of the annual feasts represented a milestone on the salvational road. The Feast of Passover, with the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, pointed to the death of Christ, the Lamb of God. The Feast of Weeks symbolized the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. So also with the other feasts. Each one pointed to a key moment in the plan of salvation.
Understanding that the earthly sanctuary was a mere representation of the heavenly one shows us that it is the heavenly sanctuary that truly matters for our salvation. The High Priest who ministers in the heavenly sanctuary is Jesus Himself, who makes atonement for us; and it is His priesthood alone that matters for our salvation. Other high priests who have come before were figures of the true High Priest, so that we can better understand the work of Jesus in heaven.
The Day of Atonement in Israel foreshadowed the antitypical Day of Atonement—a time when all who have committed to Christ are judged for eternal life or eternal death. According to the prophecy in Daniel, this judgment began in 1844. Today, Jesus is in the Most Holy Place, and the eternal destiny of every individual is being decided. The Ten Commandments, placed inside the Ark, serve as the standard for this judgment. Before Christ returns, His work of mediation in the heavenly sanctuary will be completed, and the cases of all people will be settled—either for eternal life or eternal death. When He steps out of the Most Holy Place, the decree mentioned in Revelation 22 will become a reality: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Revelation 22:11)