Within the Outer Court, the officiating priest ate all of the sin offerings (1), unless its blood was first sprinkled within the Holy Place. In which case the carcass of the animal, usually a bullock, was taken outside the camp and burned. He also ate all of the trespass offerings (1), but only half of the peace offerings (1/2). It is interesting to note that these same numbers are replicated within The Holy Place. For example, the Altar of Incense was 1 cubit squared but 2 cubits high. The Table of The Showbread was 2 cubits long, 1 cubit wide, and 11/2 cubits high. The implication is unmistakably clear. The same people officiating in the Outer Court, i.e. sacrificing the animal, sprinkling the blood upon the four sides of The Brazen Altar, and eating the sacrifice. Are the very same people within The Holy Place celebrating the emblems of salvation?
What is the significance of all these facts? It is that there are no shortcuts in the plan of salvation. In order to benefit from God’s wonderful grace. You must become a penitent sinner and acknowledge that it was your transgressions that led Jesus to the cross. You must also submit to being sprinkled continually with the cleansing blood of God’s Lamb. Just as the five wise virgins, represented by the Brazen Altar. Were continually sprinkled and cleansed by the blood of the animals sacrificed thereon. The fact that The Altar represents God’s people is clearly taught in scripture. “Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” With the stones, he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.” 1Kings 18:30-32.
Just in case we miss the fact that the five wise virgins are clearly represented in The Holy Place of the earthly sanctuary. There were five poles divided into two categories. The middle pole was invisible because it penetrated a hole that went through all of the twenty boards on the northern and southern sides of The Tabernacle of Meeting. Then there were another four poles mounted on the surface of the twenty boards on both sides of the same. This arrangement of the five poles announces to us that not only do the five wise virgins adhere to the Ten Commandments and the gospel of Moses. But they also obey the testimony of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Accordingly, those people who claim that they are adherents of only the Old Testament, or only the New Testament, or only The Psalms are wasting their time.
The 12 loaves of bread were arranged in two piles of sixes (6 6), side by side. On the Table of The Showbread and were eaten daily by the priests. Clearly indicating approximately 2000 years before all the books of the bible were finally and formally canonized. That all of God’s Word would encompass exactly 66 books. Although frequently overlooked and even ignored this was an amazing prophecy.
There were actually six items of furniture. Two were located in the Outer Court (The Brazen Altar and The Brazen Laver). Three were present within The Tabernacle of Meeting (The Altar of Incense, The Table of The Showbread, and the seven-branched Candelabra). Within The Most Holy Place, there was only one furniture Item. Namely, The Ark of The Covenant. Whenever it was necessary for the children of Israel while journeying through the wilderness, to move camp. These furniture items were appropriately wrapped, lifted by the carrying bars secured in the rings on both sides of the furnishing, and carried on the shoulders of the Levites. Although the Kohathite division of the Levites was permitted to carry these furnishings. They were not permitted to enter the sanctuary. Nor were they permitted to look at the furnishings contained in the two apartments thereof, while the priests wrapped them in their coverings.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; but do this in regard to them, that they may live and not die when they approach the holiest things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his task. But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.” Numbers 4:17-20.
This prohibition might seem severe but there is a reasonable and simple explanation for this divine command. First, there are mysteries in the plan of salvation. Not even Moses understood the significance of all the instructions God gave to him pertaining to the Sanctuary. Everything to be revealed would only be understood at the appropriate time. None of the items of furniture in The Tabernacle of Meeting pertained to the dispensation before the cross. The priests were permitted to go in and out of The Holy Place, and view the items of furnishing present therein because they represented the believers of the gospel era. Everything relevant to The Old Testament era was on full display within the Outer Court.
Everything in the two apartments of The Tabernacle of Meeting would only be fully understood. After the death of Christ and the commencement of His High Priestly Melchizedek Ministry. “Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27. Four Levites bore the furnishings because the number 4, represents God’s people. There were two carrying poles because the eternal truths represented by the furnishings would be clearly taught in The Old and New Testaments. These eternal and saving truths would be encapsulated in the lives of God’s people in every age and every era of earth’s history until the end of time.
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