Tabernacle and Christ
In the
past two weeks we saw two individuals in the Old Testament served as types of
Christ and this week we move on to an important object from the Old Testament –
Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the portable center of worship that God
commanded as place of worship for the Israelites. God gave the instructions to
Moses on how the tabernacle ought to be made. The author of Hebrews teaches us
that the earthly tabernacle was based on what Moses saw in heaven. We should
not simply understand this to mean that Moses created a replica of a temple he
saw in heaven. This week’s reading is taken from Exodus 40. Let us see how can
see Christ in the various articles of tabernacle:
As a
general statement we must understand that the incarnate word is Christ who
tabernacle among us. Although we are all familiar with John 1:14 (The word
became flesh and dwelt among us), we would profit much from understanding the
second part of that verse. “The word became flesh and pitched his tent among
us” is an accurate way of reading the verse. As St. Gregory of Nyssa states
when speaking of the tabernacle in his important work “Life of Moses”, ‘This one is the Only Begotten God, who
encompasses everything in himself but who also pitched his own tabernacle among
us.’ Christ is the true meeting place in whom we can access God.
The
first item that God commands Moses to plant in the tabernacle is the Ark of the
Covenant. The ark of covenant and the
mercy seat all remind us of Christ’s once and for all sacrifice (Hebrews
9:12). The three items placed in the ark are also figures of Christ: the
tablets of Law, Aaron’s rod and the mannah. The veil which encloses the ark stands for the body of Christ. In
Hebrews 10:19-20 we read, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to
enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He
inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh”.
God commands
Moses to place each item in the tabernacle beginning from the holy of holies to
the outer section. After the ark the next time is the table of show bread or
bread of the presence. The bread placed
on this table reminds us that Christ is the bread of life (St. John 6:35). The
title “Show Bread” can be rendered literally as “Bread of the Face” and shows
that consuming of this bread allows one
to behold the face of God. Clearly this experience is a foreshadowing of
the experience of communion and reminds us of the opening of the eyes of the
disciples at Emmaus.
The next
liturgical item placed in the tabernacle is the golden lampstand. The Lampstand teaches us that Christ is the
light of the world and the church his followers ought to be the light of
the world (St Matt 5:16).
The
final item that God asks Moses to place within the tabernacle is the altar of
incense which rests immediately before the veil that separated the holy place
from the holy of holies. Incense was to be burned upon this altar in the
morning and evening. The incense represents the prayer of the believers. (see
Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3-4) More than the prayer of the individuals, read in
the light of Christ we are reminded that
Christ is the sweet smelling aroma who was sacrificed for our behalf (2 Cor
2:15; Ephesians 5:2)
Having
completed the items in the Holy place, God commands Moses to place the altar of
Burnt Offering outside the tent along with the basin of laver. The altar of
burnt offering shows the once and for
all sacrifice of Christ and the shedding of the blood of the perfect lamb
of God. The basin of laver reminds us at once
both of Christian baptism and of the cleansing provided by Christ.
Interpreted
through the medium of Christ the tabernacle becomes an important locus for us
to understand the salvation Christ gifts to the world.
