The "Main Attraction"

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year. Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place. Then bring in the table, and arrange the utensils on it. And bring in the lampstand, and set up the lamps. “Place the gold incense altar in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the Tabernacle entrance. Set the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water. Then set up the courtyard around the outside of the tent, and hang the curtain for the courtyard entrance. [Exodus 40.1-8]

Whatever might be said about the Tabernacle and it arrangement, there is no mistaking that the Ark of the Covenant is the "main attraction." The Ark was to be secured in the Most Holy Place.

If we were to numerically rate everything in the Tabernacle according to its priority and significance, the Ark would be number one. As the Ark represents God, this comes as no surprise. However, if we fine tune this assessment, it would be seen that the cover for the Ark, the place of atonement, would be the ultimate priority of all the Tabernacle.

It should immediately grab our attention that the Most Holy, Most Sacred, Most God-defining article in the Tabernacle is not about judgment, but about redemption.

Merriam-Webster defines "atonement" as follows:

1. reparation for an offense or injury: satisfaction

But, isn't God just? YES! But, if we will see it, His justice is handled outside the Tabernacle at the altar of burnt offering. The altar of burnt offering represents God's justice and man's repentance. Man brings his sin to God and there God (a consuming fire - Hebrews 12.19) consumes it.

However, the altar of burnt offering is not enough to enter the Tabernacle as, between it and the entrance to the Tabernacle, sits the washbasin filled with water. God's judgment that consumes the sin of the repentant does not, by itself, secure access into the Tabernacle. Repentance is followed by a washing with water (see Ephesians 5.26). The water represents God's Word. God's Word is the basis and source of faith (see Romans 10.17). So, both repentance and faith are necessary to enter the Tabernacle.

Once "inside" the Tabernacle, then, between Jesus (the table of the Bread of the Presence) and the Holy Spirit (the gold lampstand), prayers are offered to God as incense on the gold altar for that purpose. And, that was as far as it went except for once a year and by only one person who proceeded past the final curtain to come into the Most Holy Place with the Ark and the atonement cover (satisfaction - forgiveness - communion with God). However, after Jesus died on the Cross, the curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place was removed. Now, the Holy Trinity is reunited as the Father (represented by the Ark and its cover), the Son (represented by the table of the Bread of the Presence) and the Holy Spirit (represented by the gold lampstand) are reunited in each other's presence. The only difference now in the reunited Trinity is that altar of incense (the prayers of God's people) is now securely enveloped in the Trinity. The utensils on the table of the Bread of the Presence (representing humans used as vessels of the Son of God) and the lamps on the gold lampstand (representing humans used to spread the Light and power of the Holy Spirit), are now right in there with the Holy Trinity to accomplish the will of God - reconciling men unto God - as depicted by the place of atonement (aka: God's Mercy Seat).

While it requires a bit of spiritual imagination to picture all that takes place inside the Tabernacle as described above, it should be noted that Jesus did NOT remove the veil separating the altar of burnt offering and the washbasin from the Tabernacle proper. Nothing more clearly indicates that repentance and faith remain as a consolidated requirement to "get in" the Tabernacle, which, by the way represents God's Kingdom. Jesus confirms this:

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” [Matthew 4.17]

There's the repentance... and then here's the faith:

“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” [John 13.8]

Unless we repent and are washed by The Word (Jesus) that/Who initiates and supports faith, we cannot enter the Tabernacle of God's Kingdom. Without repentance and faith, there is no way to enjoy the fellowship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in His atonement. We must not forget however, that our role in this reunion of Father, Son and Spirit is to represent Jesus (as vessels) and represent the Spirit (as light and power) all in the work of atonement - our incense of prayers on behalf of others on the outside who need to enter in. We are not saved only unto salvation but also unto the work of God - redemption of the world He loves. Thus:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22.37-40]

If we are not focused on the fact that God is identified and found at the place of atonement (redemption), there is no way we can ever understand God and what he requires of those in His Kingdom. He certainly is the "main attraction." And, the "main attraction" is all about redemption.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” [John 3.16-21]

Father, I realize probably nothing is written here in such a way that anyone else can make sense of it... But, scattered as these thoughts might be, I see Your plan for my life in them - to be a reconciler of men unto You. I see this in the Tabernacle, its construct and all its furnishings and arrangement. Help me be able to more clearly convey Your atonement of mankind as I learn more. Thank You for speaking to my heart and life! So be it!