Description
Initially the sanctuary consisted of a removable, transportable tent. Begin-ning at Mount Sinai, the Levites could disassemble and then reassemble the house of worship in the different locations to which God guided His people. After they were settled in Canaan, the tabernacle had a more stable location; however, even then it was moved. Not until the time of Solomon was the por-table “tent” of the tabernacle transferred into the permanent “temple” built in Jerusalem.
However, Israel did not always appreciate the great privilege of having the temple, the place of the Creator’s presence, in their midst. There were times when it ceased to be the place of attraction and blessing for the people. In times of apostasy, it was even desecrated. Because of this and also because of the people’s degenerated spiritual condition, the Lord permitted the sacred building to be destroyed by the Babylonian armies. After decades of inactivity, in the time of Ezra, the temple was rebuilt and the services were reestablished, supported by great personal sacrifice amid severe opposition. Still, deep spiri-tuality was lacking, and Jesus found the temple desecrated and its true mean-ing lost from the people’s sight. When He gave His life as the one true Sacrifice for the sin of the world, thus fulfilling the prophetic symbolism of the temple and its services, the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn from the top to the bottom without hands, ending the temple services.
After ascending to heaven, Jesus began His ministry as the High Priest according to the order of Melchisedek, first, in the Holy Place and, second, in the Most Holy Place. He lives to make intercession for His people, forgiving their sins and cleansing them from all iniquity.
