Ark And Table
Exodus 37
We all have items that carry special meaning to us beyond their intended function. For instance, a man has a toolbox that was his dads, and it was given to him when he passed away. The man uses it to fix things around the house, but it’s also a reminder of his dad, and the times they did house projects together.
Over the next couple of chapters, we are going to see different items that were used for various functions in the tabernacle. As followers of Jesus, we can look back on these items and see the significance of them as it relates to Jesus and the gospel. While they were necessary items for Jewish worship, for us today they carry special meaning as we worship the Messiah. Today I want us to focus on two of them: the ark and the table.
The Ark of the Covenant. Behind the veil was the Holy of Holies- the place where God's presence and glory dwelled. The wooden ark overlaid with pure gold was the item inside the Holy of Holies. The solid gold lid of the ark was referred to as the “mercy seat.” The mercy seat had golden angels on each end, and the space between the angels is where God would reveal His glory.
Only the high priest, once a year, could enter the Holy of Holies to offer atonement for sin. Hebrews 9:7 says “only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.”
Only once could the high priests stand before a holy God. What an appropriate name for the space God showed His glory… the mercy seat. It’s only by God’s mercy, any of us can stand before God. And how blessed are we? It’s not just once a year. Any moment of the day we can come into the “Holy of Holies.” When we read about the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat in the Old Testament, may it always remind us that God’s mercy, not our own righteousness, is why we have standing with God.
The Table. When we read about the table in the tabernacle, it should remind us how God made it possible for us to enter God’s holy presence. The table is where the high priests ate the bread. Jesus is our “High Priest” who offered His own blood to pay for our sins, and who now intercedes on our behalf before God (Hebrews 4:14-16). Because of that, verse 16 of Hebrews 4 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
All of this should cause us to find our soul’s satisfaction in God. Jesus referred to Himself as the “Bread of Life.” In John 6:35, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” When we hunger for Jesus, we no longer need the things of the world or the acceptance of the world to bring us joy and contentment.
Whenever you read about the table where the high priests ate the bread, always remember that our High Priest is our Bread of Life who saved us, sustains us, and will always satisfy us. The ark and the table have special meaning to us. They remind us how special we are to a holy and merciful God.
Exodus 37
We all have items that carry special meaning to us beyond their intended function. For instance, a man has a toolbox that was his dads, and it was given to him when he passed away. The man uses it to fix things around the house, but it’s also a reminder of his dad, and the times they did house projects together.
Over the next couple of chapters, we are going to see different items that were used for various functions in the tabernacle. As followers of Jesus, we can look back on these items and see the significance of them as it relates to Jesus and the gospel. While they were necessary items for Jewish worship, for us today they carry special meaning as we worship the Messiah. Today I want us to focus on two of them: the ark and the table.
The Ark of the Covenant. Behind the veil was the Holy of Holies- the place where God's presence and glory dwelled. The wooden ark overlaid with pure gold was the item inside the Holy of Holies. The solid gold lid of the ark was referred to as the “mercy seat.” The mercy seat had golden angels on each end, and the space between the angels is where God would reveal His glory.
Only the high priest, once a year, could enter the Holy of Holies to offer atonement for sin. Hebrews 9:7 says “only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.”
Only once could the high priests stand before a holy God. What an appropriate name for the space God showed His glory… the mercy seat. It’s only by God’s mercy, any of us can stand before God. And how blessed are we? It’s not just once a year. Any moment of the day we can come into the “Holy of Holies.” When we read about the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat in the Old Testament, may it always remind us that God’s mercy, not our own righteousness, is why we have standing with God.
The Table. When we read about the table in the tabernacle, it should remind us how God made it possible for us to enter God’s holy presence. The table is where the high priests ate the bread. Jesus is our “High Priest” who offered His own blood to pay for our sins, and who now intercedes on our behalf before God (Hebrews 4:14-16). Because of that, verse 16 of Hebrews 4 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
All of this should cause us to find our soul’s satisfaction in God. Jesus referred to Himself as the “Bread of Life.” In John 6:35, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” When we hunger for Jesus, we no longer need the things of the world or the acceptance of the world to bring us joy and contentment.
Whenever you read about the table where the high priests ate the bread, always remember that our High Priest is our Bread of Life who saved us, sustains us, and will always satisfy us. The ark and the table have special meaning to us. They remind us how special we are to a holy and merciful God.
Posted in Journey of Hope