Topical Bible: Holy Place

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The term "Holy Place" refers to a sacred area within the tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem, as described in the Old Testament. It is distinct from the "Most Holy Place" or "Holy of Holies," which housed the Ark of the Covenant and was the innermost and most sacred area. The Holy Place served as a critical component of Israelite worship and religious practice.

Biblical Description and Function

The Holy Place was part of the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, and later the temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem. According to Exodus 26:33-34, the Holy Place was separated from the Most Holy Place by a veil: "Hang the veil from the clasps, and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. The veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place."

Within the Holy Place, several key items were located, each with specific religious significance:

1. The Table of Showbread: This table held the "bread of the Presence," which consisted of twelve loaves representing the twelve tribes of Israel. As described in Exodus 25:30, "And place the Bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times."

2. The Golden Lampstand (Menorah): This seven-branched lampstand provided light within the Holy Place. Exodus 25:31-32 details its construction: "You are also to make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work—its base and shaft, its cups, its buds, and its petals."

3. The Altar of Incense: Positioned before the veil, this altar was used for burning incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God. Exodus 30:1 states, "You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense."

Priestly Duties and Access

Access to the Holy Place was restricted to the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. These priests performed daily rituals, including tending to the lampstand, replacing the showbread, and burning incense. The Book of Hebrews in the New Testament reflects on these duties, emphasizing their symbolic nature and foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate priestly work (Hebrews 9:6-10).

Theological Significance

The Holy Place represents the intermediary space between the common world and the divine presence in the Most Holy Place. It signifies the process of sanctification and the need for mediation between God and humanity. The rituals performed in the Holy Place were essential for maintaining the covenant relationship between God and Israel.

In Christian theology, the Holy Place is often seen as a precursor to the work of Jesus Christ, who, as the ultimate High Priest, entered the heavenly sanctuary on behalf of believers. Hebrews 9:11-12 states, "But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands, that is, not of this creation. He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption."

Conclusion

The Holy Place, with its sacred furnishings and restricted access, played a vital role in the religious life of ancient Israel. It served as a constant reminder of God's holiness and the need for purity and devotion in worship. Through its rituals and symbolism, it pointed forward to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled and transcended the Old Testament sacrificial system.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Holy Place

HOLY PLACE

(ha-qodhesh, Exodus 26:33, ha-hekhal, 1 Kings 6:17, etc.; he prote skene, Hebrews 9:6):

1. The Terms:

The tabernacle consisted of two divisions to which a graduated scale of holiness is attached: "The veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the most holy" (Exodus 26:33). This distinction was never abrogated. In the Epistle to the Hebrews these divisions are called the "first" and "second" tabernacles (Hebrews 9:6 f). The term "holy place" is not indeed confined to the outer chamber of the sanctuary; in Leviticus 6:16, it is applied to "the court of the tent of meeting." But the other is its technical use. In Solomon's temple we have a different usage. The word hekhal, "temple," is not at first applied, as after, to the whole building, but is the designation specifically of the holy place, in distinction from the debhir, or "oracle" (compare 1 Kings 6:3, 5, 16, 17, 33, etc.; so in Ezekiel 41:1, 2, 4, etc.). The wider usage is later (compare 2 Kings 11:10, 11, 13, etc.).

2. Size of the Holy Place:

The size of the holy place differed at different times. The holy place of the tabernacle was 20 cubits long by 10 broad and 10 high (30 x 15 x 15 ft.); that of Solomon's temple was twice this in length and breadth-40 by 20 cubits; but it is contended by many (Bahr, etc.) that in height it was the full internal height of the building-30 cubits; the Herodian temple has the same dimensions of length and breadth, but Josephus and Middoth give largely increased, though differing, numbers for the height (see TEMPLE, HEROD'S).

3. Contents of Holy Place:

The contents of the holy place were from the beginning ordered to be these (Exodus 25:23; Exodus 30:1-10): the altar of incense, a golden candlestick (in Solomon's temple increased to ten, 1 Kings 7:49), and a table of showbread (likewise increased to ten, 2 Chronicles 4:8). For the construction, position, history and uses of these objects, see TABERNACLE; TEMPLE, and articles under the several headings. This, as shown by Josephus and by the sculptures on the Arch of Titus, continued to be the furniture of the holy place till the end.

4. Symbolism:

As the outer division of the sanctuary, into which, as yet, not the people, but only their representatives in the priesthood, were admitted while yet the symbols of the people's consecrated life (prayer, light, thanksgiving) were found in it, the holy place may be said to represent the people's relation to God in the earthly life, as the holy of holies represented God's relation to the people in a perfected communion. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the holy place is not largely dwelt on as compared with the court in which the perfect sacrifice was offered, and the holiest of all into which Christ has now entered (Christ passes "through" the tabernacle into the holiest, 9:11). It pertains, however, evidently to the earthly sphere of Christ's manifestation, even as earth is the present scene of the church's fellowship. Through earth, by the way which Christ has opened up, the believer, already in spirit, finally in fact, passes with Him into the holiest (Hebrews 10:19; compare Hebrews 9:8; see Westcott, Hebrews, 233).

W. Shaw Caldecott

Greek

39. hagion -- holy place, sanctuary.
... holy place, sanctuary. Transliteration: hagion Phonetic Spelling: (hag'-ee-on) Short
Definition: place. Word Origin see hagios. holy place, sanctuary. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/39.htm - 5k

2665. katapetasma -- a curtain (the inner veil of the temple)
... of that which separated the Holy of Holies from the outer parts of the temple at
Jerusalem, also of an outer curtain at the entrance to the Holy Place in the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2665.htm - 6k

40. hagios -- sacred, holy
... Usage Holy (92), holy (62), Holy of Holies (1), holy one (5), holy ones (1), holy
place (7), most holy (1), saint (1), saints (59), saints' (1), sanctuary (2). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/40.htm - 8k

2404. Hierapolis -- Hierapolis, a city in Asia
... Hierapolis. From hieros and polis; holy city; Hierapolis, a place in Asia Minor --
Hierapolis. see GREEK hieros. see GREEK polis. (ierapolei) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2404.htm - 6k

2369. thumiaterion -- altar of incense, a censer
... poured the coals, when he entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. Word
Origin from thumiao and -terion (suff. denoting place) Definition altar of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2369.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

4720. miqdash -- a sacred place, sanctuary
... Definition a sacred place, sanctuary NASB Word Usage holy (1), holy place (2), holy
places (1), places (1), sacred part (1), sanctuaries (5), sanctuary (65). ...
/hebrew/4720.htm - 6k

6944. qodesh -- apartness, sacredness
... holiness (9), Holy (6), holy (263), holies (6), holy ones (1), holy portion (3),
holy thing (2), holy things (12), most holy (25), most holy place (6), most ...
/hebrew/6944.htm - 6k

6942. qadash -- to be set apart or consecrated
... make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally) -- appoint, bid,
consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare ...
/hebrew/6942.htm - 6k

Library

The Holy Place.
... Book I. Chapter XXXVII."The Holy Place. "In addition to these things, he
also appointed a place in which alone it should be lawful ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xxxvii the holy place.htm

July the Twentieth Defiling the Holy Place
... JULY The Twentieth DEFILING THE HOLY PLACE. MARK xi.11-19. It was a teaching
of the old Rabbis that no one should make a thoroughfare ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/july the twentieth defiling the.htm

How He Ordered the Erection of a Church at Jerusalem, in the Holy ...
... Book III. Chapter XXV."How he ordered the Erection of a Church at Jerusalem,
in the Holy Place of our Saviour's Resurrection. ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter xxv how he ordered the.htm

Of the Times of Christ's Birth and Passion, and of Jerusalem's ...
... For Daniel says, that "both the holy city and the holy place are exterminated together
with the coming Leader, and that the pinnacle is destroyed unto ruin." ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter viii of the times of.htm

The Child Samuel.
... now looking at the leaping fires on the brass altar, now watching the clouds of
sweet smoke rolling out from behind the blue curtains of the holy place of the ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/the child samuel.htm

The Ascension of Messiah to Glory
... wrote, will I think, agree in considering this passage as referring to His ascension,
in the nature in which He suffered, into the true holy place in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxvi the ascension of.htm

Obedience: Its Place in Holy Scripture.
... I. Obedience: Its place In Holy Scripture. ... Such is the place obedience has in Holy
Scripture, in the mind of God, in the hearts of His servants. ...
/.../murray/the school of obedience/i obedience its place in.htm

A Little Sanctuary
... Wherever they are, I will be, as it were a holy place to them." In using the word
"little," the gracious God would seem to say, "I will condescend to them, and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 34 1888/a little sanctuary.htm

High Priest
... offer of it a burnt-offering; to offer the sin-offering for the sins of a ruler
or any of the common people; to eat the sin-offering at the holy place; and the ...
/.../conversion of a high priest into a christian worker/chapter iv high priest.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem
... as He did the Assyrians long ago. God is fled out of your holy place, and
stands on the side of those against whom you fight!'[1]. ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter ix the destruction of.htm