Topical Bible: God: Symbolized by the General Structure of the Most Holy Place, See

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The Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, serves as a profound symbol of God's presence, holiness, and the divine relationship with His people. This sacred space, located within the Tabernacle and later the Temple, was the innermost sanctuary where God's presence dwelt among the Israelites. Its structure and elements provide deep insights into the nature and character of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

1. The Ark of the Covenant

At the heart of the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded, and a jar of manna (Hebrews 9:4). The Ark symbolizes God's covenant with His people, His law, and His provision. The presence of the Ark signifies God's throne on earth, as it is described as the place where God would meet with Moses and communicate His will (Exodus 25:22).

2. The Mercy Seat

The Mercy Seat, the cover of the Ark, was flanked by two cherubim and represented the throne of God. It was here that the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, symbolizing the atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:14-15). This act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who is described as the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). The Mercy Seat thus symbolizes God's mercy, justice, and the means of reconciliation with Him.

3. The Veil

The veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place was a thick curtain, signifying the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity (Exodus 26:33). This barrier underscored the holiness of God and the need for purification before entering His presence. The tearing of the veil at the moment of Christ's death (Matthew 27:51) symbolizes the removal of this separation, granting believers direct access to God through Jesus Christ.

4. The Cherubim

The cherubim, woven into the fabric of the veil and positioned above the Mercy Seat, are symbolic of God's majesty and the heavenly beings that surround His throne (Exodus 25:18-20). They serve as guardians of His holiness and as a reminder of the divine order and worship that exists in the heavenly realm.

5. The Dimensions and Materials

The dimensions and materials of the Most Holy Place reflect God's perfection and purity. The room was a perfect cube, measuring ten cubits in each direction in the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:33) and twenty cubits in Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6:20). This geometric perfection symbolizes God's completeness and the harmony of His divine nature. The use of gold, the most precious metal, signifies the purity and glory of God.

6. The Role of the High Priest

Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2). This exclusivity highlights the holiness of God and the necessity of mediation between God and humanity. The high priest's role prefigures the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who entered the heavenly sanctuary once for all, securing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12).

7. The Presence of God

Above all, the Most Holy Place symbolizes the presence of God among His people. It was here that the Shekinah glory, the visible manifestation of God's presence, would dwell. This divine presence assured the Israelites of God's guidance, protection, and covenant faithfulness. The Most Holy Place serves as a reminder of God's desire to dwell with His people, a theme that culminates in the New Testament with the incarnation of Christ (John 1:14) and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers (1 Corinthians 3:16).

In summary, the Most Holy Place is a rich tapestry of symbols that reveal the nature of God—His holiness, justice, mercy, and desire for relationship with humanity. Through the structure and elements of this sacred space, believers gain a deeper understanding of the divine attributes and the redemptive work accomplished through Jesus Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 16:2
And the LORD said to Moses, Speak to Aaron your brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is on the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Scriptural Types.
... This general idea of the vicarious and propitiatory ... of the ceremonial, for by this
expiation was symbolized. ... They could approach God only through the mediation ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

The Second vision "On Earth"
... Finally, the general object is stated, to be particularised below ... means "the church
of the elect servants of God, everywhere in this book symbolized by Jews ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the second vision on earth.htm

The Relation Between the Human Will and the Divine Agency.
... General view of the relation between the divine and ... nor always exclaim with Augustine,
that "God worketh in ... who, in later times, have symbolized with Augustine ...
/.../chapter v the relation between.htm

Interpretation of Prophecy.
... to bear rule over the earth are symbolized first by ... of these words is contrary to
the general analogy of ... After describing the judgments of God upon the nations ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxviii interpretation of prophecy.htm

The Life.
... community, whose universalistic religious zeal was thus symbolized. ... or any other
worship of God, unless attacked ... The general description of the building of the ...
/.../sozomen/the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/part i the life.htm

The Revelation of St. John the Divine
... in xi.2, where the earthly Jerusalem is symbolized as the ... 6), which proclaims that
the tabernacle of God is now ... A general idea of conflict is present in this ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xxv the revelation of.htm

The Land and the People.
... Is it not truly symbolized by the bush in the desert ... [190] Knowledge of the Law of
God was general among the ... beginning that he was the Messiah of God and the ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 17 the land and.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... But the most superb exhibition was the 'general festival,' in ... archangel, and with
the trump of God," (1:Thess ... that of the attending angels, symbolized by those ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm

On the Interpretation of Scripture
... word inspiration, from being used in a general way to ... the human mind in one of its
most remarkable manifestations ... be no error in the Word of God,' therefore the ...
/.../on the interpretation of scripture.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... of Israel alone could not be symbolized by the ... of God's omnipotence are, after the
general intimations of it are ... as an example of a people alienated from God? ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm