Lesson 17 – His fulfillment of that worship-picture
Read Hebrews 9 - www.bible.com/bible/59/heb.9.esv

In this lesson we will see how each part of the Tabernacle was a picture of Jesus.

In the courtyard with only one gate or way in, we see Jesus as being the only way to God. The curtains of white speak of purity – so Jesus is the only way we can ever find true purity for our life. The doorway, of purple red and blue speaks of Jesus’ position as king, of His blood, and His place in the heavens.

Just inside the gate, the Bronze altar shows us that we can only enter the place of worship by the shedding of blood. This sacrifice Jesus made for us. But one more thing of note – the altar was made of wood overlaid with bronze. Wood will burn and bronze conducts heat – so why didn’t the altar burn up? When the bronze is applied properly, it seals air-tight and thus there is no oxygen to burn the wood. Wood speaks of humanity. Bronze speaks of righteousness, so the humanity of Jesus was covered by His God-righteousness and therefore fire could not destroy His human life.


The laver is a place to wash once we are reconciled by the blood – remember how Jesus washed His disciples’ feet in John 13:1-10. It is lined with mirror so we can look into it to see where we need cleansing – speaking of the word of God (James 1:23).

The Table of Showbread is a place of fellowship for the priests. God says we are His priests (1 Peter 2:9-10), and that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35 and Matthew 6:26).

The Candlestick is for light so we can work. Jesus said He is the light of the world (John 8:12 and 1 John 1:5).

The Altar of Incense – incense speaks of prayer (Psalm 141:2 and Revelation 5:8).

The veil between the two rooms of the Tabernacle was a picture of Jesus’ human body. In 2 Corinthians the veil is described as something that hides what is beneath. From Matthew 27:51 we see that as Jesus’ human body died, the veil in the temple (the permanent structure designed like the Tabernacle) was torn in two from top to bottom. God saw the death of Jesus as that which broke the separation between us and Himself.

The Ark of the Covenant is a place where God’s promises and provision are to be found. As the Ark contained the tablets of law, a jar of manna, and the blossoming rod of Aaron, so we find in Jesus all we need to be righteous, to meet our daily needs, and to do the things He asks us to do.

The Mercy Seat, being made entirely of gold, speaks of our way to God being Jesus who is God. It is not Jesus the man who saves us by helping us become like Him – it is His God-nature that made the way for us. It was because He was God that He could rise from the grave.

 We have only touched the surface of what can be seen here. Take the time to study this deeper.