The Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies was the most sacred part of the Tabernacle Plan given to Moses by God. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and only on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.
The Ark contained the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a pot of manna as memorials of God’s Holiness and Omnipotence.
The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a veil of purple, scarlet and fine linen embroidered with Golden Cherubim.
When Aaron accessed the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he had to:
- bathe his body
- dress in holy linen garments
- bring incense from the Altar of Incense
- bring burning coals from the Brazen Altar of Sacrifice
- bring the blood of a bull and a male goat to sprinkle upon the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant
The garment for the High Priest on the Day of Atonement had gold bells that rang as he walked so that everyone outside the Tabernacle would know that He was alive and had followed procedures for applying the Blood to the Mercy Seat. (Exodus 28:35)
The Shekinah Glory of God appeared over the Mercy Seat between the Cherubim as Aaron completed his ministrations. (Leviticus 16:2)
Psalm 80:1 refers to Jehovah as dwelling between the Cherubim in the Tabernacle and in Heaven.
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, The Glory of God alighted upon Him in the form of a dove
Jesus promised the Baptism of the Holy Spirit after He ascended to His Father. This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost and throughout the Book of Acts. Paul says that you and I as believers in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ through the New Birth of Water and Spirit are now temples of the Holy Ghost. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)
The Holiness of God cannot look upon the sinfulness of man. (Habakkuk 1:13) A veil had to separate the Holy of Holies as a very sacred dwelling place for the Spirit of Jehovah God.
The elaborate rituals required of Aaron was a reminder that man could not thoughtlessly enter into God’s Holy Presence. The High Priest had to prepare himself as listed above before he could approach a Holy God.
This veil in Herod’s Temple was torn from top to bottom at the very moment Jesus died on the cross. Paul states that we may now enter into the Holy of Holies freely with the Blood of Jesus covering our sins. (Hebrews10:19-23)
The Old Testament Tabernacle was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Instead of tables of stone and a list of rules, God now writes His Law upon the hearts of His believers. Our conscience or spirit-man is made alive via the New Birth and convicts us via the Holy Spirit when we do wrong and when we do right, keeping us mindful of the coming judgment for all flesh. (John 16:8, Romans 2:14-15)
We no longer have to depend upon a priest to make intercession for our sins. Christ’s body was the veil torn on the cross, just as the veil was torn in the temple, and now we have access to God through Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19-20)
Jesus was our Lamb slain for the sins of the world. (John 1:29) Now Jesus is at the right hand of God making intercession for us. (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:35)
When God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sinfulness. He sees the righteousness of Christ covering us as our New Covenant Atonement. (Romans8:1, II Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 3:3)
There was no light in the Holy of Holies. The only light came from the glow of the burning coals of Incense and from the Shekinah Glory of God when He accepted the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement.
Jesus is the Light of the World. He is the Shekinah Glory of God manifested in a body. A body of flesh while on earth and now a Glorified body in heaven. His Holy Spirit is the light displayed in His believers around the world until He Raptures us to be with Him.
The Throne Room of God in Heaven is described in Isaiah 6:1-7. Smoke as the Glory of God fills His house. Jesus said that there are many rooms in His Father’s house and that He is preparing a place for us so that we could be where He is. (John 14:1-4)
John saw the prayers of saints ascending into the Throne Room of God as incense. ( Revelation8:1-4)
When the Lord returns to reign from New Jerusalem as King of kings, the city will be filled with His Glory. The sun and moon will not be needed anymore for light.
There will be no temple or Tabernacle there because Jesus Christ becomes the Temple as the Light of the nations of the world. Nothing unclean will enter into God’s Presence ever again! Only those who are written in the Book of Life will be able to enjoy the Holy of Holies with God Almighty for eternity! (Revelation 21:9-27)