Portraits of Christ in the Old Testament Tabernacle | Series Overview
Charles H. Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers in church history, once said:
“If a man can preach one sermon without mentioning Christ’s name in it, it ought to be his last. All Scripture is full of Christ. From the first line of Genesis to the last line of Revelation, the Bible is about Him.”
That conviction lies at the heart of this study. The Old Testament Tabernacle vividly portrays Jesus Christ. Every piece of sacred furniture, every priestly act, and every sacrifice points forward to the coming Savior.
The Tabernacle was a movable “Tent of Meeting” that God commanded Moses to construct so that He might dwell among His covenant people, Israel (Exodus 25:8). Far from being a minor detail in Scripture, the Tabernacle dominates the narrative of the Old Testament. Nearly fifty chapters of the Bible are devoted to its design, construction, and ministry, while the creation of the world itself is described in just two chapters. Clearly, God intends for us to understand its meaning.
The Tabernacle is essential to understanding the gospel and the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. The entire sacrificial system established in the wilderness foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.
The Tabernacle and its surrounding courtyard were constructed according to God’s precise and detailed instructions. Nothing was left to human imagination. For approximately four centuries, from the time of the Exodus until the construction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, the Tabernacle served as Israel’s central place of worship—where sinful people could approach a holy God through sacrifice, mediation, and cleansing.
The Tabernacle was built using costly materials: gold, silver, bronze, acacia wood, and finely woven fabrics dyed with rare colors. The generosity of the Israelites was so overwhelming that Moses eventually had to command them to stop bringing offerings because more than enough had been given (Exodus 36:6–7).
In modern terms, the value of the materials would amount to many millions of dollars.
The entire courtyard measured approximately 150 feet long and 75 feet wide, roughly half the size of a football field. Yet within this relatively small space stood a sanctuary filled with profound theological meaning.
At the heart of Israel’s worship were seven sacred furnishings, each revealing a portrait of Jesus Christ.
1. The Brazen Altar
The Brazen Altar stood immediately inside the courtyard entrance. It was here that animals were sacrificed to atone for the people's sins.
The individual bringing the sacrifice placed his hands upon the animal's head, symbolically identifying with it and acknowledging that the animal would die in his place. The shedding of blood was essential because Scripture teaches that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).
Portrait:
Jesus Christ is the perfect and final sacrifice for sin. Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament, His sacrifice on the cross was once-for-all. Through His shed blood, the penalty of sin—past, present, and future—is fully satisfied for those who trust in Him.
2. The Bronze Laver
Between the Brazen Altar and the entrance to the Tabernacle stood the Bronze Laver. Here, the priests washed their hands and feet before entering the Holy Place to minister before the Lord.
The laver was fashioned from polished bronze mirrors donated by the women of Israel (Exodus 38:8). Its reflective surface would remind the priest that while outward cleansing was required, God ultimately sees the heart.
Portrait:
Though believers are justified through the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, we still require ongoing cleansing as we walk with the Lord. As 1 John 1:7 declares, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
3. The Golden Lampstand
After passing through the entrance curtain into the Holy Place, the priest encountered three pieces of sacred furniture.
On the south side stood the Golden Lampstand.
Unlike other furnishings, the lampstand was hammered from a single piece of pure gold and fueled by olive oil. Its seven branches provided the only light within the otherwise dark sanctuary.
Portrait:
Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Just as the lampstand illuminated the Holy Place, Christ illuminates the spiritual darkness of this world. Through Him, believers themselves become lights in a dark world.
4. The Table of Showbread
On the north side of the Holy Place stood the Table of Showbread.
Twelve loaves of bread made from fine flour were placed upon the table, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The bread was continually renewed each Sabbath and symbolized God’s provision and covenant fellowship with His people.
The Hebrew term, often translated “showbread,” literally means “bread of the presence.”
Portrait:
Jesus identified Himself as “the Bread of Life.”
In John 6:35, He said:
“Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”
Physical bread sustains the body temporarily, but Christ—the Bread of Life—gives eternal life to all who come to Him in faith.
5. The Altar of Incense
Standing just before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was the Altar of Incense.
Upon this altar, the priest burned a special blend of incense each morning and evening. God gave specific instructions for its composition, and it was forbidden to duplicate the mixture for any other purpose.
The rising fragrance symbolized the prayers of God’s people ascending before Him.
Portrait:
The prayers of believers are like sweet incense before God (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3–4). Through Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, our prayers are acceptable before the Father.
6. The Veil
The heavy veil separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, the most sacred space within the Tabernacle.
This veil represented the barrier between sinful humanity and a holy God. Only the High Priest could pass beyond it, and only once each year on the Day of Atonement.
When Jesus died on the cross, the Gospel of Matthew records that the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom(Matthew 27:51).
Portrait:
Through the sacrifice of Christ, the barrier between God and humanity has been removed. Access to God is no longer restricted to a Levitical priesthood. Every believer may now approach God directly through Jesus Christ.
7. The Ark of the Covenant
The central focus of the entire Tabernacle was the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant rested.
The Ark was a gold-covered chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments—the written expression of God’s covenant law. Above the Ark was the Mercy Seat, where the High Priest sprinkled sacrificial blood on the Day of Atonement.
Flanking the Mercy Seat were two cherubim whose wings overshadowed the sacred space where God promised to meet with His people.
Here, God spoke to the High Priest.
Here, justice and mercy met.
Portrait:
The Ark reveals the heart of the gospel. God is perfectly holy, and His law exposes human sin. Yet through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, mercy triumphs over judgment.
Christianity is not a religion in which human beings attempt to climb their way to God. It is the story of God reaching down to sinful humanity and providing the way of redemption through His Son.
Through Jesus Christ, God invites us into fellowship with Himself.
The Tabernacle tells that story with breathtaking clarity.
Listen and discover the profound spiritual lessons revealed in the Portraits of Christ in the Old Testament Tabernacle.
