True History - Veritas Card# 24 - The Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant

The Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant - Exodus 36-37

  Around the time period of 1444 - 1435 B.C., God wanted His people to build a tabernacle for Him. God had made the people ready so that they would give an offering in order for the Tabernacle to be built. There were many talented people and craftsmen that helped build it as well. A couple of them were Bezaleel and Aholiab. God gave them wisdom and the ability to do their work on it. The money that was brought in by the people was way more than expected, and Moses had to tell them to stop giving.
   The Tabernacle was a special place where the priests went to meet with God. There had to be special preparation for the priests as well, before they could go into the inner parts of the Tabernacle. Some of the items inside the Tabernacle were a golden candle stand and a table of show bread. It was lined with furs and beautiful fabrics. Inside the Tabernacle, there was a room that only priests could enter after they were prepared to bring in the offering. It was called the 'Holy of Holies'. This room contained the Ark of the Covenant, which was a wooden box overlaid with gold. The items inside of the Ark were the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded, and a jar of manna. The Holy of Holies had a thick curtain that separated it from the other parts of the Tabernacle.
   The priest would go into the Holy of Holies (or Most Holy Place) one time a year. He would sprinkle the blood of a lamb onto the Ark. This showed the people the importance of shedding blood for sin. There is only forgiveness for sin if blood is shed. In the Old Testament days, an animal was killed and used as an offering. The Lamb was used as a sacrifice to cover sin. Jesus was called the 'Lamb of God' because He would die for the people and become the sacrifice for them, one day. He did that 2000 years ago. When the lamb was sacrificed for the people, it caused the people to look forward to the Ultimate Sacrifice God was going to provide for His people. Lambs do not have to be sacrificed anymore because Jesus died once for all, to pay for our sin.