The Tabernacle and Sacrifice
The Tabernacle was a portable temple for the children of Israel
while they sojourned in the wilderness. Though they had chosen at that time not
to enter into God’s presence, they were still preparing for the time that they
would be able to do that.
The Law of Sacrifice helped them look forward to the Coming
of Christ, and there worship in the temple helped them develop the covenant
relationship with the Lord as they learned more about His love and His laws.
Similarly, we go to the temple to worship, to serve, and to learn about our
Savior Jesus Christ and prepare to one day enter into His presence.
Alma
25:16
16 Now they did not suppose that salvation came by
the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their
faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto
eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those
things to come.
Exodus
25:8
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I
may dwell among them.
“Within the tabernacle, the presence of God was represented
by the ark of the covenant—a wooden box, covered with gold, containing the
written record of God’s covenant with His people. The ark was kept in the
holiest, innermost room, separated from the rest of the tabernacle by a veil.
This veil can symbolize our separation from the presence of God because of the
Fall, as well as our way back to Him—through the Savior.”
Exodus
26:34
34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of
the testimony in the most holy place.
“Knowing what you know about Jesus Christ and His role in
Heavenly Father’s plan, can you see how the tabernacle points us to the Savior?
Just as the tabernacle, and the ark within it, represented God’s presence among
His people, Jesus Christ was God’s presence among His people. Like
the high priest, Jesus Christ is the Mediator between us and God the Father. He
passed through the veil to make intercession for us by virtue of the blood of
His own sacrifice.”
“The temple is the house of the Lord—His dwelling place
among His people. Like the tabernacle’s most holy place, the temple’s celestial
room represents the presence of God. To enter, we must first be washed and
anointed. We wear sacred clothing. We make covenants. We pray at an altar from
which prayers ascend to God. And we finally pass through a veil into God’s
presence.”
“Perhaps the most important similarity between modern
temples and the ancient tabernacle is that both, if understood correctly,
strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and fill us with gratitude for His atoning
sacrifice. God wants all of His children to enter into His presence; He wants
“a kingdom of priests” and priestesses.”
Exodus
19:6 6 And ye shall be unto me
a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the
words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
1 Nephi
10:21 We needed the atonement, because “no unclean thing can dwell with God.”
Hebrews
9:11 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good
things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Hebrews
4:16 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need.
Today, we do not only go to the temple to receive covenants
and ordinances for our own progression and salvation, but for the whole human
family.
Leviticus
16:30
“On that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that
ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.”
Finish listening to lesson; come back to study this at a
later date.
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