The Sign of the Tabernacle

Matthew 12:38-42, “Some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’ He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.’”

The Pharisees were constantly looking for a sign, even though the signs were right there in front of them: miracles, fulfillment of prophecies, many things that apparently proved Christ’s deity to even those Pharisees who were willing to see it – Nicodemus (John 3).

To know that God has left us many signs of His power and His plan for salvation is astounding. From the life and union of Adam and Eve as a sign of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:30-32), to the Passover lamb as a sign of the Messiah (John 1:29). Seeing these symbols and events helps us realize how “living and active” the word of God really is (Hebrews 4:12).

Paul said in Romans 1:19-20, “What may be known about God is plain to [us], because God has made it plain to [us]. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

When the Messiah, Jesus, finally arrived there were enough signs out there that people knew to some degree what to look for and where to look (Matthew 2:4-6). One of the most prized possessions in the Jewish culture actually served as a model of the plan of salvation—the Tabernacle (later the Temple).

Consider this: Before you could enter the Holy place, you were to offer a sacrifice (the best you had), and you washed in the basin (Laver) outside of the doorway. Before you are part of God’s temple—the body of Christ—you offer yourself (humbly repent), and are baptized. It is only after you do that can you enter the Holy place where the show-bread, the lampstand, and the incense were located.
Then we can see the significance in the “bread of life” (John 6:51), the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-16, Revelations 1:20), and the “sweet aroma to God” (Ephesians 5:2, Revelations 8:4). All of these describe the life of a follower of Christ. The only remaining room was the Holy of Holies, which couldn’t be accessed except by the High Priest and only once per year with the right sacrifice. However, Jesus, who is our High Priest, offered the perfect sacrifice which removed the veil that separated us from the most Holy place. Thank God that He cares enough for us that He has left plenty of signs to help us in our faith.