Values Education

Central Bukidnon Institute

Zone 6, Bagontaas Valencia City
Name: Salado, Bella May B.
Date: March 17, 2017
Section: Zircon 9

THE SANCTUARY
I. Sanctuary

A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine.

By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come
to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be
categorized into human sanctuary, a safe place for humans, such as a
political sanctuary; and non-human sanctuary, such as an animal or
plant sanctuary.

Sanctuary is a word derived from the Latin sanctuarium, which is like

most words ending in -arium, a container for keeping something inin
this case holy things or perhaps holy people, sancta or sancti. The
meaning was extended to places of holiness or safety. A religious
sanctuary may be a sacred place consecrated area of a church or
temple around its tabernacle or altar.
In the Old Testament the word miqdas [v'D.qim] (from qds, "holy, "
implying a distinction between space that is "sacred" versus "profane")
 commonly refers to the worship "sanctuary" (e.g., Exod 25:8 ), where
the Israelites offered their various kinds of offerings and sacrifices to
the Lord under the supervision of the priesthood. As in English,
however, where the word "sanctuary" can sometimes refer to a
"refuge, " there are two instances where the Lord refers to himself
metaphorically as the "sanctuary" (i.e., refuge) of faithful Israelites in
distress ( Isa 8:14 ; Ezek 11:16 ). The more abstract term qodes
("holiness, sacredness") also many times refers concretely to a "holy
place" (e.g., Exod 30:13 ).
In the New Testament hagios [a&gio"] (i.e., "holy [place]") means
"sanctuary in nine instances, all in the Book of Hebrews. It also occurs
three times as an adjective for the temple as the "holy place" of Israel (
Matt 24:15 ; Acts 6:13 ; 21:28 ). Other Old Testament and New
Testament words may sometimes refer to or can even be translated
"sanctuary" in some English versions, but none of them actually mean
"sanctuary, " strictly speaking.

II. Furniture in the Courtyard

Alter of Brunt Offering

The altar was overlaid with brass; the laver and all the vessels of the
court that were used in the services connected with the altar were of
brass. The great brazen altar was placed between the sanctuary and
the gate, but nearer the gate than the sanctuary (Exodus 40:6-7). No
part of the sanctuary or of the court was made according to the plans
of men; but every part was fashioned after the divine model. When the
Lord had given Moses the directions in regard to making the brazen
altar, He added, "As it was showed thee in the mount, so shall they
make it" (Exodus 27:
 Laver

The laver, or basin, was a large bowl filled with water located halfway
between the brazen altar and the Holy Place. Although God did not
give specific measurements for the Laver, it was to be made entirely of
bronze. The priests were to wash their hands and their feet in it before
entering the Holy Place.

The laver was located in a convenient place for washing and stood as a
reminder that people need cleansing before approaching God. The
priests atoned for their sins through a sacrifice at the brazen altar, but
they cleansed themselves at the laver before serving in the Holy Place,
so that they would be pure and not die before a holy God.

III. Furniture of the Holy Place

Golden Candlesticks

The golden candlestick with its seven golden lamps was on the south
side of the first apartment of the sanctuary. It was made of gold beaten
into shape by the workman's hammer (Exodus 25:31-37). John, the
beloved disciple, was permitted to look into the first apartment of the
sanctuary in heaven, and there he beheld seven golden candlesticks.
 He also beheld the Saviour in the midst of the glorious candlesticks, of
which the earthly one was a shadow.

Christ, in explaining to John the meaning of what he had seen, said,

"The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches"
(Revelation 1:12-20). The number seven in the Bible denotes a
complete number. The candlestick of beaten gold with its seven bowls
for the lamps was an "example and shadow of heavenly things"
(Hebrews 8:5). Its seven branches, each holding aloft a lamp,
represented the church of God.

Table of Shew Bread

The table of showbread was a small table made of acacia wood and
overlaid with pure gold. It measured 3 feet by 1.5 feet and was 2 feet,
3 inches high. It stood on the right side of the Holy Place across from
the lampstand and held 12 loaves of bread, representing the 12 tribes
of Israel. The priests baked the bread with fine flour and it remained on
the table before the Lord for a week; every Sabbath day the priests
would remove it and eat it in the Holy Place, then put fresh bread on
the table. Only priests could eat the bread, and it could only be eaten
in the Holy Place, because it was holy.

Showbread also was called bread of the presence because it was to

be always in the Lords presence. The table and the bread were a
picture of Gods willingness to fellowship and communion (literally
speaking, sharing something in common) with man. It was like an
invitation to share a meal, an extension of friendship. Eating together
often is an act of fellowship. God was willing for man to enter into His
presence to fellowship with Him, and this invitation was always open.
 Altar of Incense

The golden altar of incense, which is not to be confused with the

brazen altar, sat in front of the curtain that separated the Holy Place
from the Holy of Holies. This altar was smaller than the brazen altar. It
was a square with each side measuring 1.5 feet and was 3 feet high. It
was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. Four horns
protruded from the four corners of the altar.
God commanded the priests to burn incense on the golden altar every
morning and evening, the same time that the daily burnt offerings
were made. The incense was to be left burning continually throughout
the day and night as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It was made of an
equal part of four precious spices (stacte, onycha, galbanum and
frankincense) and was considered holy. God commanded the Israelites
not to use the same formula outside the tabernacle to make perfume
for their own consumption; otherwise, they were to be cut off from
their people (Exodus 30:34-38).

The incense was a symbol of the prayers and intercession of the

people going up to God as a sweet fragrance. God wanted His dwelling
to be a place where people could approach Him and pray to Him.
IV. Furniture in the Most Holy Place
The Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant (Hebrew: rn Habbrt, modern

pron. Aron haBrit), also known as the Ark of the Testimony, is a gold-
covered wooden chest described in the Book of Exodus as containing
the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. According to various
texts within the Hebrew Bible, it also contained Aaron's rod and a pot
of manna.[1]

The biblical account relates that, approximately one year after the
Israelites' exodus from Egypt, the Ark was created according to the
pattern given to Moses by God when the Israelites were encamped at
the foot of biblical Mount Sinai. Thereafter, the gold-plated acacia chest
was carried by its staves while en route by the Levites approximately
2,000 cubits (approximately 800 meters or 2,600 feet) in advance of
the people when on the march or before the Israelite army, the host of
fighting men.[2] When carried, the Ark was always hidden under a
large veil made of skins and blue cloth, always carefully concealed,
even from the eyes of the priests and the Levites who carried it. God
was said to have spoken with Moses "from between the two cherubim"
on the Ark's cover.[3] When at rest the tabernacle was set up and the
holy Ark was placed under the veil of the covering the staves of it
crossing the middle side bars to hold it up off the ground.