⁶ Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship …

Worship symbolism abounds, particularly where the Jewish tabernacle is concerned. The layout and placement all had their meanings, like a piece of art conveying a message intended by the artist. However, the symbolism of the Jewish place of worship was more than merely decorative; it was in its essence functional. And the function was symbolic as well.

The priests, who as you remember are descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses, were the ones to enter the tabernacle with the sacrifices for the people. The priests would routinely bring the sacrifices of the people into the outer area of the tabernacle, the Holy Place. All sacrifices except the one for the Day of Atonement would take place here. It was here that the priests would bring the Sin Offering, the Burnt Offerings and the rest.

Realistically it was a bloody mess, as the altar would be covered with the carcasses of animals, with the blood poured out at the base of the altar. The sights and sounds might be akin to that of a butcher shop. Our sterilized images of it preserve us from what would have been a common, everyday experience of the priests. Death permeated the ancient world, where it was regularly seen up close; and death was fully incorporated into the worship of Israel.

How perturbing, it seems to us, that God would use such an earthy, bizarre form of worship! What kind of God would actually require worshipers to kill an animal and bring its dead body as a gift to Him? Judging from our verse today, this wasn’t just a one time deal, nor was it simply a debased human effort to appease a capricious god. It is called “divine worship,” something God prescribed. It was part of the ritualistic service for God’s benefit, which is what the underlying meaning of the word “worship” conveys.

Whatever we may think of how we should worship today, we must always keep in mind that it is God who determines how we should approach Him. He has never left it up to humans to design worship. How many people today ignore Jesus’ teaching that the place of worship is no longer important? Rather it is the heart of worship that God is looking for. Is that not the message He gave to the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well (see John 4:21-24)? One wonders at the religiously errant of today who put much stock in iconography and architecture to “aid” in worship. We don’t need new symbols, we need merely to study the old ones God has given us in Scripture.

Lord, thank You for the symbolism of the Tabernacle and its worship forms. They teach us much about Christ, the true object of our worship.