A Divine Design

9 used by the priests to wash themselves before serving at the altar or in the tabernacle. Holy Place Furnishings The entrance into the sanctuary was a thick curtain made of blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It hung from ve pillars made from acacia wood plated with gold and set in ve bronze bases. It brought priests into the room called the Holy Place. In the Holy Place were three articles of furniture. To the north side was the table of showbread (“presence bread”). It was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and was about three feet long, one-and-a-half feet wide, and two-and-a-quarter feet tall. At its top were two borders of gold molding shaped like crowns. God instructed Moses, “You shall set the showbread on the table before Me always” (Exodus 25:30). On the south side of the Holy Place stood a large menorah, a seven-branch lamp made of solid gold. It had gold cups to hold the olive oil and wicks that were “to burn continually” (Exodus 27:20); its seven branches were beautifully decorated with owers. The lampstand weighed about 75 pounds and provided light in the enclosed room. Located in front of the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was the altar of incense. It was also made of acacia wood covered in gold. This upright, rectangular piece of furniture was about one-and-a-half feet in width and depth and stood about three feet high. As with the table of showbread, the altar of incense had gold molding shaped like crowns around the top edge, and like the altar of burnt o ering, its corners were topped with four horns. Incense was burned daily on this small altar before the Lord, whose presence was behind the veil in the Most Holy Place. Most Holy Place Furnishing Behind the separating curtain was the most sacred space in the tabernacle, called the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place. This inner sanctum was the primary place the presence of God appeared. The Most Holy Place was a square room approximately 18 feet in height, depth, and width. It was entered into only once a year by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. Only one piece of furniture was found in the Most Holy Place: the ark of the covenant. This chest was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold inside and out. It was about three-and-three-quarters feet long and two-and- a-quarter feet in height and depth. A solid gold lid was made for the top and was called the mercy seat. Mounted on each side of the chest were gures of two golden angels, winged cherubim looking