The Most Holy Place

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The Most Holy Place is the inner room of the Sanctuary (Tabernacle), and it is the place where the ark of the covenant, which held the Ten Commandments, was kept. It was separated from the Holy Place by a curtain, and only the high priest could enter through by shedding the blood of animals once a year. This is a prophecy to show that the way to the Most Holy Place would be opened through the blood of Christ who came to this earth as the High Priest.

Sanctuary (tabernacle)

Name

The Most Holy Place literally means the holiest place. Sanctuary is called Kodesh (קֹדֶשׁ) in Hebrew, meaning holy thing. The Most Holy Place in Hebrew is Kodesh HaKodashim (קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים) meaning the Holy of Holies.[1] To distinguish Most Holy Place from the outer sanctuary, it is also called the inner sanctuary. The sanctuary (tabernacle) is a term that refers to both the outer and inner sanctuaries.[2] It can also refer to the sanctuary and the courtyard.[3]

Location and Structure

Floor plan of the sanctuary

The Holy Place was built under the direction of Moses, according to the pattern God showed him, when the Israelites were living in the desert after being freed from Egypt.[4][5] The walls of the sanctuary were made of frames overlaid with gold,[6] and the roof was covered with four layers of curtains.[7] On the outside, it looks like one sanctuary, but on the inside, it is divided into two with the innermost part named the Most Holy Place.

“Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman... Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.”

Exodus 26:31–33

Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place.

Hebrews 9:3


The Most Holy Place is a special place in the sanctuary, and it is separated from the outer sanctuary by a curtain of finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it. The Most Holy Place was ten cubits long, wide, and high.[8] After the Israelites settled down in Canaan, they built a fixed temple instead of a portable tabernacle.[9] The Most Holy Place in the temple (Jerusalem Temple), which was built larger than the tabernacle, was also a cube.

He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high.

1 Kings 6:19–20


  • Structure of the Tabernacle

For details, refer to: Sanctuary (Tabernacle)
Area
Size (WxDxH)
Articles
Who Can Enter
Courtyard
Approx. 25m×50m×2.5m[10]
Altar of Burnt Offering, Basin[11]
Holy Place
Approx. 5m×15m×5m
Altar of Incense,[12] Lampstands, Table of Bread[13]
Priest[14]
Most Holy Place
Approx. 5m×5m×5m
Ark of the Covenant
High Priest[15]

Role

Model of the ark of the covenant

The ark of the covenant was kept in the Most Holy Place.[16][17] This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the Ten Commandments that were written on stone tablets that God gave to Moses.[18] The cover of the ark of the covenant is called the atonement cover. On both sides of the atonement cover, two cherubim faced each other.[19] The forgiveness of sins and God’s grace were bestowed between the cherubim. The seat of atonement is called the “mercy seat” because God’s mercy is bestowed there.

“Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. . . . Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.”

Exodus 25:17; 21–22


Entering the Most Holy Place

Entering the Most Holy Place Through the Shedding of Blood

Not everyone could enter the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest was able to enter it, only after making atonement by sprinkling the blood of animals on the Day of Atonement, which is only once a year.[20]

“The priest [high priest] . . . is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, . . . Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”

Leviticus 16:32–34

But only the high priest entered the inner room [Most Holy Place], and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Hebrews 9:7


Entering the Most Holy Place was strictly forbidden because of the Ten Commandments that were kept inside the ark of the covenant. After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, two cherubim guarded the way with flaming swords so that sinners could not eat from the tree of life.[21] The ark of the covenant was also guarded by two cherubim,[22] which shows that the Ten Commandments in the ark of the covenant represent the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. Whoever treated the ark of the covenant carelessly was put to death.[23] When entering the Most Holy Place where the ark of the covenant was kept, the shedding of blood of the animal sacrifice for atonement was to be made first.

Entering Through With the Blood of Christ

The law of the Old Testament was a shadow to show the reality of what would happen in the future. We cannot be made perfect through the Old Testament law (i.e., through animal sacrifice). Only through the blood of Christ, who is the reality of the sacrifice, can we obtain the complete forgiveness of sins.

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship . . . because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:1–4


The blood of animals offered in the sanctuary represents the precious blood of Christ shed on the cross. Christ came as the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek and was sacrificed for mankind who was destined to die.[24][25] The curtain in the sanctuary was torn when Jesus died on the cross and His flesh was torn.[26] This means that the way to the heavenly Most Holy Place was opened as the curtain was removed through the blood of Christ.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.

Hebrews 10:19–20


In the Most Holy Place was the ark of the covenant which symbolized the tree of life.[21][22] Since the tree of life, which sinners were not allowed to touch, was kept in the Most Holy Place, the entrance into the Most Holy Place was strictly prohibited; however, the way to it was opened through Jesus’ death. As a result, mankind was able to receive eternal life as they were freed from death by going to the heavenly Most Holy Place and eating from the tree of life.

The Reality of the Most Holy Place

The Most Holy Place and Heavenly Jerusalem

Apostle John was led by an angel and was shown the heavenly New Jerusalem.[27] The city was in the shape of a cube with the same length, width, and height.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. . . . The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.

Revelation 21:10–16


Heavenly Jerusalem is God’s city located at the center of the great universe, and God, the angels, and the spirits of righteous men made perfect are there.[28] The structure of the heavenly Jerusalem, which is in the shape of a cube with the same height, width, and length, is identical to the structure of the Most Holy Place. Also, there is the tree of life in the heavenly city of Jerusalem.[29] The fact that the heavenly Jerusalem has the same length, width, and height and that the tree of life is in it means that the Most Holy Place in the earthly sanctuary represents the heavenly city of Jerusalem.

Heavenly Jerusalem Mother

The heavenly city of Jerusalem is a symbol representing the bride at the heavenly wedding banquet. Just as the bridegroom at the heavenly wedding banquet represents the Lamb, the bride is represented by the heavenly city of Jerusalem.

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. . . .

Revelation 21:9–10


The Bible also tells us that the heavenly Jerusalem is God the Mother, the spiritual Mother of the saints.

But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.

Galatians 4:26


Therefore, the bride described as heavenly Jerusalem is God the Mother. The prophecy of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven refers to the appearance of God the Mother.

The fact that the characteristics of heavenly Jerusalem correspond to those of the Most Holy Place of the earthly sanctuary means that Heavenly Mother is the reality of the Most Holy Place. According to the prophecy of Revelation, God the Mother, who is the bride, plays the role of the Most Holy Place in the Age of the Holy Spirit when the Lamb and His wife, the Spirit and the Bride, appear. The history of the Old Testament when the Ten Commandments (meaning the tree of life) were kept in the Most Holy Place is a shadow. This shows that those who go to Heavenly Mother, the reality of the Most Holy Place, can receive the water of life and receive eternal life.


The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Revelation 22:17


Related videos

  • Sermon: Heavenly Mother & the Most Holy Place

See also

References

  1. ↑ Defining Holiest of Holies and THE Holy of Holies, The Jewish Star, February 16, 2022
  2. ↑ "Hebrews 10:19–20".
  3. ↑ "Leviticus 6:26".
  4. ↑ "Exodus 25:9".
  5. ↑ "Hebrews 8:5".
  6. ↑ "Exodus 26:15, 29".
  7. ↑ "Exodus 26:1–14".
  8. ↑ "Exodus 36:20–21".
  9. ↑ "1 Kings 6:1".
  10. ↑ "Exodus 27:18".
  11. ↑ "Exodus 40:29–30".
  12. ↑ "Exodus 30:1–6".
  13. ↑ "Exodus 26:35".
  14. ↑ "Numbers 3:7–10".
  15. ↑ "Hebrews 9:7".
  16. ↑ "Exodus 26:34".
  17. ↑ "2 Chronicles 5:7".
  18. ↑ "Hebrews 9:3–4".
  19. ↑ "Exodus 25:18–20".
  20. ↑ "Exodus 30:10".
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Genesis 3:24".
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Exodus 37:1–9".
  23. ↑ "2 Samuel 6:6–7".
  24. ↑ "Romans 6:23".
  25. ↑ "Hebrews 6:19–20".
  26. ↑ "Matthew 27:50–51".
  27. ↑ "Revelation 21:2".
  28. ↑ "Hebrews 12:22–23".
  29. ↑ "Revelation 22:2".
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