The Light of the Tabernacle 

By John E. Thomas

Have you ever seen a movie where someone steps into a room full of doors? Behind each of the doors is a treasure, a surprise, or maybe even another room full of doors. I feel like some truths are like that. The more I explore, the more I find to explore! The tabernacle is one of those truths.  

I have been studying the tabernacle on and off for almost twenty years, and I keep finding more secrets. I could write books on what I have discovered, yet I still feel there is so much more to find. I want to touch on one of those truths here. I hope to open a door, take you into the room, and then reveal the room behind it. 

Exploring Three Rooms 

 
The tabernacle is one structure made up of three rooms—the outer court, the holy place, and the holy of holies. These three rooms represent multiple things. They are time periods. The outer court is the time from Adam to Moses. The holy place is the time from Moses to Jesus, and the holy of holies is the time from Jesus until the end. 

 
They represent aspects of the Christian life. The outer court is where you find salvation and learn that you are forgiven. Where you are baptized. The holy place is where you grow in the presence of God and learn about healing and revelation and the life of prayer. The holy of holies is where you walk in God’s ways, understanding authority and the life of holiness, living in the fear of the Lord. 

 
They also reveal three types of light. The outer court is natural light. On the fourth day, God created the sun, moon, and stars—natural light. The holy place is spoken light. Before the first day, God said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3) and light became. The light that is the fabric of creation. The holy of holies is the eternal light. God is light. He does not have a beginning or an end; He never changes. He is the Father of lights (Jas. 1:17). He pulls us out of the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9; Eph. 5:8). 

Discerning God’s Voice and Will 

These three lights talk about three ways that we discern what God is saying, what His will is. In the outer court, we recognize His will through His created order. All that exists speaks of Him. We can know truth and the way to please God from looking at creation (Rom. 1:18–20). We can know His will through what He has spoken: the Ten Commandments and the royal law of love (Jas. 2:8; John 13:34).  

In the holy place, we can hear Him through revelatory gifts. His voice speaking through thoughts, dreams, visions, angels, Scripture, circumstances, or a multitude of other sources. The gifts of the Spirit point us to His will and empower us to accomplish it. 

 
In the holy of holies, we can discern His will only through recognizing His presence. His very essence guides us. We start to think a certain way or do a certain thing, and we sense His presence lifting. Quickly we return to where we were before. We feel His pleasure toward something or someone and discern His leading. God in us, the uniting of human spirit and divine Spirit (1 Cor. 6:17), becomes our guide. 

Going Deeper 
 

I long to know Him more. I am journeying to the place where I am not only led by what I can learn and study, by the revelatory gifts He has given, but by His very presence. Where His smile guides me more clearly than an angelic visitation. It is possible to live in this place. We can have confidence to enter into the holy of holies because the torn flesh of our High Priest has made a way. A new and living way. The veil is torn and we are invited deeper (Heb. 10:19–20). Let’s keep going further with God—more is waiting, yet to be discovered! 

 
If you want to learn more about the tabernacle, I encourage you to listen to my four-part teaching called “The Tabernacle of Moses.” We explore the rooms and the seven pieces of furniture in much more detail. The teaching includes a free pdf download of a diagram and notes about the different elements to further your study. [Click here to learn more.]