The tabernacle, where the Israelites worshiped God, was surrounded by an uncovered space, called a court. This court was closed in by curtains, which were made of fine linen, and hung upon brass posts. The curtains Were between seven and eight feet high. At the end toward the east was an opening, through which the priests and their helpers might enter.
Near the entrance, or door of the court, stood a great altar. This was called the “altar of burnt offering.” You remember that when-ever people of those times wished to worship God they built altars. Upon those altars they laid their gifts and sacrifices and burned them. They always built their altars of earth or of stones piled up. This altar of the tabernacle was built differently. It was built of thin boards, because God wanted the people to carry it with them wherever they journeyed. It was like a square box without bottom or top, and covered on the inside and on the outside with brass so that it would not catch fire and be burned. Inside this altar a metal grating was fastened on which the fire was kindled. The ashes would fall through this grating to the ground. The altar was about five feet high and about seven feet square. Two long poles were fastened to two opposite sides of it, through rings at the corners, and whenever the Israelites moved their camp the priests carried the altar by placing the poles upon their shoulders.
Near the altar of burnt offering stood a large basin, or tank, called a laver. When the tabernacle was set up, this laver was filled with water, to be used by the priests for washing their hands and feet, and perhaps for washing parts of the offerings. Much water was needed for the worship of the tabernacle.
Further in the court stood the tabernacle itself. The walls of this place were made of boards covered with gold and placed on silver bases. The roof was made of four curtains, one laid above another. The inner curtain was of very beautiful cloth, while the outer curtain was made of skins of animals, to keep out the rain. The front of the tabernacle opened into the court. There was no door, but sometimes a curtain hung before the opening.
The tabernacle was divided into two rooms by a beautiful linen curtain, which hung from the roof. The first room, which opened into the court, was called the “holy place”;”; and the second room, which had no entrance except through the holy place, was called the “holy of holies.”
In the first room were three things: a table, a golden candlestick, and a small altar. The table was covered with gold, and twelve loaves of bread were placed upon it, as if the people of each tribe were giving an offering of food to God. The golden candlestick was made of pure gold, and it held seven burning lights. The small altar was called the “altar of incense,” because sweet perfumes were burning upon it. The fire upon this altar was to be lighted from the altar of burnt offering. Everything in this room was made of gold or was covered with gold—even the board walls on each side. And the curtain-hangings and the curtain-ceiling were decorated with beautiful colors.
The second room contained only the “ark of the covenant.” This ark was a box, or chest, covered entirely with gold, on the inside and on the outside. The lid of this box was called the “mercy-seat.” At each end of the mercy-seat was a strange figure, these were called cherubim. They were made of gold. The two stone tablets upon which God had written the words of the Ten Commandments were placed within the ark of the covenant.
All the furniture of the tabernacle was built so that it could be easily carried from one place to another. And the board walls were made so that they could be taken apart and moved with the furniture and the brass posts and the cur-
When the tabernacle was set up in the middle of the camp, God moved the cloud above it and filled it with his glory. Every day the cloud rested upon the tabernacle, and every night a flame of tire leaped from its roof. And all the people saw these things, and they knew that God was living among them.