The first thing a sinner saw upon entering the courtyard of the sanctuary was the "altar of burnt offering". On this, the priests sacrificed all the offerings brought to them by the people each day (see Exodus 27). Both the sacrifices and the altar itself pointed to Christ Who sacrificed His own life so that repentant sinners might live and find peace with God.

John 1:29 Isaiah 53:7 Hebrews 13:10

Before the priest could offer any sacrifice upon the altar of burnt offering, he had to first wash his hands in the laver (See Exodus 30:17-21). This showed that God required purity and cleanliness from those who mediated between Him and His people. Because Christ alone among men has epitomized the purity God requires of a mediator, He alone can truly mediate for fallen man.

Hebrews 7:26-27 Matthew 27:4 1 Peter 2:21-22

Against the south wall of the holy place stood a golden candlestick with seven lamps. At least one of the lamps was always lighted. Each morning and evening the high priest trimmed and lit the lamps and replenished the oil which they burned (See Exodus 37:17-23; 30:7,8) The candlestick represented both Christ and His people - all who convey the light of truth. Those whose hearts are set aflame by the oil of the Holy Spirit bless others and act as lights to them.

Revelation 4:5 Revelation 1:20 John 1:6-9

Each morning and evening, the priests took coals of fire from the altar of burnt offering and placed them on a small altar before the veil which separated the holy place of the sanctuary from the most holy place. They then placed incense on these coals so that smoke ascended and filled the two apartments (See Exodus 30:1-10). This represented the work of Christ as He presents the prayers of His people before God mixed with His own righteousness.

Revelation 8:2-4 1 Peter 2:5 Hebrews 9

Against the north wall of the holy place stood a small table, upon which the priests placed bread each Sabbath. Each week, the priests ate the old bread and placed new loaves on the table. This bread was called "shewbread" or "bread of the presence," because it remained before the presence of the Lord (See Exodus 25:23-30). It represented Christ, Who is ever in the presence of God for us. Just as surely as we need food to live, so we need Christ, "the Living Bread".

John 6:35-63

In the Most Holy Place stood a golden ark. It housed two pieces of stone upon which God had written His law with His own finger. The "mercy seat", a golden lid which sat upon the ark, covered the law. At each end of the mercy seat stood the figure of an angel bowing in adoration (See Exodus 25:10-22). The ark, combining as it did visual expressions of God's law and His mercy, represented the very character of God, for in Him justice and mercy meet. Just as the Jews turned their attention to the most holy place on the Day of Atonement, so just before Christ returns to this earth, God directs the attention of His people to the ark in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.

Revelation 11:19