The Tabernacle of Witness

by Terry Wane Benton

Why was the Tabernacle in Israel referenced as “the Tabernacle of Witness?” The inspired scriptures may provide several different reasons.

1. It was designed to testify to God’s Presence in the pillar of cloud and in the pillar of fire that demonstrated His Presence in the midst of the camp of the Israelites. Thus, Divine Demonstration was observed in the center of the camp so they could witness the glory cloud come into the Most Holy Place. So they could constantly witness the work of His priests functioning in services offered on behalf of the faithful in Israel in their viewing presence.
2. Offerings for sin were constantly witnessed in the courtyard of the Tabernacle. They could constantly observe the sacrifices offered on the altar, the priests washing at the laver before going into the holy place of the tent or temple. They observed the yearly special day of atonement, the High Priest cleansing himself and taking blood that they knew he would take into the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement. All of this illustrated and foreshadowed the coming greater spiritual work of the Messiah. The Tabernacle and later the Temple were designed to keep sin offerings before the people so they would never forget sin and the need to address it before God.
3. By foreshadowing the work of the Messiah, all can witness that the tabernacle told of Jesus ahead of time, and none could argue that God did not have a representative Presence demonstrated in our midst. Jesus was God with us, God tabernacled and demonstrated in the midst of humanity, and truly He was a demonstration of God dealing effectively with sin on our behalf.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33).