The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place were two distinct chambers within the tabernacle of the Old Testament and later within the temple in Jerusalem. They formed the two innermost rooms which symbolized God’s presence among His people. The Holy Place represented God’s nearness while the Most Holy Place signified God’s full dwelling.
The Tabernacle Layout
The tabernacle was a portable tent-like structure that the Israelites used for worship during their wilderness wanderings after the Exodus from Egypt. The tabernacle layout consisted of an outer court and two inner chambers – the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33-34).
The outer court contained the bronze altar for burnt offerings and the bronze laver for ceremonial washing. The Holy Place housed the golden lampstand, the table for the bread of the Presence, and the gold altar of incense. The innermost Most Holy Place enshrined the Ark of the Covenant which represented God’s throne and presence (Exodus 25:10-22). A heavy veil or curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31-33).
This arrangement of spaces and furnishings reflected different levels of holiness and increasing limitations on access from the outer court to the inner chambers. Only priests could enter the Holy Place to tend the lamps and offerings. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2).
The Temple Layout
The temple in Jerusalem later incorporated a similar three-part structure. The inner chambers remained the Holy Place and Most Holy Place but on a grander scale. The temple Holy Place contained the same items as the tabernacle but 10 golden lampstands instead of one. The Most Holy Place enshrined the Ark of the Covenant as before.
However, the temple expanded the outer court into a series of increasingly-restricted courts. The Court of the Gentiles was open to all people while the Court of Women was open to all Jewish worshippers. The Court of Israel admitted only Jewish men. The Court of the Priests separated the inner courts from the Holy Place (Ezekiel 42:13-14). But the basic division between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place persisted as in the original tabernacle.
The Holy Place
The Holy Place represented God’s nearness and accessibility to His people. As the first chamber inside the tabernacle / temple, it was the space where priests mediated between the people and God via offerings and intercession.
The Holy Place contained three significant articles:
- The golden lampstand provided light for the Holy Place (Exodus 25:31-40). This seven-branched lampstand symbolized God’s Spirit and His word (Psalm 119:105).
- The table displayed the 12 loaves of the bread of the Presence which was replaced weekly (Leviticus 24:5-9). This consecrated bread recalled God’s provision.
- The altar of incense burned sweet incense before the veil screening the Most Holy Place (Exodus 30:1-10). The smoke rising from this altar represented the people’s prayers.
The arrangement and rituals associated with these three items conveyed that God was present in Israel’s midst to illuminate, provide, and hear in the Holy Place. The Holy Place was sacred space where God met regularly with His people.
The Most Holy Place
While God was present in the Holy Place, the innermost Most Holy Place represented His full dwelling. The Most Holy Place enshrined the Ark of the Covenant which embodied His presence and glory (Exodus 25:10-22).
The Ark was a gold-overlaid wooden chest containing the two stone Ten Commandment tablets, Aaron’s staff, and a gold jar of manna (Hebrews 9:4-5). These signified God’s covenant with Israel. The solid gold lid or mercy seat atop the Ark featured two cherubim whose outstretched wings shielded the Ark.
Throughout Scripture, the Ark is associated with the very presence and glory of God guiding, speaking to, and meeting with His people (Numbers 10:33, 1 Samuel 4:4). Sitting enthroned between the cherubim, God appeared in the cloud above the mercy seat and spoke to Moses from that place (Exodus 25:22).
This symbolized that the Most Holy Place was God’s throne room and His footstool on earth (1 Chronicles 28:2, Psalm 99:5). Access was highly restricted unlike the Holy Place. Only the High Priest could enter once annually to atone for Israel’s sins.
Contrast of the Two Rooms
The Holy Place and Most Holy Place formed two rooms with distinct purposes:
- Holy Place – God’s meeting room for regular mediation and worship
- Most Holy Place – God’s throne room representing His full dwelling
The Holy Place supported ongoing fellowship and service while the Most Holy Place conveyed God’s glory, holiness, and sovereignty.
Some contrasts between the two places:
- The Holy Place was illuminated by the lampstand while thick darkness filled the Most Holy Place (1 Kings 8:12).
- Many priests could access the Holy Place but only the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place.
- The Holy Place accommodated tables and altars for meditation and offering while the Most Holy Place contained no furnishings except the Ark.
- Daily rituals occurred in the Holy Place while the Day of Atonement was the sole annual rite in the Most Holy Place.
- The Holy Place joined both God’s dwelling and human approach while the Most Holy Place solely represented God’s hidden glory.
Together these two inner sanctums provided for God’s mediated nearness in the Holy Place and His localized presence in the Most Holy Place.
Foreshadowing Christ
Like other aspects of the tabernacle / temple, the arrangement and ritual functions of the Holy Place and Most Holy Place foreshadowed Christ’s later atoning work. Jesus is both the perfect High Priest and the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 4:14, 9:11-14).
When Jesus died, the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn in two, symbolizing access to God opened through Christ’s sacrifice (Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 9:3). Now Christ intercedes for believers in God’s presence like the High Priest in the Most Holy Place.
Further, Jesus as the sinless “Lamb of God” fulfilled the need for continual atonement once and for all (John 1:29, Hebrews 9:24-28). Animal sacrifices were no longer required. So the rituals of the Holy Place became obsolete since they foreshadowed Christ’s redemptive work.
Through His atonement, Christ opened the way for God’s Spirit to dwell in believers’ hearts, replacing the function of the Most Holy Place (1 Corinthians 6:19). In Christ, God meets us with forgiveness and grace as our perfect High Priest and Passover Lamb.
Implications for Spiritual Life
Although we no longer require physical temples and furnishings, the arrangement of the tabernacle / temple offers spiritual insights about approaching God:
- We now have direct access to God’s presence through Christ (Hebrews 10:19-22).
- But God still remains holy, majestic, and glorious beyond full understanding.
- So we balance intimacy and awe, approaching boldly as children yet reverently before the Almighty.
- We meditate on Christ’s finished work that opens God’s presence to us with mercy and grace.
Though the rituals and boundaries differ in the New Covenant, the Holy Place and Most Holy Place reflect spiritual truths about drawing near to God. He meets us with compassion as our perfect High Priest. Yet God remains the sovereign, glorious King enthroned in matchless majesty.