The arrangement of the tabernacle and its furniture in the Old Testament is a picture showing how we as saved sinners can enter into God’s presence to enjoy God as our everything. Within the Holy of Holies, in the center of the tabernacle, was the Ark (Exo. 40:2-3, 20-21). Upon the Ark was the expiation cover, signifying the throne of grace, where God met and spoke with His people (25:10-22; Heb. 4:16). In front of the Ark, at the entrance to the Holy of Holies in the Holy Place, was the incense altar, the place to which the saved sinners in type could come (Exo. 30:1-10). God met with His people from above the Ark, and the sinners came to the incense altar facing the Ark to hear God speak. In the Holy Place on the north side was the table of the bread of the Presence, and on the south side was the lampstand (25:23-40; 26:35). The table ministered the life supply, and the lampstand gave the light. Outside the Holy Place in the outer court was the laver (30:17-21), and before the laver was the altar of burnt offering (27:1-8; Heb. 13:10), which signifies the cross. All these items in the tabernacle were arranged in the shape of a cross.
When we, as unbelievers, were in the world, we were outside the realm of God’s grace, outside the realm of the cross. But one day we heard the gospel, answered the call, and, in type, entered the gate of the tabernacle. We came to the cross, repented, confessed our sins, and received the Lord Jesus. We were saved, and the blood of Christ washed our sins. This occurred in type at the altar of burnt offering. From the altar we went on to the laver, where the Spirit washed away the dirt of the world. From there we went to the table of the bread of the Presence to receive nourishment and to the lampstand to receive light. Afterward, we proceeded to the incense altar to offer prayers as a sweet-smelling savor to God. Then we entered into the presence of our God to enjoy Him. This is the way of the cross.
At the burnt offering altar our sins are washed away, and in the laver the world is cleansed away. Then we come to the table of the bread of the Presence, the lampstand, and the incense altar. At the incense altar there is a veil that separates man from God. According to Hebrews 10:20, this veil typifies the flesh. The death of Christ caused this veil to be split from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51). After we are cleansed from our sins and the world, and the flesh is dealt with, there is nothing more to frustrate our enjoying the presence of God—there is no more separation. Through the cross we enter into the presence of God to enjoy all that God is. Thus, the cross is the way.
The whole tabernacle is a type of Christ (John 1:14). Thus, the tabernacle being arranged in the shape of a cross signifies that Christ lived entirely under the cross. This crucified Christ is our way. We need to be crossed out. Under the working of the cross, we enjoy the cleansing of the altar of the burnt offering, the washing of the laver, the food supply of the table of the bread of the Presence, the enlightening of the lampstand, and the sweet-smelling savor of the incense altar. In this way we enter into the presence of God and enjoy all that God is to us. The way of the cross is the way to the Father, the way to the enjoyment of the presence of God. It is also the way to live our Christian life, family life, and church life. The crucified Christ is our way in everything. By and with the indwelling, crucified Christ, we can die to live every day.
Romans 6:3 says, “All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death,” and Philippians 3:10 says, “To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” We were baptized into the death of Christ once for all at the beginning of our Christian life. Now we are continuously being conformed to His death; this is the continuation of the Christian life. According to the arrangement of the tabernacle, as soon as we enter into the realm of the Christian life, we are being conformed to the cross. Our entire Christian life is the way to Calvary. When we are on this way, we are being conformed to Christ’s death. This is what it means for Christ to be our way. If we are conformed to His death, we will attain to the out-resurrection from the dead (v. 11). The more we are conformed to His death, the more we will attain to the extraordinary resurrection.