Hi John, Donna Danna, and Doves,
Donna Danna (11 Jun 2023)
"REPLY TO GINO: What Did The High Priest Do On The Day of Atonement When The Tabernacle & Ark of the Covenant Were In Different Places?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When tracking the movements of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant—through 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Chronicles (see below)—the only conclusion you can come to is that: for certain periods of time when the Ark was absent from the Tabernacle (during Saul and David’s era), and when it was either hidden or destroyed (during the Babylonian period), the physical procedures that needed to be carried out by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement (i.e., on the 10th day of the 7th month, Lev. 16:29–34, 23:26–32)—particularly with regard to the blood of the sacrifices being sprinkled on the east side and before the mercy seat on the Ark of Testimony, within the Tabernacle—must have been suspended!
Note: The impression given in Daniel (during the Babylonian captivity), is that everything to do with the destroyed Temple, the missing Ark and the sacrifices all had to be suspended; so, at the appropriate three times during the day (where possible) in lieu of the offering/sacrifices, those occasions were taken up with the study of the Torah and prayer. (Cf. Daniel 6:10–13; Psalm 55:17)
It is clear that when the Ark was separated from the Tabernacle, the tasks assigned to the High Priest on that Day (cf. Lev. 16:1–22, esp, verse 11–15) simply could not be carried out, if the Ark with its mercy seat could not be accessed! It is highly likely therefore, that the blood from the ‘bull of the sin offering’ and the blood from the ‘goat of the sin offering’ that was used for sprinkling the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant, on the Day of Atonement, would instead have been allocated to the altar—situated outside of the veil that hid the Holiest of All in the Tabernacle.
Already, Lev. 16:16b indicates that the High Priest should sprinkle the blood from those same sacrifices in the tabernacle of meeting in order to make atonement for the sins of the Children of Israel—in like manner as he had done to the mercy seat within the veil—as well as paint the blood with his finger onto the horns of the altar all around, and sprinkle the altar seven times (Lev. 16:18–19). Thus, the High Priest was to sprinkle the blood of sacrifice on three objects: the Mercy Seat, the tabernacle of meeting, and the horns of the altar. I imagine—in the absence of the Ark—the High Priest would have concentrated on the other two!
However, Donna, I would suggest that you look at Hebrews 9:1–8 which points to the earthly sanctuary (2nd Temple) and its ordinances for divine service (as practised until AD 70, in New Testament times when the Ark was still absent), where it says: the priests went into the first part of the tabernacle, but only the High Priest could go alone into the second part (once a year) with the blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people. Strangely, in the passage (below), there is no mention of the High Priest going into the Holy of Holies, i.e., the third part, (as I always understood it to be).
According to Britannica, re the temple:
It was oblong and consisted of three rooms of equal width: the porch, or vestibule (‘ulam); the main room of religious service, or Holy Place (hekhal); and the Holy of Holies (devir), the sacred room in which the Ark rested. A storehouse (yazi’a) surrounded the Temple except on its front (east) side. Temple of Jerusalem | Description, History, & Significance | Britannica
Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the Tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. (Heb. 9:6–8)
When the writer of Hebrews says: the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing, it implies (in a secondary way), that access into the Holiest of All had been shut off from the Nation (because of the missing Ark) while the first tabernacle/temple remained standing! I guess my question is… Why would the High Priest go into the Holiest of All if there was nothing of consequence there to sprinkle the blood on?
We understand today—since AD 30, after the temple’s earthly veil was ripped open at the hour of Jesus’ death (Matt. 27:50–51), followed by Jesus’ ascension into heaven itself, into the heavenly temple—that our Saviour and Lord carried His own sacrificial blood of atonement in through the heavenly veil, and sprinkled it onto the true Mercy Seat in the heavenly court. Thus, anointing the Most Holy (Dan. 9:24b).
Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption… And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:12, 15)
Therefore, it was necessary that the [earthly] copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these [i.e., blood on the tabernacle and vessels of ministry], but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices… For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us… so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. (Heb. 9:23–24, 28)
Some theologians believe there is a connection between the blood of the sacrifices being sprinkled on the altar in the Tabernacle during the Old Testament era, and the souls of the ‘slain’ martyrs who dwell under the altar in heaven during the New Testament era, waiting for God to avenge them (Rev. 6:9–11), i.e., the latter are regarded to be additional sacrifices because of their position!
In my book The Little Horn of Daniel’s 4th Empire and the Kingdom of the Jews, https://fivedoves.com/letters/mar2023/ear312-2.htm in Daniel 7:21 we are told… ‘the same horn made war with the saints.’ The word used here for war is a strange one—nowhere else is it used in scripture— (Strong’s Hebrew Word No. 7129 qerāb) plainly means war; but it has roots in No. 7127 qerēb which means to come near, approach; to offer (a sacrifice); to bring near, offer (a sacrifice); and it also has roots in No. 7128 qerāb which means war, battle.)
Note: I have applied this verse to Hitler’s persecution and destruction of the Jews, with the unstated implication that the Holocaust was the last sacrifice offered up by the Jews—to fulfil the Days of Vengeance that were to come upon them, which Jesus spoke about (Luke 21:22, 24; 23:28–31)—before they could be restored as an independent Nation in their own land in 1948. (cf. Ezek. 34:11–16, 25–31; 36:1–15) This is the only ‘rational’ explanation (that I can think of), for the continuing disasters (AD 70–1948) wrought against the Jews by other people groups!
Obviously, the remainder of Ezek. 36:22—> has yet to be fulfilled… apparently, by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, cf. Ezek. 37:1–14!
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Regarding the movements of the Ark and the tabernacle…
The Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant (bibletrack.org)
After crossing the River Jordan, the Tabernacle and Ark were first based at Gilgal (Joshua 4). A few years later they were both moved to Shiloh (Joshua 18). Shechem is also mentioned, (Joshua 24:1) but only in relation to a Holy place.
1 Sam. 4:1–22 Shows that Israel went out to battle the Philistines who killed 4,000 men of Israel. In the wake of this disaster, they decided to take the Ark into battle, but only the Ark was collected from Shiloh—where the Ark and the Tabernacle resided—and it was escorted by the two sons of Eli (who was the nation’s Judge at the time), who took it to the army camp! In the ensuing battle 30,000 of Israel’s foot-soldiers were killed, along with Eli’s sons (Hophni and Phineas), and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. The news caused the death of Eli (98 years of age), and his daughter-in-law (in childbirth), who named the child Ichabod, which means ‘The glory has departed from Israel.’
1 Sam. 6:1–18, and 7:1–2 shows that after Israel’s defeat by the Philistines, the Philistines kept the Ark for 7 months in Ashdod, until they suffered from a plague of tumors/boils, caused by rats! They got rid of the Ark, via a cart with two cows hitched to it, which moved it down the road to the field of Joshua in Beth Shemesh, until the plague also struck the town, killing 50,070 men. It was afterward taken to the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim where it stayed for 20 years!
1 Sam. 21 indicates the Priest /Ahimelech is later located in a town called Nob (where the Ark was possibly taken by King Saul), and where David commandeered the Holy Bread/showbread for his troops, but there is no mention of the Tabernacle being in Nob, or of it still being in Shiloh.
2 Sam. 6:1–11, 17 indicates David’s first attempt to move the Ark (not to join the Tabernacle that had apparently been moved back to Gilgal), but to a new tent David had recreated for it in Jerusalem. Although it was moved with great rejoicing (albeit on an ox-cart drawn by a team of oxen), this attempt ended in disaster and death for an unfortunate helper named Uzziah. David hadn’t consulted with the Priests, nor did he move the Ark and its attendants in the correct order. David was angry and afraid so he left it at Obed Edom’s house for 3 months!
1 Chronicles 15:1 gives the details of David’s second attempt to move the Ark; obviously after he had done some research, this time being carried on the shoulders of the Levites!
1 Chronicles 16:1 and 8–36 explains that David had arranged for a new tent to be constructed in Jerusalem, in the City of David, to house the Ark of the Covenant. (2 Sam. 6:17) By this time the old Tabernacle, that had contained the Ark of the Covenant, had served Israel for over 400 years, so it must have deteriorated pretty badly! The Ark meantime, had been in strangers’ hands for at least 21 years during Saul and David’s rule over Israel.
Chron. 17:1–15 finally tells us that Nathan the prophet told David that his son (Solomon) would build a permanent house for the Ark in Jerusalem, and Solomon’s throne would be established forever.
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Fortunately, in these end times, we don’t need to worry about whether the Old Testament requirements for the Day of Atonement were properly met or not… instead we have a great hope… that we, the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people! [the Jews]
And again:
Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him all you peoples!
And again, Isaiah says:
There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope. (Romans 15:10–12)
Maranatha, so come LORD Jesus!