9.  Passing to the appointments of the tabernacle, we naturally begin with the inner sanctuary.  Here between the wings of the cherubim that overshadowed the mercy-seat, or lid of the ark, was the Shekinah, or visible dwelling-place of Jehovah.  In the ark beneath the mercy-seat were placed, by God’s direction, the two tables of the law.  Exod. 25:16 compared with 1 Kings 8:9.  This was their appropriate place.  It shadowed forth the great truth that God is the fountain of law, and that they who approach him must come in the spirit of true obedience.

That God’s dwelling-place was between the cherubim we learn from the original direction for the construction of the ark:  “And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.  And there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”  Exod. 25:21, 22.  In accordance with these words God repeatedly promised that he would meet with Moses at the mercy-seat (Exod. 30:36; Lev. 16:2; Numb. 17:4); and after the dedication of the tabernacle and its altar, it is recorded that “when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim.”  Numb. 7:89.  Hence Jehovah is described in the Old Testament as he that dwells between the cherubim. 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; Psa. 80:1; 99:1; Isa. 37:16.

10.  In the outer sanctuary, before the vail that separated it from the holy of holies, stood, on the south side, the golden candlestick, with its seven lamps burning always before the Lord (Exod. 27:20; 40:24, 25; Lev. 24:25), and on the north side the table of show-bread, with its twelve loaves renewed every week (Exod. 25:30; 40:22, 23; Lev. 24:5-9).  These typified the light and the life that come from God’s presence through the ordinances of his appointment; and since the end of these ordinances is Jesus Christ, they shadowed him forth as the light of the world and the bread of life.  John 8:12; 12:46; 6:35-58; and especially John 1:4.  Between the golden candlestick and the table of show-bread, consequently directly in front of the ark, and separated from it by the inner vail, was the golden altar of incense, on which the priests burned sweet incense every morning and evening before the Lord (Exod. 30:6-8; 40:26, 27), whereby was shadowed forth Christ’s intercession, through which the prayers of saints are made acceptable to God.