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Mashiach ben David, the King of kings -- represented by the glorious Temple that would stand se-
curely in its resting-place in Jerusalem, from where He will rule and reign over all the earth. The
scarlet represents the blood of the sacrifice, His blood, the cord which weaves through all of
Scripture offering salvation, atonement of sin and eternal life.

The Altar of Sacrifice

Our pleasant guide led us through the gate and we entered the court. The first object we
saw gleaming in the desert sun was the replica of the large brazen altar on which the priests of-
fered the burnt sacrifices. The Hebrew word for "sacrifice" is korban from the root meaning to
"draw near." Thus, the word "sacrifice," as used in the Torah, is used exclusively in the context of
man's relationship with God, and reflects the powerful secret inherent in every detail of the Mish-
kan -- the "drawing near" in close, intimate relationship with the One true God of Israel.

Blood was placed on the horns [of the altar], which were on each corner and which were a
place of refuge for anyone who had inadvertently caused loss of life and was seeking a merciful
judgment. The priest also offered the blood of the sacrifice on the east side of the altar. Our guide
pointed out that after Adam and Eve had sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden, an
angel with a flaming sword was posted to guard the entrance which was on the east of Eden!
Man's sin caused him to leave the Garden of Eden from the east; now his way of return, by God's
mercy, is also from the east!

The Copper Laver

Next we saw the large copper laver standing outside the entrance to the Sanctuary where,
before entering the Holy Place, the Levite washed his hands and feet. As well as removing any dirt
from his hands and desert sand from his feet, it was a reminder that he was now drawing nearer to
the Shechinah presence of God. The women had given their brass mirrors to be used for the con-
struction of the laver. It thus had a reflective surface in which the priests could also examine their
faces. Together with the water it contains, it is a powerful reminder of our need to daily examine
our lives according to the Word, (James 1:23-25).

An interesting fact shared by our guide was that the copper used in Egypt at the time of the
Pharaohs was mined in this very spot, Timna, by Israelite slaves. The Israelites had certainly fol-
lowed the route to Kadesh Barnea, via the mountains of Edom, and would have been within a ten
mile radius of where we were standing. The copper taken from the earth under the severe condi-
tions of slavery was returned in freedom and was now used to glorify and worship the Almighty
God of Israel.

The Holy Place

We were now standing at the entrance to the Holy Place. Five slender columns of acacia
wood covered with gold and standing in bases of copper, stood before the curtain through which,
in the original Tabernacle, only the priests could enter. Our guide pointed out that acacia wood,
which is strong, light in weight and waterproof, had been used as the base of almost everything. It

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