Steve Conover: Thank you for joining us for The Friends of Israel Today. I'm Steve Conover, executive director here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. I'd like to encourage you to visit foiradio.org. That's where you can connect with us. We have over a decade of content on the site. It features Chris Katulka's insightful teaching and various interview guests. Again, that's foiradio.org. Today, our teacher, Chris Kaulka, he's wrapping up our six-part series on the History and Heart of the Tabernacle, focusing today on the Veil and the Ark of the Covenant. If you've missed any of this series, you can listen back at our website. Again, that's foiradio.org. But first in the news, a YNET report says a US-backed Gaza proposal has reached a decisive stage with Hamas expected to respond this month to a phased disarmament plan, gradual Israeli withdrawal, and eventual reconstruction. If Hamas refuses, officials warn Gaza could slide toward another round of war instead of moving into an eight-month process aimed at ending Hamas' armed control.

History suggests this will be a difficult road. Hamas and its backers in Iran have consistently held power through force and not surrender. While the proposal outlines a path forward, skepticism remains warranted given Hamas's long record of broken promises and violence. Even so, the hope for peace remains.

Chris Katulka: As we now come to the final episode in our journey through the tabernacle, we've arrived at the most sacred place in all of Israel's worship life. We began outside the tent where the altar of sacrifice taught us that sinful people can only draw near to a Holy God through atonement. We then moved to the laver where the cleansing prepared for the priests were provided for the service to the Lord. Then we moved into the holy place and we stood before the table of showbread where God's people were symbolically remembered and sustained in his presence. We gazed upon the menorah where the holy light filled the sanctuary and where we considered the altar of incense where the fragrant worship of the Lord rose continually before the Lord. But see, now we're going to move to the final and most solemn reality of the tabernacle. And that's the Veil, the Ark of the Covenant, and ultimately the Holy of Holies.

And here in the innermost chamber, we are brought face to face with the central truth the entire tabernacle has been announcing from the very beginning. See, this is the throne room of Yahweh. This is the place where the God of Israel chose to manifest his royal presence in the midst of his people. This is where heaven touched earth. It's the footstool of the Creator of heaven and earth. The first thing that meets us is the veil. We're leaving the altar of incense and right as you're staring at the altar of incense right in front of you is the veil. Exodus describes it as a curtain that's skillfully woven of blue and purple and scarlet yarn with cherubim worked into it, woven into it. It's not just a simple divider, and it wasn't merely decorative. See, the veil served as a boundary. It marked off the Holy of Holies from the holy place.

The veil stood as a witness that while God had certainly chosen to dwell among his people, access to his immediate presence was restricted. See, the veil actually preaches a sermon all by itself. The veil says that God is near, but he is not to be approached casually. God is present, but he's holy. God is in the midst of Israel, but his holiness still creates a barrier between himself and sinful man. And that cherubim imagery matters. All of those cherubim that are woven into the veil. See, the cherubim on the veil call our minds actually back to the very beginning of the Bible to the Garden of Eden. Remember after Adam and Eve were driven from the garden because of their sin, cherubim were stationed at the east of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life. See, that was no accident. The tabernacle in many ways is a symbolic return to sacred space, a place where God again dwells among men.

But the cherubim woven into the veil also reminds us that the problem of sin has not simply disappeared. The way into the immediate presence of God is guarded. And so the veil actually says yes, and the veil also says no. Yes, God dwells among his people, but no, not everyone can simply walk in. See, the holy presence of the Lord is both glorious and dangerous, and the veil protected the people from rushing into a holiness that would consume them. And that's why only the high priest could pass through the veil. And even then, only once a year on the Day of Atonement, and never, of course, without blood. The Lord was not like the idols of other nations, approachable only on human terms, manipulated by ritual or contained in a shrine. No, see, God in the Holy of Holies is the living God, the covenant King, the Holy One of Israel.

And the veil preserved the mystery and majesty of his presence. And behind that veil was the Ark of the Covenant. If the bronze altar that we started off with was the central object of the outer court, well, the ark was the central object of the entire tabernacle. See, everything in Israel's worship life moved toward this reality. The ark was made of acacia wood that was overlaid with pure gold, both inside and out. It was a sacred chest, modest in size, but absolutely immeasurable in significance. And inside it replaced the testimony, the tablets of the covenant. And later, scripture also speaks of Aaron's rod that budded and manna as well that was associated with it. But the most important feature was not simply what was inside the ark. It's what was above it. See, above the ark was the mercy seat made of pure gold. On either end, stood the two cherubum of hammered gold facing inward with wings stretched upward and overshadowing what was called the mercy seat.

And this was no ordinary lid. See, the mercy seat was the place of atonement. Yes. But even more than that, it was the footstool, the throne of Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's earthly dwelling. See, God says in Exodus 25:22, he says, "There I will meet with you. And from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the Covenant, I will speak with you.” See, that verse is one of the most important in all of the tabernacle when it talks about the tabernacle in the Bible. See, the Lord locates his meeting place above the mercy seat between the cherubum on the Ark of the Covenant. See, this is throne room language, and the ark is not merely a container for these sacred objects like the law. It is the earthly symbol of the royal presence of a King—of the King.

And throughout the Old Testament, see, the Lord is repeatedly described as “the one enthroned above the cherubim.” And that language appears in places like 1 Samuel, 2 Kings, Psalm 80, Psalm 99, and all throughout Isaiah's writings. See, Israel understood that the God of heaven cannot be contained by a building. And yet in his grace, he chose to localize his presence in a covenantal form with Israel. And the ark with the cherubim overshadowing the mercy seat becomes the place of his enthronement among his people. And not because God is confined there. No, God is the Creator of all heaven and earth, but because he had chosen to reveal his kingship there, that's why it's so important. And this is what makes the Holy of Holies not just a sacred room, but a throne room. And in the ancient world, see, kings ruled from thrones and their throne rooms were places of supreme authority and judgment and splendor.

But see, the Holy of Holies surpasses every earthly throne room because no human king sat there. No carved images occupied that seat. No statue of God rested between the cherubim. Israel's God is invisible, incomparable, and utterly distinct from the gods of the nations. See, his throne was real. It was imageless. His presence was true, but it was mysterious. The emptiness above the mercy seat was not absence, it was a testimony. And the Lord cannot be reduced to an image because he is not a dead god or a fake god, but the Living God, the Creator, the sovereign King over both heaven and earth. So see, when we think about the Holy of Holies, we shouldn't just, first of all, think of it as a gloomy little chamber hidden behind a curtain. No, no, no. It's more than that. We should think of it as the throne room of the universe in a miniature form.

This was the place where the Lord, the King of Israel, was enthroned in the midst of his people. And this was the place from where he ruled and spoke and received atonement and manifested his glory. The tabernacle was never merely about ritual. It was about royal presence. And the God who brought Israel out of Egypt was not just delivering them from slavery. He was claiming them as his people and taking his place as their king. And when we come back, we're going to look more at why those tablets, the 10 commandments were inside the ark and what that meant that God would sit above his law. So stick around.

Steve Conover: Chris, Psalm 23 is probably one of the most familiar and comforting passages in all of Scripture, but there's a lot of depth we often miss in God's Word.

Chris Katulka: And that's exactly why I love our new video series, Psalm 23: Ancient Hebrew Wisdom for Today. Dan Price, one of our great teachers here at The Friends of Israel, takes you verse by verse through David's most well-known Psalm and really opens your eyes to the richness of the shepherd imagery rooted in Israel's culture.

Steve Conover: In this video, you'll begin to see how personal this Psalm really is, how David's walk with the Lord as his shepherd points us directly to Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

Chris Katulka: And Steve, the companion Study Guide is excellent. It includes Scripture, background insights, and thoughtful questions, making it ideal for personal study, family devotions, or small groups in Sunday school.

Steve Conover: If you're looking for deeper trust and encouragement in your walk with the Lord, I can't recommend this study enough. 

Chris Katulka: So you can order your copy of the video series and Study Guide, Psalm 23: Ancient Hebrew Wisdom for Today at foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. 

Chris Katulka: Welcome back, everybody. We are in our final episode as we've been journeying through the tabernacle, going from the east and coming in and seeing every important component of the tabernacle and what it means not only to worship the King of Israel, but also the place where the King of Israel ruled from. And this is why those tablets, those stone tablets, the 10 commandments, were actually inside the Holy of Holies within the Ark of the Covenant. See, in the ancient world, treaties and covenants were often put before the deity or in a sacred place as a witness to the agreement. So here, the tablets of the law rest inside the ark because the Lord is Israel's king and his throne is a covenant throne, and he reigns over his people, not arbitrarily, but in righteousness and in faithfulness and revealed law.

The law matters to God, and yet this throne is also called the mercy seat. That matters deeply because the place of God's enthronement is also the place where blood is sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. Once a year, the high priest entered beyond the veil with sacrificial blood and sprinkled it on and before the mercy seat. Why? Because even the covenant people of God, even the priesthood, even the sanctuary itself have been polluted by sin. The throne room of the Lord is not merely a place of majesty. It's also a place where atonement is made. And that means that the throne of God is not divorced from mercy. The kingship is holy. His presence is dangerous, but his throne is also a place where he graciously provides a covering for sin. The Holy of Holies was a room of intense biblical meaning. It was small in earthly terms, but vast insignificance.

It represents the heavenly dwelling of God, his kingship, his holiness, and his mercy. It was the place most hidden from human eyes because it represented the highest and most unapproachable reality in Israel's worship, the direct presence of God himself. The high priest entered trembling. He entered with blood. He entered as a mediator. He entered only as God had commanded him. Everything about that moment testified to the fact that this was not an ordinary place for the high priest to be. This was the throne room of the Lord, and he was invited in for a moment. And see, that also helps us understand the entire movement of the tabernacle as we walked from the east to the west. Every step inward has been a step toward the throne. At the altar where we started, sin is dealt with. At the laver, cleansing is received. In the holy place, there is bread, light, and incense, provision, illumination, and worship.

But all of it has been leading us here toward the throne room, toward the place where the Lord sits enthroned above the cherubim. The tabernacle is arranged like a royal approach. The further you go in, the greater the holiness, the greater the glory. See, this is the architecture of kingship. Israel's worship life was organized around the reality that their God is in their midst and he reigns. And what a comfort that that must have been for Israel. In the wilderness, they were a vulnerable people. No permanent land yet, no palace, no visible king on a throne like the nations around them, but at the center of their camp was a tabernacle. And at the center of the tabernacle was an ark and above the ark was the Lord enthroned. Israel was not kingless. Israel was not abandoned. Israel's true king dwelt in their midst and the nations, they may have looked for visible thrones and armies and monuments, but see, Israel's strength was the unseen presence of the Lord in the Holy of Holies.

Their King was holy. Their King was near. Their King ruled from the center of their life together. And this is why it's so important to read the New Testament in light of what God established in the Old Testament. In John 1:14, the apostle tells us that the Word became flesh and he tabernacled with us. See, the presence and glory of God that dwelled in the Holy of Holies walked among us. That's absolutely astonishing. And as John says, “We have seen his glory, glories of the one and only Son, who came from the Father full of grace and truth. And through Jesus' sacrifice, the veil was torn.” Think about that. That veil was torn to give all who believe in him unfettered access to his glory. So as we close this final episode in our series, I think that we should do so with a sense of awe.

The tabernacle has led us step by step to this breathtaking reality. The God who redeemed Israel from Egypt desires not only to be obeyed, not only to be worshiped from afar, but to dwell as a king in the midst of his people. Behind the veil, above the ark, between the cherubum, the Lord sat enthroned in his glory. He was Israel's true King, and their worship revolved around his presence. Their life was ordered by his kingship. Their hope was rested in his mercy, and that is the final message of the tabernacle. And at the center of everything is the fact that God's purpose in all of it was to dwell with his people just as he told Moses in Exodus 25.

Mike Kellogg: Israel is a small country, and at times we feel as if we are sheep among wolves. But even though we are small, we remain strong because the Lord is with us.

Most people living in Israel, both Jews and Arabs, do not know the Lord. The Arabs especially are far from knowing about His love. But we believers are God’s witnesses to tell them of that love.

There is a saying, “If Muhammad won’t come to the mountain, the mountain will come to Muhammed.” It is like that with us, but it is difficult to go to an Arab village and preach the Word of God. One day some of my Arab neighbors came to my home extremely upset,

saying, “How can we receive Bibles when they include the New Testament?”

They were very confused, so I said, “Before you receive the Bible, I will explain it to you, if you wish.” They agreed and appreciated my help. I then opened my New Testament and told them how to put their faith in the Lord Jesus. The mention of that name surprised them, and they asked, “How can you speak about Jesus? You are a Jew.” So began a long discussion about faith in the Lord Jesus and the difference between faith by the sword and faith by love. I told them, “Your faith comes by the sword, and those who do not believe as you do are killed. God has given freedom to every creature. He has said, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’” (Jer. 31:3).

One Arab remarked, “God said that only to the people of Israel.” I quickly turned to John 3:16 to prove that God’s love is available to all nations, including the Arabs. “It is written, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ [Mk. 12:31]. It does not say, ‘Love the Jew, or the American, but

not the Arab.’ Loving your neighbor means loving your enemy as well.” Then they wanted to know how I came to believe on the Lord, since I am Jewish. I replied, “Our faith does not come from propaganda literature or by force, but by God’s mercy and love. What the Lord did for us, He did because of His love. You, as Arabs, came to me, a Jew, and I received you as best friends, even though I know you hate me with all your hearts. But the Lord said we are to love those who hate us and pray for them because love is of God.”

Still not understanding what I meant, one asked, “Why do you serve in the army if you love your enemies?” I explained, “I serve because I am a citizen of Israel. Even Jesus said, ‘Render...to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’ [Mt. 22:21].” 

I then related an incident that occurred during the 1967 Six-Day War. I went to the home of a wealthy Arab family and found gold and diamonds worth millions of dollars. The owners were afraid I would take their possessions, but I assured them, “I am only looking for guns and ammunition. But if a soldier who was not a believer had come to search your home, your possessions would have been taken.” As I finished my story, I explained to my guests, “This is the big difference between those who believe in Jesus and those who do not. And, it does not matter if they are Jews, Arabs, or any other nationality.”

They did not believe my story, so I offered to take them to the home of this Arab family so that they could ask them about it themselves. But they finally accepted the fact that even war cannot break our love for our enemy because the love of our Savior is in us.

Please pray that these Arab neighbors and the thousands of other Arabs in Israel will be reached with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Steve Conover: Thanks for joining us for today's episode of The Friends of Israel Today. Don't forget to order your copy of the video series and study guide, Psalm 23: Ancient Hebrew Wisdom for Today. You can order that at foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. Join us next week as I sit down with Chris and share about my recent trip to Poland, walking through Warsaw, the Holocaust sites, and Auschwitz. We'll reflect on the resilience of the Jewish people, the reality of history, and why it matters to all of us today. So join us then. We hope you don't miss it. 

As mentioned, our web address is foiradio.org. Once again, that's foiradio.org. Our mailing address is FOI Radio, PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey, 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey, 08099. You can call our listener line. That number is 888-343-6940. Again, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe, edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Our executive producer is Lisa Small. Our associate producer is Sarah Fern, the late Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka, and I'm Steve Conover, executive director of The Friends of Israel. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.