Christian Churches of God

 

 

No. CB112_2

 

 

 

Lesson:

Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant  

 

(Edition 1.0 20070718-20070718)

 

In this lesson we will review the main points covered in paper No.CB112 and offer activities to reinforce in the concepts being taught.

 

 

 

Christian Churches of God

PO Box 369,  WODEN  ACT 2606,  AUSTRALIA

 

E-mail: secretary@ccg.org

 

 

 

(Copyright ã 2007 Christian Churches of God, ed. Wade Cox)

 

 

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This paper is available from the World Wide Web page:
http://www.logon.org and http://www.ccg.org

 

 



 

Lesson:

Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant

 


Goal: 

To review the basic concepts related to the symbolism that is involved in the text.

 

Objectives:

1.      Children will be able to identify where the Holy of Holies is located.

2.      Children will be able to identify the shape of the Holy of Holies.

3.      Children will be able to identify what the Holy of Holies represents.

4.      Children will be able to state what items are found in the Holy of Holies.

5.      Children will be able to state which items God instructed Moses to place in the Ark of the Covenant.

6.      Children will be able to state how many times a year the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies.

 

 

Resources:

The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196)

Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115)

Symbolism of Numbers (No. 7)

The Tabernacle in the Wilderness (No. CB42)

The Garments of the High Priest (No. CB61)

Lesson: Ephod, Curious Girdle and Breast-piece of Judgment (No. CB65)

Lesson: Mitre or Turban with the Golden Plate (No. CB66)

Lesson: Law at our Doorposts (No. CB80)

 

Relevant Scriptures:

1Kings 6:19-32

2Chronicles 3:14

1Chronicles 28:18

Hebrews 9:4-5

 

Format:

Open with prayer.

Ask the children what they think the Holy of Holies and Ark of the Covenant represent.

Conduct the lesson on the Holy of Holies and Ark of the Covenant.

Conduct the activity associated with the Holy of Holies and Ark of the Covenant.

Close with prayer.

 

Lesson:

  1. Read through Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant (No. CB112) unless it is read as a sermonette with the children present.
  2. Questions and Answers

 

Q1.      The Holy of Holies is also called by four other names.  Can you name them?

A.        The Holy of Holies is also called (a.) The Most Holy Place, (b) the inner sanctuary,

            (c) the oracle and (d) the inner house.

 

Q2.      What does the Holy of Holies represent?

A.        The Holy of Holies represents the dwelling place of God here on earth, or the throne of God.

 

Q3.      How often was the High Priest to enter into the Holy of Holies?

A.        The High Priest was to enter only once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

 

Q4.      What did the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple look like?

A.        It was in the shape of a cube, 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and 20 cubits high and the whole Temple was overlaid with pure gold (1Kgs. 6:20-22).

 

Q5.      Can you name the three gold carved figures in the Holy of Holies?

A.        The Holy of Holies had gold carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers (1Kgs. 6:29).

 

Q6.      What was placed in the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple?

A.        The Holy of Holies held the Ark of the Covenant (1Kgs. 6:19).

 

Q7.      Is the shape of the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple the same shape as the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and also the Temple in the Millennium?

A.        They are the same shape - a perfect cube.  However, the dimensions are different for the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.

 

Q8.      What are the dimensions of the Holy of Holies for the Tabernacle in the     Wilderness?

A.        The Holy of Holies measured 10x10x10 cubits - a perfect cube.

 

Q9.      What are the dimensions of the Holy of Holies in Ezekiel’s Temple, which is the Temple in the Millennium?

A.        It is the same size as in Solomon’s Temple, 20x20x20 -- a perfect cube.

 

Q10.    When entering into the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple the High Priest had to pass through what items?

A.        The High Priest had to pass through a curtain or veil (2Chr. 3:14), gold chains (1Kgs. 6:21), and two doors (1Kgs. 6:31).

 

Q11.    The colours of the veil are the same colours used in the garments of the High Priest. Can you name the colours and what each colour represents?

A.        The colours are blue which represents the law of God, red represents the blood of Jesus Christ, purple represents the Royal Priesthood, white represents our clean garments and gold represents the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit in us.

 

Q12.    What is the symbolism for the chains in front of the Holy of Holies?

A.        The chains in front of the Holy of Holies looked forward to the judgment given to

            Jesus Christ and the power to bind Satan and rule the planet.

 

Q13.    Next we come to the two olive wood doors.  What do the two doors represent?

A.        The two doors represent the two Witnesses and also the olive tree supplies olive oil

             which, in the Temple, represents God’s Holy Spirit  (1Kgs. 6:31-32).

 

Q14.    The veil separating the Holy of Holies was hung on how many pillars?

A.        The veil was hung on four pillars.

 

Q15.    What do the four pillars symbolize?

A.        The four pillars symbolize the four cherubs or living creatures that cover God’s Throne.

 

Q16.    What does the number four symbolize?

A.        The number four refers to the earth and physical things of creation.

 

Q17.    The Holy of Holies was a room that was completely covered in gold and only contained gold items. How many talents of gold were used in the Holy of Holies?

A.        The Holy of Holies was overlaid with six hundred talents of fine gold. (2Chr.3:8)

 

Q18.    What does the number six represent?

A.        The number six represents the work prior to the final rest given by God.

 

Q19.    What do the carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers represent?

A.        Each of these three carvings represents an aspect of the government of God. Every cherub had two faces and their wings covered the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolically cover God’s entire creation. The 70 palms represent the 70 Beings that make up the administration of God. And the open flowers show us that Jesus Christ was to become and is now our High Priest.

 

Q20.    What were the three things in Solomon’s Temple that were made with olive  wood and overlaid with gold?

A.        1.  The posts of the doors to the Temple.

            2.  The doors into the Holy of Holies.

            3.  The two cherubim in the Holy of Holies.

 

Q21.    What does the Ark of the Covenant symbolize?

A.        The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes the inner workings of the Throne of God.

 

Q22.    Since the Ark of the Covenant was not to be touched by human hands, how was it to be carried?

A.        The Ark was carried by poles. (Ex. 25:10-16)

 

Q23.    What was on top of the Ark of the Covenant?

A.        There was a cover on top made of pure gold and had two cherubim facing each other with their wings spread over the top.

 

Q24.    On top of the Ark of the Covenant were two cherubim. Who did these two cherubim represent?

A.        The two cherubim represent the two living creatures, one having the face of a bull and the other the face of an eagle.  They are the two faithful cherubim.

 

Q25.    What three items were in the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle in the

            Wilderness?

A.        The following were placed in the Ark of the Covenant: 1) a golden jar of manna, 2) Aaron’s rod that budded and, 3) the two tablets which were engraved with the Ten Commandments.

 

Q26.    In the Temple that Solomon built, only one item was left in the Ark.  Which item was left in the Ark?

A.        Only the two tablets, which record the Ten Commandments, were left in the Ark.

 

 

 

Activities:

1) Create the Holy of Holies for the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and Solomon’s Temple

 

Construct a cube and discuss how in the tabernacle of the wilderness it was 10 x10 cubits. In the Temple Solomon built the size increased to 20 x 20 cubits and the City of God is massive. See the following web sites for diagrams etc. of a paper model of a cube.

 

http://www.korthalsaltes.com/cube_tetra.html

 

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/geometry/solids/Cubetemplate.shtml

 

 

2) Matching Exercise (see the attached matching exercise with the scripture to the event).

 

 

     Matching Worksheet for the Holy of Holies and the Ark of Covenant

 

     Draw a line connecting the correct scripture to the item listed

 

 

Items in the Ark of the Covenant / Holy of Holies

 

Scripture

The Book of the Law was placed in the side the Ark.

Leviticus 16:13-15

 

 

 

Aaron’s rod that budded

 

1Kings 6:31

 

 

 

Golden pot (Omer) of manna

 

Numbers 17:10

Hebrews 9:4

 

 

Two covering cherubs

 

Exodus 25:12-14; 37:3-4

 

 

 

Two cherubs of olive wood, covered with gold standing 10 cubits high

 

 

Exodus 25:18-20; 37:7-9

 

 

4 x golden rings and 2 x poles

 

1 Chronicles 28:18

 

 

 

High Priest on the Day of Atonement

 

Deuteronomy 31:26

Hebrews 9:4

 

 

Golden chains

 

1Kings 6:29

 

 

 

Chariot of cherubim

 

1Kings 6:23, 26

 

 

 

Open flowers, cherubs and palm trees on the walls of Holy of Holies

 

 

Exodus 26:31-33

 

 

2 x doors into the Holy of Holies

 

Exodus 16:33,34

Hebrews 9:4

 

 

Only a curtain/veil of blue, red, purple and fine twisted linen with cherubim on it leading into the Holy of Holies

1Kings 6:21