The centre of Israelite worship and government was a tent.  That fact along with Yahweh’s promise to put his name in a certain place in Canaan makes certain that no one should be trying to make the tent economy permanent.

Tent economy

The tent had both secret and known components.  It was the hub of a literal economy.  The spiritual exercises – everything requiring thought – can be summed up covenant privileges and obligations.  All the workings spilled out into plain and public view the day Christ died.  If a temple is built in Israel it would revive the Mosaic economy with the same exclusive regulations and tribal supremacy.  The tent economy was a role play of global salvation.  The second temple was a mere shadow of Solomon’s temple, and yet it was filled with unprecedented glory when the children filled the compound with cries of Hosannah.  If that Temple was indeed a permanent installation in Salvation history Christ would have died there, as was the case for all the animals slaughtered to pay for sin and transgression.  Christ died outside the gates of the city.

The temporary arrangements

• Things to remember, primarily events
• Things to avoid
• Things to repeat annually
• Things to come, primarily promises, detailed and unspecified

The darkness without Christ, the Logos

When the writer of Hebrews wrote that Christ is now God’s spokesman (Hebrews 1:1-2) he was telling his readers where to look and to whom they needed to listen.  Since Christ was the sacrifice, the priest, and the guarantee of God’s promises the sacred tent was now obsolete, and so were its regulations.  It is not a secret that all the prophets, priests and kings of Israel and Judah give way to the Seed, Son of David, God’s Anointed.

11) Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12) For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

Hebrews 7:11-12, NASB

Most believers sleep in through breakfast

No mercy seat, made of gold, silver, or platinum, compares to Christ. The sacred tent was not a picture of another tent. The furniture was not a picture of other furniture. Since the outcome of Christ’s sacrificial service is complete and effective what use is there for a location, anywhere, where atonement takes place? People who never accepted Christ as God will try to keep the juvenile handrails in service and eventually turn to theories about everything, while God’s manifest accomplishments lie like fallow ground.