The term "Holies" is often used in biblical literature to refer to sacred spaces within the tabernacle and the temple, specifically the "Holy Place" and the "Most Holy Place" or "Holy of Holies." These areas were central to the worship and sacrificial system of ancient Israel, as prescribed by God through Moses.

The Holy Place

The Holy Place was the first room within the tabernacle and later the temple, where only the priests were permitted to enter. It contained the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense. The priests performed daily rituals here, including the burning of incense and the maintenance of the lampstand. The Holy Place symbolized the intermediary role of the priests, who served as mediators between God and the people of Israel.

The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)

The Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, was the innermost and most sacred area of the tabernacle and temple. It was separated from the Holy Place by a veil, signifying the holiness and unapproachability of God. The Ark of the Covenant, which contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod, and a pot of manna, was housed here. The Most Holy Place was the earthly dwelling place of God's presence, represented by the Shekinah glory.

Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). On this day, the high priest would offer sacrifices for his own sins and the sins of the people, sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat of the Ark. This act of atonement was central to the covenant relationship between God and Israel.

Biblical References

The construction and significance of the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place are detailed in the books of Exodus and Leviticus. In Exodus 26:33-34 , God instructs Moses: "Hang the veil from the clasps and place the Ark of the Testimony behind the veil. The veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Put the mercy seat on the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place."

The role of the high priest and the Day of Atonement is described in Leviticus 16:2 : "The LORD said to Moses: 'Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.'"

Theological Significance

The Holies represent the holiness of God and the separation between God and humanity due to sin. The veil of the temple, which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, was torn in two at the moment of Christ's death, as recorded in Matthew 27:51 : "At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split." This event signifies the removal of the barrier between God and humanity, granting believers direct access to God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The Holies, therefore, serve as a profound symbol of God's holiness, the seriousness of sin, and the necessity of atonement, ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.HOLY OF HOLIES

ho'-liz (qodhesh ha-qodhashim, Exodus 26:33, debhir, 1 Kings 6:16, etc.; in the New Testament, hagia hagion, Hebrews 9:3): The name given to the innermost shrine, or adytum of the sanctuary of Yahweh.

1. In the Tabernacle:

The most holy place of the tabernacle in the wilderness (Exodus 26:31-33) was a small cube of 10 cubits (15 ft.) every way. It was divided from the holy Ceiled by curtains which bore cherubic figures embroidered in blue and purple and scarlet (Exodus 26:1), it contained no furniture but the Ark of the Covenant, covered by a slab of gold called the MERCY-SEAT (which see), and having within it only the two stone tables of the Law (see TABERNACLE; ARK OF THE COVENANT). Only the high priest, and he but once a year, on the great clothed in penitential garments, amid a cloud of incense, and with blood of sacrifice (Leviticus 16; compare Hebrews 9:7).

2. In the Temple of Solomon:

The proportions of the most holy place in the first temple were the same as in the tabernacle, but the dimensions were doubled. The sacred chamber was enlarged to 20 cubits (30 ft.) each way. We now meet with the word debhir, "oracle" (1 Kings 6:16, etc.), which with the exception of Psalm 28:2, belonging perhaps to the same age, is met with in Scripture only in the period of Solomon's reign. This sanctum, like its predecessor, contained but one piece of furniture-the Ark of the Covenant. It had, however, one new conspicuous feature in the two large figures of cherubim of olive wood, covered with gold, with wings stretching from wall to wall, beneath which the ark was now placed (1 Kings 6:23-28 2 Chronicles 3:10-13; see TEMPLE).

3. In Later Times:

In Ezekiel's temple plans, which in many things may have been those of the temple of Zerubbabel, the prophet gives 20 cubits as the length and breadth of the most holy place, showing that these figures were regarded as too sacred to undergo change (Ezekiel 41:4). There was then no Ark of the Covenant, but Jewish tradition relates that the blood of the great Day of Atonement was sprinkled on an unhewn stone that stood in its place. In Herod's temple, the dimensions of the two holy chambers remained the same-at least in length and breadth (see TEMPLE, HEROD'S). The holiest place continued empty. In the spoils of the temple depicted on the Arch of Titus there is no representation of the Ark of the Covenant; only of the furniture of the outer chamber or holy place.

4. Figurative:

In the Epistle to the Hebrews we are taught that the true holy of holies is the heaven into which Jesus has now entered to appear in virtue of His own sacrifice in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:11). Restriction is now removed, and the way into the holiest is made open for all His people (Hebrews 10:19, 20).

W. Shaw Caldecott

2665. katapetasma -- a curtain (the inner veil of the temple)
... curtain Definition: (lit: that which is spread out downwards, that which hangs down),
a curtain, veil, of that which separated the Holy of Holies from the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2665.htm - 6k

40. hagios -- sacred, holy
... root Definition sacred, holy NASB Word Usage Holy (92), holy (62), Holy of Holies
(1), holy one (5), holy ones (1), holy place (7), most holy (1), saint (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/40.htm - 8k

2369. thumiaterion -- altar of incense, a censer
... ordinarily: censer, but) either the altar of incense, or the shovel, on which the
high-priest poured the coals, when he entered the Holy of Holies on the Day ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2369.htm - 6k

6944. qodesh -- apartness, sacredness
... consecrated thing (1), consecrated things (2), dedicated (1), dedicated gifts (2),
dedicated things (5), holiness (9), Holy (6), holy (263), holies (6), holy ...
/hebrew/6944.htm - 6k

In the Holy of Holies.
... 24. IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES. [Illustration: Chapter header.] The subject of the sanctuary
was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844. ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /24 in the holy of.htm

In the Holy of Holies
... Chapter 24 In the Holy of Holies. The subject of the sanctuary was the key
which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 24 in the holy.htm

Concerning Holy of Holies, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God of ...
... DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE, ON DIVINE NAMES. CAPUT XII. Concerning Holy of Holies,
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God of Gods. SECTION I. ...
/.../dionysius/dionysis on divine names/caput xii concerning holy of.htm

Concerning "Holy of Holies," "King of Kings," "Lord of Lords ...
... THE DIVINE NAMES CHAPTER XII Concerning "Holy of holies," "King of kings,"
"Lord of lords," "God of gods.". 1. Forasmuch as the things ...
/.../rolt/dionysius the areopagite/chapter xii concerning holy of.htm

How Pompey had the City of Jerusalem Delivered up to Him but Took ...
... Took The Temple By Force. How He Went Into The Holy Of Holies; As Also What
Were His Other Exploits In Judea. 1. At this treatment ...
/.../chapter 7 how pompey had.htm

Whether the Priesthood of Christ Endures for Ever?
... Objection 2: Further, the priesthood of Christ was made manifest most of all in
His passion and death, when "by His own blood He entered into the Holies" (Heb.9 ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the priesthood of christ.htm

Phenomena Accompanying the Death of Christ: the Earthquake the ...
... [790] The veil of the Holy of Holies in the Temple was rent asunder, [791] signifying
that the Holy of Holies in heaven is opened to all men through the ...
/.../section 293 phenomena accompanying the.htm

Hebrews ix. 5-Jan
... This, he says, [was] the "Holy" [3030] and the "Holy of Holies." [3031] The holy
place then is a symbol of the former period (for there all things are done by ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xv hebrews ix 5-jan.htm

On the Nativity of John the Baptist the First Sermon
... senses. This is truly the altar which stands outside, before the Holy of
Holies, where the goats and oxen are offered to God. Thus ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon x on the nativity.htm

Marriage of the Blessed virgin to Joseph
... too, that a very aged priest, who could no longer walk (it was doubtless the high
priest), was carried on a chair by others before the Holy of Holies, and that ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/vii marriage of the blessed.htm

Holies (23 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia HOLY OF HOLIES. ho'-liz ... 20). W. Shaw Caldecott.
Multi-Version Concordance Holies (23 Occurrences). Hebrews ...
/h/holies.htm - 17k

Refined (26 Occurrences)
... the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and the censers, of refined gold, and
the hinges for the doors of the inner-house, for the holy of holies, for the ...
/r/refined.htm - 14k

Curtain (60 Occurrences)
... (2.) The sacred curtain, separating the holy of holies from the sanctuary,
is designated by a different Hebrew word (peroketh). ...
/c/curtain.htm - 27k

Day (17670 Occurrences)
... the altar and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small to be placed behind the
veil; 16:13, of the cloud of incense to be made in the Holy of Holies, so that ...
/d/day.htm - 70k

Cherubs (52 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:6 And the priests bring in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its
place, unto the oracle of the house, unto the holy of holies, unto the place ...
/c/cherubs.htm - 22k

Partition (4 Occurrences)
... The temple itself consisted of the two divisions, the Holy Place, entered by the
priests every day, and the Holy of Holies into which the high priest entered ...
/p/partition.htm - 14k

Holy (1097 Occurrences)
... Holy of holies. The ... 11). It was divided from the holy of holies by a veil
of the most costly materials and the brightest colours. ...
/h/holy.htm - 99k

Ark (212 Occurrences)
... of the ark formed the throne of God, while the ark itself was his footstool (Exodus
25:10-22; 37:1-9). The ark was deposited in the "holy of holies," and was ...
/a/ark.htm - 84k

Testaments
... For when Ptolemy, drunk with victory, came to Jerusalem, he endeavored to enter
the holy of holies of the temple, although he retreated, in confusion, from the ...
/t/testaments.htm - 35k

Covenant (309 Occurrences)
... not willing that David should build one for Him (2 Samuel 7). Solomon then built
the temple and placed the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies of this ...
/c/covenant.htm - 101k

What was the Holy of Holies? | GotQuestions.org

Did the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies? | GotQuestions.org

What was the significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died? | GotQuestions.org

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