After making the furnishings for the holy place of the tabernacle, the skilled workers of Israel created the items for the courtyard and its curtains. The two items in the courtyard were the altar of burnt offering (1) and the basin for washing (8). Having these items outside the holy place shows that before we can come into God’s holy presence, the guilt of our sin must be dealt with.

The LORD gave Israel the system of animal sacrifices to help them understand the seriousness of sin, and ultimately to point them to Christ, who is the one true sacrifice effective enough to take away the guilt of all our sin. We receive the power of Christ’s sacrifice not by a ritual but by simple faith. (Ro 3:25)

The wash basin represents how our hearts need to be cleansed before we can stand before God. The gospel teaches that our hearts are cleansed of sin through repentance and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If we remember Christ’s offering for our sins every time we come to God in prayer, we can receive the full blessings of his presence.
Application: Father, thank you for Jesus who made the sacrifice that allowed me to come to you. Grant me a spirit of repentance and faith continually so I may come into your presence.
One Word: Come to God through repentance and faith in Christ