What does it mean that Christ is our propitiation and the whole tabernacle?
Christ fulfilled every aspect of the tabernacle as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice and high priest, obtaining eternal redemption. He is our propitiation when we believe, satisfying God's demands while also being the justifier, so believers are free from the repeated, burdensome tabernacle system.
Les explains that the high priest pre-typed what Christ fulfilled as our high priest. The tabernacle priests were human, died, and were replaced, and their work was repeated year after year. But Christ's finished work is once, and He obtained eternal redemption for us. The tabernacle worship was a burden and a yoke for Israel because everything had to be done exactly right, but believers are free because Christ has done it all on our behalf. In Romans 3, Paul shows that He is our propitiation if we believe, declaring His righteousness. He is the whole tabernacle, done all from both directions: He is the just one, the perfect sacrifice who fulfilled all the demands of a holy God, and He is also the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus, the resurrected one.
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.