When
God calls us to do something, it is always ahead or in forward motion, he does
not call us to go backward. So many
times I hear people say “we have to go
back to…..to understand God.” That simply is not true. We are never told to go back to, or return to, or
that we should do something the way it
was done before. This is a mistake. We are not told to go back to doing things
they way they were previously done. Going
back is not looked at positively by
God, because he is not back or behind us, he is ahead of us. In doing a word search one will find that back is always negative; turning back to
sin, or Egypt, or turning back away from Jesus.
We need to guard our hearts and minds to not go back but forward. God is
always moving forward, and when things change we are to move forward along with
him. With this in mind we will take a
look back at the pattern of the
tabernacle, so that we can see how this pattern of the heavenly temple was to
help people to walk in fellowship with God.
All the principles of the tabernacle exist in the New Testament, but
when we put the principles into a tangible visual object it can help put the
pieces together. First let’s establish
that we are called into fellowship with the Creator of the Heavens and Earth.
1
Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were
called unto the fellowship [2842] of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.KJV
1
John 1:3-7 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also
may have fellowship [2842] with us: and truly our fellowship [2842] is with the
Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.4 And these things write we unto you,
that your joy may be full.5 This then is the message which we have heard of
him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at
all.6 If we say that we have fellowship [2842] with him, and walk in darkness,
we lie, and do not the truth:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship [2842] one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.KJV
2
Cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion [2842] of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.KJV
What
we see from the variants of the definition is that this is partaking in
communication and from scripture we see it is with Jesus, the Father, and the
Holy Ghost. Therefore we have to ask
ourselves if we are communicating with God because we are told to. Therefore he must have made a way to do it.
NT:2841
koinoneo (koy-no-neh'-o); from NT:2844; to share with others (objectively or
subjectively): KJV - communicate, distribute, be partaker.
NT:2842
koinonia (koy-nohn-ee'-ah); from NT:2844; partnership, i.e. (literally)
participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction: KJV - (to)
communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-) distribution, fellowship.
NT:2843
koinonikos (koy-no-nee-kos'); from NT:2844; communicative, i.e. (pecuniarily)
liberal: KJV - willing to communicate.
NT:2844
koinonos (koy-no-nos'); from NT:2839; a sharer, i.e. associate: KJV -
companion, fellowship, partaker,
partner.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
God
gave us a pattern in the picture of the tabernacle of Moses as to how to
approach Him. The pattern was for the
benefit of the people until Christ came and rent the veil. Then the way became
open to all. But there are still some
things we can learn from the tabernacle so let’s explore. We first need to remember that Adam, Seth,
Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not have this pattern laid out for
them. They were as we are today, in an
open and free relationship with God.
There were no “procedures” to follow and there still aren’t. There simply seem to be deeper meanings for
the pattern of the tabernacle and that is what we want to explore.
Firstly,
we enter His gates with thanksgiving. The Gates were the first stop in entering
into an atoning relationship with God. In
the Old Testament, they came into the entrance of the Tabernacle with
Thanksgiving. Today we are to always come before the Lord with thanksgiving.
Ps
100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.KJV
Phil
4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.KJV
Sacrifices
needed to be made for sins; animals had to be sacrificed. However Jesus was our
complete sacrifice. So while we no
longer need the blood of bulls and goats, we do need to repent of our sin. Whether this is our first time speaking to
God or not, sin puts separation between God and man and we are obligated to
apologize.
Heb
10:11-14 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:12 But this man, after he
had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of
God;13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.14 For
by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.KJV
Rom
12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.KJV
The
next stop along the Tabernacle is the Laver where washing was in order. The
hands and feet of Aaron and his sons had to be cleansed. Yet today we “wash”
when we are baptized and repent for sin in a public way. But also we are washed with the word of God.
Washing is cleansing the dirt out of our lives, and the word of God, put on in
our hearts and minds, cleans the garbage away.
Ex
30:18-21 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to
wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation
and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.19 For Aaron and his sons shall
wash their hands and their feet thereat:20 When they go into the tabernacle of
the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they
come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the
Lord:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and
it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout
their generations.KJV
Heb
10:21-22 And having an high priest over the house of God;22 Let us draw near
with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from
an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.KJV
1
Cor 6:10 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God.KJV
Eph
5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and
gave himself for it;26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing
of water by the word,27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church,
not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish.KJV
Titus
3:5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
KJV
As
we can see, being washed has been done by Jesus for us and it is something we
continue in doing. The next area we enter into is the holy place where there
are three stations we have to look at.
First there is the table of the bread
of the presence. Jesus is our bread and when we partake in communion we
symbolize the bread of the presence. This was an offering to God and Aaron and his
sons would later eat the bread. We can
remember the controversy David had in eating the bread of the presence. Today Jesus is the bread of life, and we
remember His sacrifice when we partake in communion.
Ex
40:22-23 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of
the tabernacle northward, without the vail.23 And he set the bread in order
upon it before the Lord; as the Lord had commanded Moses.KJV
John
6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.KJV
1
Cor 10:16-17 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the
blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body
of Christ?17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all
partakers of that one bread.KJV
The
next element we will notice is the candlestick.
It was a seven branch lamp stand that used oil to stay lit. Jesus is our light,
the light of life. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Oil and light are essential to us today as
believers in Christ. Jesus reminded us
to not be like the foolish virgins who had no oil when the bridegroom came. The
Holy Spirit inside of us helps us to be lights to a very dark world.
Ex
40:24-25 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over
against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.25 And he lighted
the lamps before the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.KJV
John
8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he
that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life.KJV
John
12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should
not abide in darkness.KJV
Eph
5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as
children of light: KJV
The
altar of incense was the place where
incense was burnt as praise to the Lord. To us it symbolizes praise, and we
should be praising continually. Christ was our sweet smelling savor. Praising
God brings us closer to Him as we are acknowledging His goodness. It is a sacrifice to praise God when things
go wrong in life. During one’s deepest
heartbreak, praising God will lift the shroud of mourning. It is easy to praise when things in life go
well but to praise God when the world is caving in is a sacrifice. But to God it is a sweet aroma of our
appreciation for Him, even if we don’t understand what is happening.
Ex
40:26-27 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the
vail:27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the Lord commanded Moses.KJV
Eph
5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for
us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.KJV
Heb
13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.KJV
Our
last place to look at is the Holy of
Holies. This was the most holy place
that the high priest could enter, but only once per year with a blood offering
for his sins and then a second blood offering for the sins of the people. Sin was not allowed in the presence of God
and many Priests died because their own sin was not properly atoned for. But Jesus was the payment for our sin, and
while someone bound by sin probably cannot hear from God, the pattern thus far
should help cleanse us to the point we can enter into His presence. The Mercy Seat was set upon the ark of the
testimony. This is where Moses heard From God.
Ex
26:33-34 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest
bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall
divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.34 And thou shalt put
the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.KJV
Num
7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak
with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy
seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he
spake unto him KJV
Jesus
opened the way through the holy place into the Holy of Holies. We have no
tabernacle or temple today to offer sin and gift offerings. But Jesus took care of that for us by His own
blood. And again following the ideas of
the tabernacle will get us to the presence of God.
Heb
9:6-12 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into
the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.7 But into the second
went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered
for himself, and for the errors of the people:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying,
that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the
first tabernacle was yet standing:9 Which was a figure for the time then
present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make
him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;10 Which
stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances,
imposed on them until the time of reformation.11 But Christ being come an high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not
made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;12 Neither by the blood
of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.KJV
Christ
only had to make the sacrifice once, and he obtained eternal redemption for us.
It didn’t take multiple times, or
offerings, or any other laws for Him to get this right for us. We should be
grateful.
Heb
9:13-14For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:14 How much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? KJV
I personally love verse 14 as we see that
through His blood Christ purged our conscience from dead works so that we can
now serve the LIVING GOD. Why would
anyone want to turn back to serving the weak and beggarly elements? Why perform dead works? Also, there is no temple or tabernacle in
which to serve. So if one wants to keep the law, that individual cannot keep
the whole law as the laws governing the temple cannot be kept. Instead we serve a LIVING GOD who wants fellowship
with us, who wants to communicate with us.
Even if one keeps the laws that they can keep, without shedding of blood
there is no remission of sin. Therefore someone who wants to keep the law has
to figure out how to shed some blood without a temple.
Heb
9:22-24 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission.23 It was therefore necessary that the
patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the
heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.24 For Christ is
not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the
true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: KJV
Christ
has entered holy places in heaven to appear before the Father for us. How wonderful is that? Remember when Jesus
was on earth, he taught in the temple, but he didn’t offer sacrifices or gift
offerings. He didn’t enter the holy
place made with hands. Instead he
entered heaven on our behalf.
Heb
10:14-22 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified.15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he
had said before,16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds
will I write them;17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.18
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.19 Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus,20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh;21 And having an high priest over the house of
God;22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water.KJV
He
perfected us; we couldn’t do it with works of service in the temple or
tabernacle, Christ had to do it for us. Now he puts his laws into our hearts
and minds; we don’t have to go back, we can go forward. This is the covenant
God made with us after those days, the days after Jesus was offered up for
us. The new way, the new forward
direction God made for us is better than the old way. We don’t need a temple to
go to; we have Jesus in our hearts. We can today, at this very time, draw near to
God because we have been washed and cleansed.
Truly amazing! We have a Living
God who wants to fellowship with us, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. I would say that going forward
is to our benefit.
Remember
when Jesus died on the cross, and the veil of the temple was torn from top to
bottom? Does it seem the opposite of how we would expect to see a veil or
curtain torn today? I would think tearing from the bottom up would be more of a
human way for the veil to be torn, but from the top would indicate that someone
would have to be on a ladder to tear it that way. I’m sure the temple didn’t have a maintenance
crew in the temple near the veil on a ladder at that time. No, this way no one can say that a man tore
the veil. Only God could have torn the veil.
Matt
27:50-53 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the
ghost.51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;52 And the graves were
opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,53 And came out of the
graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto
many.KJV
Mark
15:37-38 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.38 And the
veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.KJV
Luke
23:44-46 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the
earth until the ninth hour.45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst.46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he
said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave
up the ghost.KJV
With
the veil torn, opening the way into the Holy of Holies, we can talk to God just
as Moses did. We have to understand that
we are the temple, yes you and I make up the temple at large, but we are the
temple individually as well. That is how
God can meet with us; he meets with us, in us.
1
Cor 3:13-17 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare
it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's
work of what sort it is.14 If any man's work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward.15 If any man's work shall be burned, he
shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.16 Know ye
not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in
you?17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the
temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.KJV
Here
is a plug for keeping ourselves from sin, especially sin that can hurt our
bodies because we are the place that the Holy Spirit can dwell. If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, than we have
the potential to be holy and the ability to communicate with the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
1
Cor 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20 For ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's. KJV
How
do we glorify God in our body and spirit? That is a good question which seems
rather important as we were bought with a price so that we could do that. One way is that we can offer thanksgiving,
praise and worship with our bodies, singing in psalms, hymns and spirituals
songs, making melodies in our hearts. Also when we bring a sacrifice of praise
during the time of trouble, we are going against what we “feel”, to do what is
right. That is taking authority over our
body and soul, to do what is right in the spirit and by doing so our body and
soul come into alignment with the Holy Spirit. That is when healing takes
place.
Eph
2:18-22 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.19
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with
the saints, and of the household of God;20 And are built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;21
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in
the Lord:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit.KJV
Because
of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have access to the Father. This is
awesome, we don’t have to wait for a temple to be built, nor do we have to
perform ritual service to get the Father’s attention, we already have His ear.
We are citizens with the saints, Adam, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, as well as everyone else in the household of faith. We are the habitation of God. We are the place God inhabits.
How
can we communicate this to a lost and dying world? How do we tell someone who
has a bad opinion of the Bible that it is Christ in us the Hope of Glory? And that we serve a LIVING GOD, who we have
access to day or night. What a
dilemma. Knowing we are loved first and
foremost is the first step, but how can we expect someone without the Holy
Spirit dwelling on the inside to understand the spiritual happenings on the
inside of a child of the Creator. The
first step seems to be acknowledging Him as Creator and Jesus as Lord. The second step is to be thankful. Wash ourselves with the word of God or in
other words put the word of God in our hearts.
We then remember communion, and the Holy Spirit oil that brings
light. We next praise, even when times
are hard. Then we have an open door, to
the Holy of Holies. Someone once told me
when I was first learning about God that I could talk to God and that He would
talk back. Being one of those people who
do first and ask questions later, I started talking to God, and guess what? He talked
back to me. It’s that simple. Tying to communicate this to a hurting world
that cannot see that the Creator is not a large hammer but a loving Father may
always be our challenge. But anyone with a willing heart can enter into
relationship with Him.
