The Way, The Truth And The Life: Tabernacle Series Part 4

Exodus 25:1-9 

"Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.'"

(The Holy Place)

God devoted only one chapter in the Bible to the creation of the world but SEVEN CHAPTERS to the construction of the tabernacle, it's furnishings and the priestly garments.  You can plainly see this was of much greater importance to Him!  

He described everything to Moses right down to the minutest detail up,on Mt. Sinai.  He even imparted special inspiration and skill to the artists and craftsmen among their number.  

Since it was obviously very important to God, let's study it and find out why.  

The tabernacle was a miniature replica of heaven.  So, when we read what the beloved disciple, John, wrote in Revelation for instance, we know exactly where he was standing and in which direction he was facing when he was transported in the spirit to the real tabernacle in heaven.

Revelation 1:12

12 "Then I {John} turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One {Jesus} like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band." 

The entrance to the Holy Place was on the EAST SIDE.  As you enter there, the table of showbread would be on your right, the altar of incense directly ahead in front of the veil with the four pictures on it and the menorah on your left.  You are facing West.

John said he turned around to face the voice he heard speaking BEHIND HIM to see the seven golden lamp stands.  They would be located on the South side of the Holy place so he was obviously facing North because he was turned toward the table of shewbread.  Perhaps he was having communion on the Lord's day.

(For more information on the importance and significance of the mentioning of the four directions, follow the link below:
http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/gods-protection-plan.html)

(The outer court.)

Rabbinical tradition refers to the entrance of the outer court as "The Way," where the bronze altar is located.  Bronze in the Bible typifies judgment. The bronze altar, shaped like a cross, reminds us of the cross where all our sins were judged:  past, present and future.  If you think about it, ALL YOUR SINS WERE FUTURE WHEN JESUS DIED.

The outer court depicts salvation but it is also a picture of a judgmental attitude toward sin and sinners; spiritual childhood, if you will.  The Church was not given the ministry of judgment but of RECONCILIATION.  Soon enough, Judgment Day will come.....but it is not here yet.  We need to stick to our program, preach the gospel and see more and more people saved!

Many Christians and churches, never seem to grow past this outer court stage, apparently content to dwell there.  God still loves them, of course, and they are still IN the tabernacle, meaning they are still saved and going to heaven when they die, but He wants them to come into the Holy Place and, ultimately, into the Holy of Holies, the place of pure grace.  

In order to be saved you must have FAITH, so the outer court is also a picture of "FAITH."

The second portion of the tabernacle is the "Holy Place."  Interestingly, in Rabbinical tradition the entrance was called "THE TRUTH."  Herein was contained the seven branch solid gold menorah, the table of showbread, a typology of communion, and the altar of incense depicting the prayers of the saints.

These furnishings are all pictures of the Church.  She gives light to the world, celebrates the death of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, by holy communion, and the prayers of all her saints ascend to God like sweet smelling incense.

On the other side of the veil is the Ark of the covenant.  The Temple veil had four pictures woven into it.  (See photo below)  For more information on the meaning of the our pictures, please follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/06/why-do-we-have-four-gospels.html

(The Holy Place)

The Church is the entity which teaches the world about the "TRUTH" and the "HOPE" of eternal salvation in Jesus. 

Prophetically speaking, most of the Church today is here, in this in-between place:  In between the bronze of the outer court:  Between judgment, and the pure Grace of the "Kadoshim:  the Holy of Holies." 

In this middle ground are many winds of doctrine, much controversy and great confusion about the finished work of Jesus.  "Are we under law?  Are we under Grace?  Are we saved by grace but preserve it by our good works?  Does grace produce licentiousness?  Are we eternally secure or not?  Can a Christian commit the unpardonable sin?  What is the unpardonable sin?"  On and on it goes.  

You see?  MUCH confusion.  Much uncertainty.  The "sea" here is still liquid, so to speak, typifing that very confusion and uncertainty.  Very easy to sink beneath this sea, these waves of uncertainty, like Peter did when he walked on water with Jesus.  This will change when the Church at last enters into the Holy of Holies where the sea is no more liquid:  IT IS CRYSTAL.  (See Revelaion 4:6.). 

The bronze(judgment) of the outer court is often mixed with the gold(grace) the divine righteousness of the Kadoshim or Holy of Holies.  This is the essence of Galatianism, also known as "mixture," widely taught today.  Paul warned against this.  In fact, the entire book of Galatians is devoted to this subject.

Ah, but the entrance into the Holy of Holies, called "THE LIFE" in Rabinical tradition, is the place of rest; of lasting peace, safety and provision.  Jesus invited us to enter this place when He said, "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying..." in John's Revelation.

What He meant was, "Come into the place of safety. Come up higher, up where everywhere is gold, where the sea is CRYSTAL. There is no tossing to and fro here. You are only here because you understand the finished work.  A throne is waiting for you on which to sit and rest; a rest which springs from that understanding."

This the secret place of the Most High, the place of pure LOVE!  For a more in-depth study on the Secret Place of the Most High, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/psalm-91-part-1-secret-place.html?m=1

All of these three parts of the tabernacle of Moses are a beautiful typologies of our Lord Jesus.  They perfectly depict the verses below:

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

11 When I was a child, {in the outer court and holy place} I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man {in the holy of holies}, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide FAITH {outer court}, HOPE {holy place}, LOVE {holy of holies}, these three; but the GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE {holy of holies}."

Remember when Jesus said of Himself in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me?"  His Jewish audience understood something you and I would never have caught.  They understood that He was saying THE WHOLE TABERNACLE WAS A PICTURE OF HIM!   

WOW!  In more ways than you could possibly have imagined, Jesus really IS.....THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.