Pray for kids going back to school
TABERNACLE
The TABERNACLE or “Tent of Meeting” that God told Moses to “build exactly according to instructions” CONSISTED OF 3 AREAS:
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Outer Court or “Court of the gentiles” - rectangular 50 cubits by 100 cubits
Inner court or “Court of the Jews” (outside the veil) - rectangular 10 cubits by 20 cubits ... leading to:
The Holy Place or “Holy of Holies” (within the veil) - 10 cubits square ... smallest of all
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(Most modern churches copy the “3 level” style - a FOYER or entry way/meeting place, a SANCTUARY for worship, and an ALTAR area (considered MOST holy))
REMEMBER these 3 areas while we examine the tabernacle furniture:
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BRAZEN ALTAR:
Upon entering the Outer Court, you are met by the Brazen or BRONZE Altar where the animal sacrifices were done ... it is the FARTHEST you can be from the Holy of Holies just as Jesus was sacrificed on the cross AWAY from the presence.
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BRAZEN LAVER:
Before entering the Inner Court, the priests must wash their HANDS and FEET (remember Jesus washing the disciples’ hands and feet?) at the Brazen or BRONZE laver (also called a “sea” or “basin”).
Exod 40:30-35 (NIV)
30 He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing,
31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet.
32 They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses.
33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.
34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
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GOLDEN CANDLESTICK (7 branches) the LIGHT of the WORD:
Notice the PURITY and VALUE of the furniture is INCREASING ... as we get CLOSER to GOD, OUR PURITY and VALUE increase.
Exod 27:20 (NIV)
20 "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of PRESSED olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.”
Notice the OIL had to come from PRESSING or PRESSURE in order for LIGHT to fill the Inner Court.
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TABLE OF SHOWBREAD:
ALSO covered in GOLD. SHOWBREAD means ... are you ready for this? ... the FACE of God in the bread. The GOLDEN CANDLE is the LIGHT of the WORD, and the SHOWBREAD is the BREAD of His PRESENCE or the HOLY SPIRIT (The Word and the Spirit AGREE leading to the Father).
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GOLDEN ALTER OF INCENSE:
JUST BEFORE the ENTRANCE to the Holy of Holies, is a GOLDEN TABLE. It is NOT meant for ANIMAL sacrifice ... it requires HUMAN sacrifice (what I mean is that only HUMANS can offer the SACRIFICE of PRAISE willingly which is what INCENSE represents). We MUST come before Him with PRAISE (this is WHY we begin EVERY service with the INCENSE of PRAISE - we are COMING BEFORE the LIVING GOD ! ! !)
Exod 30:6-10 (NIV)
6 Put the altar in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony-- before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony-- where I will meet with you.
7 "Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps.
8 He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come.
9 Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it.
10 Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD."
Heb 8:5
5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
(NIV)
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THE ARK OF THE COVENANT:
(O my) It is a wooden box overlaid in GOLD containing among other things the 10 COMMANDMENTS of the law. The lid (cover) or “MERCY SEAT” has on top of it 2 cherubim with their wings extended toward each other in a “bowing position”. The PRESENCE OF GOD was always around it (God CANNOT be kept IN a BOX. This was the place the GOD met MAN ! ! !
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The Tabernacle ... 3 things:
#1). The tabernacle is a copy of the REAL tabernacle/temple in Heaven ...
Jesus went in ... behind the veil ... once ... to offer His blood in the Heavenly Holy of Holies ... before the presence of God
#2). The tabernacle is a demonstration of human person:
a). The outer court (court of the gentiles) is our body .. all people can see that part of us. The Jewish religious leaders had allowed the court of the Gentiles in the Jerusalem temple to become a noisy, smelly marketplace. All this activity interfered with God's provision for the Gentiles to worship.
When godly, non-Jews traveled great distances to worship God in His temple, they had to contend with dishonest money-changes and a place unfit for worshipful focus on God. The Jewish leaders had allowed the purpose of the Gentile court to be perverted. What a disappointment and poor witness that must have been to the Gentiles.
Jesus made it plain that God's temple should be a house of prayer for all nations.
How are you managing your temple of God? "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you. . .?" (1 Corinthians 6:19, NABS). Are you available for all nations?
Some Christians live such chaotic and undisciplined lives that their temples have become smelly, noisy marketplaces where worshipful focus on God is impossible. Their prayers consist of material concerns only and they have perverted the use of God's temple.
Do you have coworkers and/or neighbors from other nations who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ personally? I recommend that you REALIZE that YOU are the TEMPLE of GOD and you MUST LIVE CLEAN in order for others to know and recognize God in you ! ! !
Mark 11:15-18 (NIV)
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,
16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.
17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
b). The inner court is our mind ... only those to whom we open ourselves will ever know that part of us .. your friends, your spouse. This area must ALSO be kept clean. Washing your HANDS and FEET there at the Bronze Laver means KEEPING what you DO and where you GO .... CLEAN ! !
c). The Holy of Holies ... our spirit ... where the Spirit of Jesus comes to LIVE ... ONLY GOD can know the REAL YOU COMPLETELY ... only GOD can SATISFY the REAL YOU and its LONGING :)
#3). The tabernacle is a demonstration of ALL people’s relationship to God:
a). The outer court (court of the gentiles) is where most people live ... away from the warmth of the presence of God ... only vaguely aware of the benefits that await further inside.
b). The inner court is the person who ATTENDS a church, but his life isn’t run by the Word of God ( having the FORM of Godliness but DENYING the POWER) ... he has NO salvation ... he has NO benefit from his religion.
c). The Holy of Holies :) THIS PERSON has come THROUGH the VEIL (Jesus is the VEIL - as represented by the veil of BLUE [divinity], PURPLE [royalty}, and SCARLET [blood] ) and is BORN AGAIN ... he HAS SALVATION ... his name is written in the Lamb’s book of life ... he experiences the warmth of the LOVE of GOD and he has ALL the benefits of being a son, king, and priest of the MOST HIGH GOD ! ! !
WHERE are YOU in the TABERNACLE of LIFE??