Saturday, January 2, 2016

Bible study of the Sanctuary -- Part 2

Bible study of the Sanctuary -- Part 2

Tabernacle of Israel


Purpose of the Tabernacle

Did God dwell in the Camp of Israel before the Sanctuary was built?
               You might recall that when the Israelites had finally been released from the bondage of Egypt by the Might of God, God accompanied Israel in their journeys. He was described as a cloud in the day and as a Pillar of fire at night (Ex 13:21). When Israel was about to cross the red sea, and the Egyptian army pursued after them, the Pillar came between Israel and the Egyptian army. From the beginning of the trek from Egypt, God was continually with His people, guiding and protecting them. When Israel was brought to Sinai, the people had to prepare themselves for seven days before they could receive the Instructions from the Lord. Even at this, only certain of the Elders, Moses and Aaron were allowed to go near the mountain, then Moses alone was allowed to go into the Cloud with the Lord. This was due to the sins of the people, and the Consuming fire of the Lord. Sin cannot exist in the Presence of God, for His glory would consume and destroy the sin and anyone who was part with it.
               God was not able to abide in the Midst of the people because of their sins, they would have been consumed. Therefore the Sanctuary was built so that God could abide in the midst of His people, like the government of them. That there would be a veil to separate the Holy one from man, a veil of mercy so man would not be consumed.
Where did the Sacrificial Ceremonies start?
Genesis 3:21
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
The First sacrifice was made right after the first Covenant was made. (Read verse 15 also). So, here we see that God established His covenant with Adam and Eve, then put forth the Conditions to Meet (Obedience) and gave the means to meet those conditions (The Plan of Salvation through the system of Sacrifices ordained by God.) The Sacrificial system was started in Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. That ceremony of shedding innocent blood to wash away sin was a representation of the innocent blood of the Lamb of God which was to be slain for the redemption of man.

What purpose did the Tabernacle serve?

               The purpose of the Tabernacle was to establish unto the children of Israel, in an orderly manner, the plan of salvation to sinful man. The Tabernacle was built for the practice of the sacrificial offerings, and for the sins of the repentant to be carried into the sanctuary, to be forgiven. Proper and reasonable order is part of the Will of God. The ceremonies and sacrifices as practiced by Adam, Cain, Abraham, Isaac and down until they were lost in Egypt, were part of the set order that God has made for the Salvation of man. The Sanctuary given to the Israelites to build is a clear foreshadowing of the cross on Calvary. Each article, detail, sacrifice, and ceremony of the tabernacle directly pointed forward to the work that Christ was going to accomplish as the ultimate sacrifice to save erring man.
The Tabernacle, directly designed after the Sanctuary in heaven, was also the dwelling place of God. It is the sanctuary, a sacred place. The mercy seat (Ark of the Covenant) was located in the second room of the tabernacle, the seat of God where He sat among Israel. We will go in more detail later in the studies.
So, therefore, the purpose of the Tabernacle in Israel was to be the House of God, so He could be among His chosen people, and that it gave to Israel the access to the plan of Salvation.
(Note) Notice that the Sacrificial system that was instructed to Adam and his descendants, was carried down from generation to generation and preserved all the way to, and even through, the time that God’s people became lost in Egypt, and down unto the time of Christ. Multiple times Lucifer tried to make God’s people lose sight of the Plan of Salvation to be left in darkness, but God set up faithful men to carry it through – Adam to his sons, Seth, after Able had been slain, Noah, through the flood, Joseph, into Egypt, and then reminded unto Moses in the Wilderness, which in turn was instructed also unto Israel in Egypt. The truth of God’s salvation has been continually guided and protected throughout world’s history. From days of old, through the days of the reformation and the Waldensians, and carried through from 1844, to Now – The truth has been and will be preserved unto the end of this world and beyond. The Lord is continually merciful.


Construction of the Sanctuary
(This section is based on Exodus 36-39).

“For the building of the sanctuary great and expensive preparations were necessary; a large amount of the most precious and costly material was required; yet the Lord accepted only freewill offerings. “Of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take My offering” was the divine command repeated by Moses to the congregation. Devotion to God and a spirit of sacrifice were the first requisites in preparing a dwelling place for the Most High. {PP 343.3}”

This same Spirit of Giving is looked for among God's people today. God wishes to see the desire of man to prepare a way to commune with Him.
He desires to see us engage in the work to prepare ourselves and others to spend eternity with Him in the new earth.

“The tabernacle was so constructed that it could be taken apart and borne with the Israelites in all their journeying’s. It was therefore small, being not more than fifty-five feet in length, and eighteen in breadth and height. Yet it was a magnificent structure. The wood employed for the building and its furniture was that of the acacia tree, which was less subject to decay than any other to be obtained at Sinai. The walls consisted of upright boards, set in silver sockets, and held firm by pillars and connecting bars; and all were overlaid with gold, giving to the building the appearance of solid gold. The roof was formed of four sets of curtains, the innermost of “fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubim of cunning work;” the other three respectively were of goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins, so arranged as to afford complete protection. {PP 347.1}”
The building was not huge, and not made to be a bragging token of Israel, but it was made to be neat, orderly, and magnificent as it was the house of God.
Likewise our churches of modern day do not need to be of show and popularity, many times the people of God waste great sums of money in creating a showing church, when those funds could have been put into the better work for God. Our Churches need to be appropriate, humble, neat and orderly, as they are also consecrated to be the House of God.


What are the furnishings of the Tabernacle?

               (Outer court)
·        The Altar of Burnt Offering (Ex 38:1-7)
·        The Laver (Ex 38:8)
(Holy Place)
·        The table of shewbread (Ex 37:10-16)
·        The candle stick, which has seven upon it (Ex 37:17-24)
·        Alter of Incense (Ex 37:25-28)

Then the Veil which separates the Holy Place from the (Holy of Holies).
·        The Ark of the Covenant (Ex 37:1-9)
·        And the mercy seat upon the ark.


“The building was divided into two apartments by a rich and beautiful curtain, or veil, suspended from gold-plated pillars; and a similar veil closed the entrance of the first apartment. These, like the inner covering, which formed the ceiling, were of the most gorgeous colors, blue, purple, and scarlet, beautifully arranged, while inwrought with threads of gold and silver were cherubim to represent the angelic host who are connected with the work of the heavenly sanctuary and who are ministering spirits to the people of God on earth. {PP 347.2}
The sacred tent was enclosed in an open space called the court, which was surrounded by hangings, or screens, of fine linen, suspended from pillars of brass. The entrance to this enclosure was at the eastern end. It was closed by curtains of costly material and beautiful workmanship, though inferior to those of the sanctuary. The hangings of the court being only about half as high as the walls of the tabernacle, the building could be plainly seen by the people without. In the court, and nearest the entrance, stood the brazen altar of burnt offering. Upon this altar were consumed all the sacrifices made by fire unto the Lord, and its horns were sprinkled with the atoning blood. Between the altar and the door of the tabernacle was the laver, which was also of brass, made from the mirrors that had been the freewill offering of the women of Israel. At the laver the priests were to wash their hands and their feet whenever they went into the sacred apartments, or approached the altar to offer a burnt offering unto the Lord. {PP 347.3}
In the first apartment, or holy place, were the table of showbread, the candlestick, or lampstand, and the altar of incense. The table of showbread stood on the north. With its ornamental crown, it was overlaid with pure gold. On this table the priests were each Sabbath to place twelve cakes, arranged in two piles, and sprinkled with frankincense. The loaves that were removed, being accounted holy, were to be eaten by the priests. On the south was the seven-branched candlestick, with its seven lamps. Its branches were ornamented with exquisitely wrought flowers, resembling lilies, and the whole was made from one solid piece of gold. There being no windows in the tabernacle, the lamps were never all extinguished at one time, but shed their light by day and by night. Just before the veil separating the holy place from the most holy and the immediate presence of God, stood the golden altar of incense. Upon this altar the priest was to burn incense every morning and evening; its horns were touched with the blood of the sin offering, and it was sprinkled with blood upon the great Day of Atonement. The fire upon this altar was kindled by God Himself and was sacredly cherished. Day and night the holy incense diffused its fragrance throughout the sacred apartments, and without, far around the tabernacle. {PP 348.1}
Beyond the inner veil was the holy of holies, where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession, and which formed the connecting link between heaven and earth. In this apartment was the ark, a chest of acacia wood, overlaid within and without with gold, and having a crown of gold about the top. It was made as a depository for the tables of stone, upon which God Himself had inscribed the Ten Commandments. Hence it was called the ark of God’s testament, or the Ark of the Covenant, since the Ten Commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel. {PP 348.2}

(note) Remember, folks, in previous studies how we have seen the importance of the Ten Commandments in Salvation? Mercy and Justice are the Throne of God. And in the Holy of Holies, within the Mercy seat of God, was where the Ten Commandments were kept. By the Ten Commandments is holy Judgement made by God.

The cover of the sacred chest was called the mercy seat. This was wrought of one solid piece of gold, and was surmounted by golden cherubim, one standing on each end. One wing of each angel was stretched forth on high, while the other was folded over the body (see Ezekiel 1:11) in token of reverence and humility. The position of the cherubim, with their faces turned toward each other, and looking reverently downward toward the ark, represented the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God and their interest in the plan of redemption. {PP 348.3}
Above the mercy seat was the Shekinah, the manifestation of the divine Presence; and from between the cherubim, God made known His will. Divine messages were sometimes communicated to the high priest by a voice from the cloud. Sometimes a light fell upon the angel at the right, to signify approval or acceptance, or a shadow or cloud rested upon the one at the left to reveal disapproval or rejection. {PP 349.1}
The law of God, enshrined within the ark, was the great rule of righteousness and judgment. That law pronounced death upon the transgressor; but above the law was the mercy seat, upon which the presence of God was revealed, and from which, by virtue of the atonement, pardon was granted to the repentant sinner. Thus in the work of Christ for our redemption, symbolized by the sanctuary service, “mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10. {PP 349.2} “

“No language can describe the glory of the scene presented within the sanctuary—the gold-plated walls reflecting the light from the golden candlestick, the brilliant hues of the richly embroidered curtains with their shining angels, the table, and the altar of incense, glittering with gold; beyond the second veil the sacred ark, with its mystic cherubim, and above it the holy Shekinah, the visible manifestation of Jehovah’s presence; all but a dim reflection of the glories of the temple of God in heaven, the great center of the work for man’s redemption. {PP 349.3}

A period of about half a year was occupied in the building of the tabernacle. When it was completed, Moses examined all the work of the builders, comparing it with the pattern shown him in the mount and the directions he had received from God. “As the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” With eager interest the multitudes of Israel crowded around to look upon the sacred structure. While they were contemplating the scene with reverent satisfaction, the pillar of cloud floated over the sanctuary and, descending, enveloped it. “And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” There was a revealing of the divine majesty, and for a time even Moses could not enter. With deep emotion the people beheld the token that the work of their hands was accepted. There were no loud demonstrations of rejoicing. A solemn awe rested upon all. But the gladness of their hearts welled up in tears of joy, and they murmured low, earnest words of gratitude that God had condescended to abide with them. {PP 349.4}”

Conclusions

The Sanctuary was built by God's commandment so that God could abide in the Midst of His people. He wanted to be among His chosen people to be near them and to give them the way to Salvation. All through the specific constructions and instructions given concerning the Sanctuary serve for a specific purpose. By studying the Sanctuary we can see that it Foreshadows the cross and the sacrifice that Christ gave for the Salvation of Man. All through the progression of the sanctuary can be found the Steps to Christ.
 The Sanctuary was patterned after the design of the Heavenly Sanctuary. The ceremonies can be found With Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Esau and all through the history down into Israel. The Sanctuary was built to make a way of escape from the captivity of Sin.
 The sanctuary holds importance to us as it sets a foundation that pointed to the Cavalry, foundation to the Judgement, and a foundation to the atonement for our sins. Not many are aware of the Actual importance of the Sanctuary to current day Christians. May we study and learn to know the Will of God.

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