If the YouTube video above is not available, here are two other ways to view:

HFG-19

151025AM

Everything We Need to Understand

About Dwelling With God

Exodus 25:8

 

God wants to dwell with us and us to dwell with Him.

Jesus is named Immanuel, God with us in Matthew 1.

Heaven is described as the dwelling place of God is with men in the end of the Bible.

Today we are confronted with what it means to dwell with God. God’s purpose is to dwell with us until we can dwell with Him. The start of the Tabernacle Scriptures states:

Ex 25:8 (NKJV) And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

In Exodus, God sent the plans to build a portable Doorway to Heaven where humans could come face to face with God, by way of substitionary sacrifices. Coming before God is awesome.

That is what we need to think about more often, what it means to come face to face with God, which is only through Christ.

The Tabernacle was a reminder for us who live on Earth, of the reality of God upon His Throne. Today, what response does God expect of us when we see Him as He is this moment, seated upon His Throne?

 

Meeting the King of the Universe at the Doorway to Heaven

The plans for the Doorway to Heaven that God gave is a guide for us to understand Christ’s work.

When God came down from Heaven to the Earth, the mountain began quaking, a cloud of fire surrounding God was burning the top of the mountain, and a pillar of smoke rose like from a blast furnace.

Each of the elements surrounding God’s Holy Throne, speak of a scene so awesome, and so massively powerful that frail creatures like we are as humans would have trouble surviving.

God left a visible plan of salvation for the world. For 500 years it was a tent that Moses built. Then it was in a Temple that Solomon built. Both portrayed:

 

The Plan God Displayed

First join me in a quick overview of how God laid out the plan of salvation so clearly in the detailed plans for the Tabernacle:

  1. A sinner is outside the Tabernacle, kept away by a 7 ½ foot high white fence, set of posts held up by 60 solid brass sockets. There is only one way or gate into the enclosure, which opened directly in front of the Brazen Altar. That altar is the Cross of Jesus, which is where our spiritual life begins at salvation.
  2. The next step after salvation is the regular cleansing at the Brazen Laver.
  3. After being cleansed the next door leads to the Holy Place [about the size of a large living room (30 x 15)] where we find the Golden Table of Bread as we fellowship with Jesus through His Word.
  4. Then guided by the light of the Golden Lamp stand we are able to walk confidently as I John 1:7 says.
  5. Then and only then can we understand the power of prayer as portrayed by the Golden Altar of incense.
  6. Through prayer we enter the Holy of Holies of God’s very presence.
  7. In that Holiest Place we find the peace and security of the Ark of the Covenant, the blood sprinkled mercy seat and the glow of the Shekinah of God’s presence.

 

THE TABERNACLE ENTRANCE: God Wants Us To Come to Him

THE COURTYARD OF THE TABERNACLE (Ex. 26:1-37) was one hundred fifty feet long and seventy-five feet wide. Its single gate, on the east side, was thirty feet wide and seven and a half feet high, allowing a large number of people to enter at the same time.

This entrance is a graphic picture of Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way” and “I am the door.” Just as there was only one entrance to the Tabernacle, there is only one way to God-the only Way and the only Door, Jesus Christ. Christianity is exclusive, not because Christians make it so but because God has made it so.

Throughout the centuries, of course, Christians have made the earthly church exclusive in many wrong ways. But God has intentionally made His spiritual, eternal church exclusive. It can be entered only through Jesus Christ.

Psalm 100: Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He isGod; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

 

ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING: God Wants to Forgive Us

The first article of furniture in the outer court was THE BRONZE ALTAR (Ex. 27:1-8). It was made of acacia wood sheathed with bronze. It was seven and a half feet square, stood four and a half feet off the ground, and was topped with a bronze grate. The coals were placed underneath the grate and the sacrifice was placed on top.

On the four corners of the altar were horns, to which the animal was bound when it was being sacrificed. The bronze altar is again a perfect picture of Jesus Christ, who Himself was a sacrifice for sin.

At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Revelation 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

“Jesus Paid it all” # 210

At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.

 

LAVER: God Wants to Cleanse Us

The next piece of furniture in the court was THE LAVER or basin, also made of bronze (Ex. 30:17-21). In it the priests would wash their hands, and even sometimes their feet, as they went about the bloody services of sacrifice.

Here is a picture of Jesus Christ as the cleanser of His people. Once we have received forgiveness for our sins through Christ’s sacrifice of Himself, we still need His daily cleansing that restores fellowship and joy.

At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus on His knees – cleansing my sins.

John 13:4-10 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”

Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

“There is a Fountain” # 196

  1. At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.
  2. At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus on His knees – cleansing my sins.

 

LAMPSTAND: God Wants to Illumine Us

On the left, as the priest entered, was a solid GOLD LAMPSTAND having seven branches, each filled with the purest olive oil (Ex. 25:31-40). “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world,” Jesus said (John 9:5).

When He left the world, the world was left in darkness, and only for believers is He the light of life. He is the light that directs our paths, the One who, through the Spirit, illumines our minds to understand spiritual truth. He is the One who, by the indwelling Spirit, guides us through the world of darkness. He is our light.

At the Golden Lamp Stand I see Jesus in the Upper Room – opening my mind to His Word.

Luke 24:45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

“Spirit of the Living God” # 247

  1. At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.
  2. At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus on His knees – cleansing my sins.
  3. At the Golden Lamp Stand I see Jesus in the Upper Room – opening my mind to His Word.

 

Table of the Bread: God Wants to Satisfy Us

On the right was THE TABLE on which was THE SACRED BREAD, or show-bread (Ex. 25:23-30). This table, like the base of the altar, was of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It was three feet long, one and a half feet wide, and two and a quarter feet high.

Every Sabbath twelve loaves of fresh bread were set on it, one for each of the twelve tribes. At the end of the week, the priests, and only the priests, were allowed to eat the loaves.

Jesus is our sustenance. He is our table of sacred bread. He is the One who feeds us every day, who sustains us with the Word. The Word is not only our food but our light. And the oil is the Spirit of God, who lights the Word for us.

At the Golden Table I see Jesus on the hillside – feeding me the Bread of Life.

John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

Hebrews 2:14-18 on screen: Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

“Break Thou the Bread of Life”          Hymn #274

  1. At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.
  2. At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus on His knees – cleansing my sins.
  3. At the Golden Lamp Stand I see Jesus in the Upper Room – opening my mind to His Word.
  4. At the Golden Table I see Jesus on the hillside – feeding me the Bread of Life.

 

Altar of Incense: God Wants to Care for Us

Farther in and to the center of the Holy Place was THE ALTAR OF INCENSE (Ex. 30:1-10). It, too, was of gold-overlaid acacia wood, one and one-half feet square, and about three feet high. On this altar were placed the burning coals from the bronze altar in the courtyard, where sacrifice was made. The altar of incense pictures Jesus interceding for us, the perfect Sacrifice becoming the perfect Intercessor.

These three pieces of furniture also picture Christ. Everything in the outer courtyard was connected with salvation and the cleansing of sins.

  • Jesus accomplished His sacrificial work on earth, outside God’s heavenly presence.
  • The outer court was accessible to all the people, just as Christ is accessible to all who will come to Him.
  • But in His heavenly sanctuary He is shut off from the world, temporarily even from His own people.
  • From His heavenly place now, Jesus lights our path (pictured by the golden lampstand), He feeds us (pictured by the table of sacred bread), and He intercedes for us (pictured by the altar of incense).

At the Golden Altar I see Jesus on His face in Gethsemane – praying for me in Gethsemane.

Hebrews 7:24-27 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

  1. At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.
  2. At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus on His knees – cleansing my sins.
  3. At the Golden Lamp Stand I see Jesus in the Upper Room – opening my mind to His Word.
  4. At the Golden Table I see Jesus on the hillside – feeding me the Bread of Life.
  5. At the Golden Altar I see Jesus on His face in Gethsemane – praying for me in Gethsemane.

 

Mercy Seat: God Wants to Meet with Us

In this holiest of earthly places was only one piece of furniture, the ark of the covenant (Ex. 25:17-22). On the lid was the mercy seat, on which were the cherubim of glory, angelic figures made of solid gold. It was between the wings of those angels, on the mercy seat, that God met men.

“And there I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel” (Ex. 25:22).

If God and man were to meet it could only have been there.

John, in using the term “propitiation,” in 1 John 2:2, relates Jesus to the mercy seat, since that very word is used for mercy seat in the Septuagint translation of Exodus 25:17[1].

At the Golden Mercy Seat I see Jesus pouring out Himself (His Blood) as my Advocate- taking away my sin (propitiation)

1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Romans 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

  1. At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.
  2. At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus on His knees – cleansing my sins.
  3. At the Golden Lamp Stand I see Jesus in the Upper Room – opening my mind to His Word.
  4. At the Golden Table I see Jesus on the hillside – feeding me the Bread of Life.
  5. At the Golden Altar I see Jesus on His face in Gethsemane – praying for me in Gethsemane.
  6. At the Golden Mercy Seat I see Jesus pouring out Himself (His Blood) as my Advocate- taking away my sin.

 

Ark of the Covenant: God Wants to Secure Us

The central, in fact the only, thing in the Holy of Holies was THE ARK, which represents Jesus Christ, the true mercy seat (Ex. 25:10-16). Made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, it was about three feet nine inches long, two feet three inches wide and two feet high.

When we meet Jesus Christ as Savior, we are ushered into the presence of God, into the true Holy of Holies.

God no longer communes with men between the wings of cherubim on a gold mercy seat. He communes with men in His Son, by whom the veil was torn in two. Jesus Christ is the mercy seat. Only on the basis of the blood of a goat would God have fellowship with Israel, and only on the basis of the blood of Christ will God have fellowship with men.

At the Golden Ark I see Jesus in Heaven holding the rope anchoring my soul.

Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,

Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a 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.

Hebrews 13:8, 20-218Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant21make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

         “And Can it Be”                               Hymn #203

 

Meeting the King of the Universe At the Doorway to Heaven

 

Do You See His Arms Open Wide?

  1. At the Altar of Brass I see Jesus on the Cross – paying completely the penalty for my sins as the Lamb of God.
  2. At the Laver of Brass I see Jesus– cleansing my sins.
  3. At the Golden Lamp Stand I see Jesus – opening my mind to His Word.
  4. At the Golden Table I see Jesus – feeding me the Bread of Life.
  5. At the Golden Altar I see Jesus – praying for me in Gethsemane.
  6. At the Golden Mercy Seat I see Jesus pouring out Himself (His Blood) as my Advocate- taking away my sin.
  7. At the Golden Ark I see Jesus in Heaven holding the rope anchoring my soul.

 

Almighty God Wants to:

Forgive Us

Cleanse Us

Illumine Us

Satisfy Us

Care For Us

Meet With Us Daily

Secure Us Forever

 

[1]MacArthur, John F., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Press) 1983.

Slides