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150913AM Sabbath Pictures HFG-15 .docx

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Sabbath Pictures: Seeing Christ Each Day

Revealing God’s Grace & Truth

John 1:14-18

 

 

Christ Jesus is the theme of every part of the Bible, God’s Word. Jesus often reminded His audiences that the Scriptures speak about Him. Going to the Scriptures is the way to encounter Jesus.

Have you thought about that? When we think of each book, whether Obadiah or Philippians, He is the central message of every book. When we think of any doctrine, He is the central truth of every doctrine.

 

Point 1: Jesus Christ is the theme of Every Book & Every Doctrine

Counseling: Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor

Fear & Anxiety: Jesus is the Prince of Peace

Marriage & Family: Jesus invented it, He is the Creator

Prophecy: Jesus Christ is the Spirit of Prophecy Revelation tells us.

Salvation: Jesus the Bread of Life, is our salvation.

Think of any book, any doctrine, and portion of God’s Word and Jesus Christ is the theme. With that in mind we are looking at the Biblical Doctrine of Hungering for God. Again we see that Jesus is the theme.

 

Hungering for God through Jesus

We can only Hunger for God through Jesus.

He is the only way to God, He is the only truth about God, and He offer the only life of God possible. He said only those who hunger for Him have genuine eternal life. The components of Hungering for God are:

Prayer (and Jesus is the One in whom we pray, in His Name and character);

Fasting (Jesus is the One we long for so much it prompts us to fast); and

Resting (and Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, Owner of our time, and the One who brings us peace and rest for our souls).

So far we have examined prayer and fasting. Now we have entered a close look at the Sabbath. Not the observance of Saturday which was given by God through Moses only to Israel. Rather we are looking at the Sabbath as a lifestyle of time stewardship that reflects God. To challenge us every time we are in the Word this morning, and to see Christ as the theme of every part of God’s Word, join me as we look at how:

 

Jesus Christ Tabernacled among us

Perhaps the most beloved of the Four Gospels is the Gospel by John. Perhaps the most complete picture of Jesus Christ as our Savior, the exact image of God is found here in John. As we open to John 1:14-18 we find an amazing statement about how God wants us to see Jesus. Note that word “dwelt” as in “dwelt among us” that is actually the Greek word for a tent or tabernacle. Jesus Christ tented or tabernacle among us.

This connects the Old Testament Tabernacle with the New Testament life of Jesus. Please stand as we read John 1:14-18 (NKJV):

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Pray

 

Point 2: The Tabernacle is God’s Portrait of Christ

  1. The Tabernacle is God’s photo journal documenting salvation. It is not an after thought, it is His premeditated explanation of what Jesus would do perfectly on the Cross. The Tabernacle is the clearest portrait of Christ and His redemption to be found in any part of the Old Testament.
  2. The Tabernacle is a massive Biblical Doctrine While God only uses one verse to record Creation (Genesis 1:1), and two chapters (Genesis 1-2) to explain it, He takes 15 chapters (Exodus 25-40) to explain the construction of the Tabernacle and 27 more to describe it in action (Leviticus). This task was so important that God did not depend on the ingenuity of craftsmen to follow a blueprint, He actually came into them through His Spirit (Exodus 31:1-6) and guided each step of their work.

Before God sent a Person named Jesus Christ, He sent a picture called the Tabernacle.

The Tabernacle is a photo album of the most detailed explanation of salvation in the Old Testament. The Tabernacle is the ABCs of Christian Doctrine, it is a systematic Theology that Paul actually uses in Romans to explain salvation. In the Old Testament the Tabernacle is the dwelling place of God. In the New Testament the Church becomes the dwelling place of God.

Before the Cross, before Christ came, God established ceremonies to typify, shadow, and explain the Cross. The observant would clearly see that sin must be dealt with before God could be approached. Fellowship with God was only possible when the sin problem was settled. That was the message of sacrifice and the meeting place called the Tabernacle.

Now on this side of the Cross, the meaning of the death of Christ to God, and the effects of Christ’s death upon us who believe is most clearly taught in the Tabernacle. Even the New Testament has to revert to the Tabernacle to explain Christ’s work (Romans 3; Hebrews 8-9).

The Cross of Christ is God’s First Aid plan for mankind, it is not His secondary or contingency plan. Christ was slain before the foundation of the world as God’s Lamb. The Death of Christ on the Cross was the plan and purpose of God from Eternity past, it was not an after thought brought forth and an emergency solution to the sin dilemma. So when we say that Christ and His Cross are set forth in the Tabernacle it is only a reflection of the grander truth that the death of Christ on the Cross 1900 years ago is part of God’s infinite plan.

Before Golgotha, the Cross was God’s plan.

Before Calvary, Christ’s death was God’s plan. So in the Old Testament Tabernacle God planned out every part to speak of Christ’s sacrifice.

 

Point 3: The Tabernacle Is How God Illustrates Spiritual Reality

Only two chapters in the Bible are devoted to the creation story, whereas some fifty chapters focus on the Tabernacle (see especially Ex. 25-40). The Tabernacle is important and demands attention in our study, because it is a giant portrait of Jesus Christ. Everywhere you look in the Tabernacle you can see Him.

In seeking to interpret the Tabernacle, we must not dogmatize but humbly follow the method of the Holy Spirit as illustrated in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Referring there to the Tabernacle and the priesthood,

  • He speaks of the “shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5);
  • “the patterns of things in the heavens” (Hebrews 9:23);
  • “the figures of the true” (Hebrews 9:24);
  • “a shadow of good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1).

Thus it is clear that the Tabernacle was intended to signify spiritual realities. In other words, in the Tabernacle we see shadows, patterns, and figures of heavenly or spiritual things that are revealed in Christ.

But isn’t all that Old Testament and in the past? No, actually God is still using the original model that He showed Moses in the mountain 2500 years ago. The elements of the Tabernacle show up all the way through Revelation as God shows us the future.

 

God’s Plan for the Future Uses the Tabernacle Model

But there is another element.

God’s plan for the future is built around the Tabernacle.

The elements of the Old Testament Tabernacle worship, are described 16 times in the future as the events of Revelation unfold.

 

God Showed Moses a Tabernacle in Heaven

Think about that, the model God showed Moses to build a copy of for Earth (Heb. 8:5; Ex. 25:9,40) still exists in Heaven.

 

God Shows John a Tabernacle in Heaven

In Heaven God uses the Heavenly original Temple to launch some of the biggest events of the Tribulation.

Revelation 11:19 (NKJV)  Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

Revelation 8:3-5 (NKJV) Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

The elements of the Old Testament Tabernacle worship, are described 16 times in the future as the events of Revelation unfold.

There is a building called a Temple in Heaven mentioned ten times: Rev. 7:15; 11:19; 14:15,17; 15:5,6,8; 16:1, 17; 21:22

There is an Ark in Heaven mentioned once in Rev. 11:19

There are Censers in Heaven mentioned two times in Rev 8:3,5

There is a Golden Incense Altar in Heaven mentioned three times: 8:3; 5; 9:13

 

A Tour of God’s Tabernacle

Thus it is clear that the Tabernacle was intended to signify spiritual realities. In other words, in the Tabernacle we see shadows, patterns, and figures of heavenly or spiritual things that are revealed in Christ.

God’s Tent

Seven Parts

Seven I Am’s Reflected

Seven Ways Christ Tabernacles with us

 

The Tabernacle illustrates God’s Salvation offered in Christ

  1. The Gate is Christ Inviting us John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
  2. The Altar of Brass is Christ Saving us. John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
  3. The Laver is Christ Sanctifying us. Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
  4. The Holy Place is Christ Serving us. Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
  5. The Holy of Holies is Christ Securing us. 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.

 

Point 1: Jesus Christ is the theme of Every Doctrine

 

Point 2: The Tabernacle is God’s Portrait of Christ

 

Point 3: The Tabernacle Is How God Illustrates Spiritual Reality

 

 

The Gate is Christ Inviting us

The Altar of Brass is Christ Saving us

The Laver is Christ Sanctifying us

The Holy Place is Christ Serving us

The Holy of Holies is Christ Securing us

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