Christ Revealed in the Tabernacle

Transcription

1 Christ Revealed in the Tabernacle Moses made judgments for the Israelites from early morning to late night while they inhabited in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. That was because sin had always dwelled in their lives. Afterward, in Exodus chapter 19, when God said that He would give the law to the Israelites, they said that they would abide by the law and accepted God s offer. In Exodus chapter 20, it documents the details of how God gave the law to the Israelites through Moses. However, at the time of giving the law to Moses, God showed him specific details of the tabernacle in heaven, and allowed him to build the tabernacle on the earth. The Wall of Sin When the Israelites were living in Egypt, they did not need the tabernacle. There was no law at that time. The reason for God giving the law to the Israelites was for them to have knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20) Nevertheless, when the Israelites were accepting the law, they thought that by keeping the law well they could proudly stand before God. However, even as Moses was descending to the camp with the law, they were making a golden calf and worshipping it as an idol. Hence, they continued to go against the law and commit sin. 52 The Good News April 2008

2 Shadow of Christ Now that there is a wall of sin between the Israelites and God, they cannot come out before God. Moses did not know how to solve the problem of sin when the people committed it. Therefore, he sought a pardon from God, Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (Exodus 32:32) However, God said lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. (Exodus 32:34) He precisely expressed that sin cannot be just forgiven, but has to receive a judgment. When there was no law, the Israelites did not consider sin as sin. Hence, they were able to go to God without any hesitation. For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:13) However, after the law came down, they could no longer come boldly before God. God, who is holy and just will definitely judge sin, and will not exonerate it. Thus, the Israelites felt burdened and became distant from God. Sin had separated God from humans. Behold, the LORD s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,... (Isaiah 59:1 2) The Tabernacle, the Mark of Christ God had to open the way for sinful humans to come before God. Accordingly, when He had given the law, He also revealed the tabernacle. God wanted to live among the Israelites, solve their problems, and care for them. However, He could not abide with sinful people. As a result, He commanded them to build the tabernacle, a special place where He could abide with them. Certainly this Word is not intended only for the people of Israel. God wants to abide in the hearts of all mankind. However, He cannot abide in the heart that has sin. He needs the tabernacle, the holy place where He can abide. Through the tabernacle, Sermon 53

3 God speaks about the holy place that needs to be established in our hearts. The tabernacle that is built on this earth, where God and humans come to meet, is in fact referring to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He is the One who came down to this earth (in the flesh), to meet humans. Christ is the true image of the tabernacle. God is speaking to us to receive Jesus Christ in our hearts and to prepare a holy place where He can abide. The true purpose of establishing the tabernacle was for humans who had been delivered from sin, to sustain a relationship with God without having the obstacle of sin. That was the promise of God which Jesus accomplished. Jesus does the work of cleansing our sin, so that we can be delivered from sin and sustain a relationship with God. This sin offering s sacrifice is Jesus Christ. Through His death, the righteousness of God, which commands the judgment of sin has been established. Jesus, the Sin Offering The great love of God for humans is precisely revealed through the sin offering executed in the tabernacle. The tabernacle is distinguished in three parts, the most holy place, the sanctuary, and the court. God meets with humans at the mercy seat on the ark inside the most holy place. Sinners can never enter directly towards the ark. God is holy and the ark contains the Ten Commandments that hold God s holy command. Thus, sinners will immediately be killed when they stand before the ark. Therefore, God has opened the way for humans to come before Him, and that is through the sin offering. 54 The Good News April 2008

4 Shadow of Christ The sin offering is recorded in detail in Leviticus, chapter 4. When a person commits sin and has the knowledge of sin, then he should bring a kid of the goats, female without blemish and go to the priest in the tabernacle. By the law of God, he should lay his hands on the kid of the goats (the sin offering) and kill it in the place of the burnt offering. He shall then collect the blood and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and take the fat and burn it on the altar of the burnt offering. Hence, his sin will be cleansed and he can go boldly before God. If there is a person who could keep 100 percent of the law of God s holy commandments, then he could meet God boldly without the sin offering. In this world, regretfully, there is no such person. All people commit sin. Therefore, all people can be cleansed of their sin through the sin offering and arrive at the righteousness of God. This sin offering s sacrifice is Jesus Christ. The real sin offering has been accomplished when Jesus was crucified. Jesus Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice and with His blood He paid the wages Sermon 55

5 of sin for all mankind in this world. Through the death of Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God, which commands the judgment of sin has been established. At the same time, the sin of human beings has been cleansed, thus making them righteous.... at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our s only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2) Are You Freed from Sin? How well do we live honestly? How diligently do we live our spiritual lives? This cannot be our estimation or criterion to go before God boldly. There should not be any kind of darkness in order for us to boldly go before God. One has to be completely holy without any sin. How could humans possibly achieve this? Jesus Christ is the only One who can make a person righteous before God. The Israelites in the Old Testament period received only one way of forgiveness of sin, which was through the death of a sin offering in the tabernacle. As such, today we have only one way, which is receiving forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ who died and shed blood on the cross for our sin. Therefore, everyone has to have their sin washed clean, and become holy by believing in Jesus, and then without any hesitation obtain a relationship with God. That is the will of God for sending Jesus to us, and when we enter into that faith then that will is perfectly accomplished. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.... I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:1, 9 10)... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) (Editorial Department) 56 The Good News April 2008