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Jesus Our Priest Forever According To The Order Of Melchizedek

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place — 15 Comments
May 5, 2009

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6)

 The Book Cover

Jesus Our Priest Forever According To The Order Of Melchizedek

There is not much information in the Bible about Melchizedek although the following passages will help to provide some insight.

abel-and-melchizedek

Abel and Melchizedek

He was the king of Salem (which is translated the King of Peace) and blessed Abraham who was the father of all Israel. One thing that we know is that Abraham gave a tithe, which is 10% of his possessions to Melchizedek:


Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. (Genesis 14:18-20)

A Meeting Of Abraham And Melchizedek

A Meeting Of Abraham And Melchizedek


The next reference comes from one of the Psalms of David and is an announcement of the Messiah’s reign:

The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. The LORD has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head. (Psalms 110:1-7)

Finally, the book of Hebrews additional light about Melchizedek’s identity will provide a better understanding of the circumstances of his meeting with Abraham. It also provides insight into important facts regarding the Tabernacle, as well as the duties and the imperfection of the priesthood at that time. This passage makes a case for a perfect priesthood, one requiring a more perfect law (we covered this previously) and a new covenant as well. It references God’s promise of a new covenant with a promise that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ:


For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

Abrahn And Melchizedek

Abrahn And Melchizedek

Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The LORD has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek'”), by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 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. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 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. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

Jesus Our Priest In Heaven

Jesus Our Priest In Heaven


Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle.

Moses Going Up the Mountain For The Law

Moses Going Up the Mountain For The Law

For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Last Supper

The Last Supper


For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience; concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 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? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 8:12, 9-15)

jesus-lammet-og-lc3b8ven


So, in summary, Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. The imperfect sacrifice of animals and their blood is replaced with the single but perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who was without spot, stain or wrinkle.

There are several benefits associated with the perfection of the priesthood in Jesus as our high priest. First of all, with Jesus as the chief priest everyone can have access to the Most Holy place by entering in through Him who is the veil or passage way. Since Jesus did not sin, the need for the atonement of the priest is no longer needed. Therefore access to the Most Holy place is no longer limited to once a year. In addition, with Jesus as our high priest we can also enter into the Holy of Holies under the veil of His blood, knowing that He is our advocate with the Father.

But most importantly, Jesus brings to the priesthood what of Aaron could not. He brings the presence of Himself, the Son of God, as the perfect offering and sacrifice.

Jesus is our High priest as the laws governing the duties of the priesthood are no longer required because they have been completed once through Him. For example, blood sacrifices are no longer required because of the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. While this is just one example what we have been finding is that Jesus has been the fulfillment of each and every component of the Tabernacle including its procedures, laws and priests. This in turn sustains the notion that Jesus is the living Tabernacle that came down from heaven and is the fulfillment of the earthly Tabernacle whose purpose was to perform these sacrifices for the people until the true Tabernacle came along.

Jesus is our High priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Read my book, “Possess the Vision,” that tells of an amazing story of spiritual warfare. To learn more go to: Possess-the-Vision-at-Amazon

The Book Cover

 

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6)

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Jesus The Brazen Laver

Filed under: Brazen Laver, Jesus, Tabernacle, Tabernacle Courtyard — Leave a comment
December 20, 2008

Jesus The Brazen Laver

The Brazen Laver is second of two objects located in the Tabernacle’s Outer Court.

Then you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And you shall set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. (Exodus 40:6-7)

The Laver’s function was to provide a place for the priests to purify themselves prior to serving in ministry or entering the Tabernacle’s Holy Place. As the following passage suggests, purification is a required precursor to priestly ministry.

You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die. (Exodus 30:18-20)

The Brazen Laver therefore is a wash basin made of polished bronze (which is derived from the word, brazen). The bronze surface is polished to such a highly reflective state that it obtains mirror like qualities. In fact, the Laver was made from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting (Exodus 38:8). Because of this reflective characteristic, the priests were able to see their reflection in the Laver as they bent over it to wash.

So, with these facts in mind, let’s look deeper into the scriptures relating to the Brazen Laver. As we progress from this point, we will attempt to correlate what the scriptures have to say in support of the proposition that Jesus is our Brazen Laver and therefore the Christ. In this regard we will be looking to answer four basic questions; first, what did Jesus (and others) claim in this regard? Second, what were the actions of Jesus that support these claims? Third, what did the Father do in support of the words and actions of Jesus? Finally, what are the common attributes shared by our Lord Jesus and the Brazen Laver, and how can we integrate them into our lives?

We will now proceed to looking at Jesus as the Brazen Laver from these perspectives.

The Baptism of Jesus

The ministry of John the Baptist was to make straight the path of the Lord[i] who was to come. He preached repentance of sin and baptism in water for the remission of sin. John’s ministry led the people toward purity in preparation for their entering into a closer, more spiritual relationship with God.

Baptism was soon to take an entirely new form when Jesus came to John to be baptized. Although He was without sin[ii], Jesus was baptized by John in water to fulfill the model of the Brazen Laver that required purity through washing prior to entering ministry. The new form of baptism was introduced as Jesus came up from the water and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove, thus signifying the ultimate form of purity. From that point forward Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit and therefore ready for ministry.

In addition, He was then able to baptize others with the Holy Spirit, therein empowering them from on high. This enabled His disciples to minister with power and to have a deeper spiritual relationship with God. Let’s look at the scriptures that support these statements:

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’“ John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:1-5)

Like the priest washing at the Brazen Laver, John was preparing the people for entering into a closer relationship with God. The Father had sent His son, the living Tabernacle, to earth and now the Father was empowering Jesus to accomplish His mission on earth:

And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. (Mark 1:7-13)

So, the purification of the priests in water of the Laver is prophetic of the baptism of Christ Jesus, our high priest, in the Holy Spirit. We can conclude from this that repentance and baptism are very important components prior to ministry. Water baptism is so important that our Lord Jesus came to be baptized by John. In doing so He gave us a model that to emulate. A model that when emulated by those who truly repent and seek to do God’s will, results in the baptism in the Holy Sprit. The point in all of this is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit brings us to a closer relationship with God. It brings fellowship with the Father, enlightenment to God’s truth, and empowerment for the battle of ministry. All three of these blessings of relationship are also prophesied by the objects found in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, which can only be entered by a purified priest. We cover all of this in our next major section, but we introduce it here to draw the connection between the baptism of Jesus and the purification of the priest at the Laver. Both were done prior to ministry. Both were prerequisites to a closer relationship with the Father and His blessings necessary for ministry. But we are getting ahead of ourselves a bit here, so let’s once again focus on the correlation between the Laver and Christ Jesus. This is where we will begin in our next posting.

May God bless all of you. I look forward to hearing any comments that you may have.

[i] John 1:22 – 23 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” ‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.

[ii] Hebrews 4:15 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.

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The Tabernacle Most Holy Place Is Prophetic of Jesus

Filed under: Jesus, Tabernacle, The Most Holy Place — 3 Comments
December 16, 2008

The Tabernacle Most Holy Place Is Prophetic of Jesus

In this post we continue to present our case that the Tabernacle of Moses is Prophetic of Jesus. To get a good foundational understanding of the Tabernacle go to the following posting: The-Tabernacle-Is-Prophetic-Of-Jesus. Reading this post will help us to better understand the material presented here.

We have also presented a post on the Tabernacle Courtyard and suggest that reading it may be helpful in improving our comprehension of the Most Holy Place and how it is prophetic of Jesus. This post can be found by following the following link: The-Tabernacle-Courtyard-And-Jesus.

We have also offered a post on the Tabernacle Holy Place and in like manner, we suggest that a review of it will help in the understanding of the following material. The post on the Holy Place can be viewed by following this link: The-Tabernacle-Holy-Place-Is-Prophetic-Of-Jesus

So, with that said, lets present the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle.

As we pass through the Tabernacle entrance called “the Life,” we enter into God’s Most Holy Place. It is in the Most Holly Place where we enter into God’s gift of covenant. It is here that we can talk to God directly in the presence of His holy angels. It is here where our every need is cared for. In the Most Holy place we enter into a sacred and Royal Priesthood that both understand and lives God’s commandments.

When correlating the objects found in the Most Holy Place to the actions and words of Jesus, we again find the Jesus is a far superior replacement for the old covenants’ Most Holy Place. It is Jesus who has become the ark of the New Covenant that is based on love. It is Jesus who is our high priest who enables us to enter into His Royal Priesthood. It is through Jesus that our every need is cared for. It is through Jesus that our relationship with the Father is restored, enabling things to become as they were in the beginning in the Garden of Eden.

So we have much to discover about Jesus as we initiate our investigation into His words that lead us to the Tabernacle where we will find a deeper relationship with Him. We will drill down into all of this by starting with “Jesus the Way”, in our next posting. I look forward to your comments and discussion.

For additional details on the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle please follow the following links:

Jesus-is-the-Life

Jesus-the-Most-Holy-Place

Finding-Jesus-in-the-Holy-of-Holies

Inside-the-Most-Holy-Place

Going-into-the-Ark-of-the-Covenant

Jesus-is-the-Fulfillment-of-the-Law

The-Cross-of-Jesus-is-the-Rod-of-Aaron

Jesus-is-our-Priest-Forever

Jesus-is-our-Covenant-Provision

Jesus-and-the-Covenant

Jesus-is-the-Way-to-the-Promised-Land

Jesus-is-the-Spirtual-Foundation-of-the-New-Covenant

Jesus-Prepares-us-to-Enter-into-His-Spirit

The-Spiritual-Duty-of-the-Warrior-Nation

Jesus-is-the-Reward-of-the-Spirit-Filled-Warrior-Nation

Jesus-and-the-Bride-of-Christ

Jesus-and-the-Cherubim

Jesus-is-the-Mercy-Seat-where-God-Dwells

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The Tabernacle Is Prophetic of Jesus

Filed under: Jesus, Tabernacle, Tabernacle Courtyard, The Holy Of Holies, The Holy Place — 10 Comments
December 14, 2008

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

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 The Tabernacle Is Prophetic Of Jesus

 

The Tabernacle was built to be the earthly abode of God: the place where God would dwell among His people. The following picture is an artist depiction of what the Tabernacle may have looked like.

The Tabernacle Courtyard

Moses built the Tabernacle in strict conformance to the specifications given by God. For example, in the following scripture God gives Moses a detailed list of items that are required to build the Tabernacle:

 

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” (Exodus 25:1-9)

 

Statements like this one are frequently found in the scriptures written by Moses. Many of these references emphasize the building of the Tabernacle precisely to God’s instructions. This fact suggests that the form and content of the Tabernacle is extremely important to God; that perhaps it is designed on a heavenly model, one that will enable Him to dwell among His people as He once did in the Garden. In fact, what we see in this case, is that God did dwell in the chamber of the Tabernacle called, the Holy of Holies, just above the Ark of the Covenant.

Therefore, if we believe that Jesus is God and that He came in human form to dwell with His people on Earth, then we can look to the Tabernacle, its functions and purpose to validate that Jesus is who we believe Him to be (because God does not change). In other words, we can look at the scriptures that define the specifications, processes and objects found in the Tabernacle, and then find corresponding attributes, words and actions in the life of Jesus Christ to demonstrate that in Him is a far superior fulfillment of the Tabernacle covenant. The good news is that we have already done this and have found Jesus to be a far superior fulfillment to each and every component of the Tabernacle. Even better news is that we will be presenting all of this to you in the subsequent postings.

Interestingly, when we searched for an understanding of what Jesus meant when He claimed to be “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” our discernment was that He was referring to the entryways to the three chamber of the Tabernacle. We believe that the material presented here in this body of work, strongly supports this case. A side benefit of looking at old testament scripture pertaining to the Tabernacle, from a perspective of being the subject of the claim of  Jesus of being the Way, the Truth and the Life, is that you will come away with a splendid insight into who Jesus is and why He came. This understanding, in-turn can dramatically improve your relationship with God by providing insight into how we can progress toward a closer and more intimate relationship with Him.

So this is where we are headed. We are going to do a correlative study of the Tabernacle and the life of Jesus. Doing so will support the proposition that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the prophetic fulfillment of the Tabernacle, and that Jesus was referring to the Tabernacle when He stated: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Jesus, Moses Discuss the Fulfilment of Tabernacle Prophesy

Jesus, Moses Discuss the Fulfilment of Tabernacle Prophesy

As a result of this we will proceed with our presentations by stating the above points as facts to be proven by supporting details that will follow. So for example, we will presenting a diagram of the Tabernacle that includes, “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” as the names of the entryways of the Tabernacle, with the understanding that we will provide scriptural support that backs up the premise as we progress through our series of postings.

Some have said that there is no scripture that directly confirms that names of the Tabernacle entryways and therefore we can not know what Jesus meant when in His statement. While it is true that these names are not provided in the Bible, I would also like to say that there is no scriptural reference where Jesus states; “I am the Christ.” Yet we know that Jesus is the Christ because we read about His life, His words and actions, that substantiate this premise. We plan to do exactly this by way of a study of scripture that will enable you will understand that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Tabernacle and at the same time give you valuable insight into what being, “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” means. Once we understand that, then we will understand that Jesus was in fact referring to the Tabernacle in His proclamation.

We initiate our series of postings with a diagram of the Tabernacle upon which the names (the Way, the Truth and the Life) are used to identify the entryways into the three major compartments of the Tabernacle. 

 

The Chambers of the Tabernacle

The Way leads us into the Courtyard, the Truth leads us into the Holy Place, and the Life leads us into the Most Holy Place. It should also be noted that the Tabernacle is constructed in such a way that these passageways must be entered in order. The Way must be entered prior to entering the Truth, and the Truth must be entered prior to entering the Life. This significance will be discussed later.

Our plan is to investigate each of these three chambers in an effort to identify what it is that Jesus is leading us toward. What we will find is that Jesus is drawing us into a closer relationship with God. He is drawing us into the Father by using the model of the Tabernacle as a model of Himself. Jesus knows that if we follow this clue that we will grow and strengthen our relationship with Father and Him.

What we are about to discover is that the Tabernacle structure communicates that there are three separate and distinct levels of relationship that we can have with God. As we have stated previously, these relationships can only be obtained by passing through the doors of the Tabernacle in only one possible sequence. However, as one progress from one chamber to the next, they will develop a progressively closer relationship with God and discover the gifts that God has waiting for those who seek Him with all their heart.

While all of this may seem mysterious at this high level, we plan to provide the details in subsequent postings. For now we will present a high level overview of our journey through the Tabernacle and its correlation with the life of Jesus. With that said let us start with the Tabernacle Courtyard.

 

The Tabernacle Courtyard

Our presentation of the Tabernacle Courtyard is found in the following post:

 

The-Tabernacle-Courtyard-and-Jesus

The Tabernacle Holy Place

Our presentation of the Tabernacle Holy Place is found in the following post:

The-Tabernacle-Holy-Place-is-Prophetic-of-Jesus

The Tabernacle Most Holy Place

Our presentation of the Tabernacles Most Holy Place is found in the following post:

The-Tabernacle-Most-Holy-Place-is-Prophetic-of-Jesus

All of these links will also lead the reader toward a better understanding of the objects found inside each of the major chambers of the Tabernacle. They will also lead toward a better understanding how each object is prophetic of the coming of Jesus.

Once these concepts have been digested, then applying what has been learned is advised. The following links can help in this regard:

Striving-to-Become-like-Jesus

Jesus-is-the-Way-the-Truth-and-the-Life

The-Tabernacle-and-Jesus

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime.

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Jesus Is Our Covenant Provision

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, Pot Of Manna, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Manna, The Most Holy Place — 3 Comments
February 26, 2008

Jesus is Our Covenant Provision

The subject of Jesus being our perfected Pot of Manna suggests that Jesus is our covenant provision. However, to completely understand the significance of this we must also understand the circumstances that led up to the Pot of Manna being stored in the Ark of the Covenant in the first place. The following questions must be answered; what made the Pot of Manna so precious that it was stored inside the Ark of the Covenant? Why was it stored there along with the covenant stones upon which God’s laws were recorded, and why was it stored there next to the Rod of Aaron which designated God’s choice for the royal priesthood? To address these questions we present a deeper investigation into the Pot of Manna and in the process, uncover Jesus as our new covenant provision.

We introduced the Pot of Manna in a previous posting and reported that it was symbolic of God’s provision for His people’s needs as they wondered through the wilderness. What we have not covered is why they had to wonder in the wilderness for thirty eight years in the first place. The reason is because they had refused to enter into the Promised Land[i] as God had commanded them. As a result, God was angry with them and swore that the people who refused to fight for His promise would not see it[ii]. Their wondering through the wilderness gave the next generation[iii] the time necessary to enable them to mature so that they could eventually enter into the Promised Land. In addition, the forty years of wondering was the time necessary for all who refused to enter to die. In this way the sin of the nation was purged[iv] and a new nation was raised up that would learn to trust in God totally.

As there is not any protection from the harsh conditions in the desert, the new generation had to learn depend completely on God for everything. This included the basic items of food, water, clothing shelter and protection from the elements. It is in this journey through the wilderness that the Pot of Manna gains significance as God’s provision to the people who would enter into the Promised Land.

As always, supporting information can be found in the Bible. An account of Israel’s final preparation for entering the Promised Land can be found in the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. Key points and supporting material have been abstracted and reported in the following paragraphs to give a deeper insight into what transpired and answer the question we have about the Pot of Manna.

The Journey to the Promised Land

The book of Deuteronomy reflects the last 60 days of Moses life. The background to the book is that the nation has spent the past 38 years wondering through the wilderness[v] after having refused to enter into the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy we learn about how Moses prepared the people to enter into God’s Promised Land the second time around. So, this was an extremely pivotal time for the nation of Israel.

By the time of the story of Deuteronomy, Moses was 120 years old. In addition, God tells Moses that He will not allow him to enter[vi] into the Promised Land either. As a result his actions are the final undertakings of his life on this earth. The nation will enter into God’s promise and Moses will be left behind.

The stark reality was that all of those who had previously refused to enter into the Promised Land had already died in the desert[vii] and only their offspring remained. The exceptions were limited to Moses, Caleb and Joshua[viii]. Caleb and Joshua were the only two men who had favored entering[ix] the land the first time around, and as a result were chosen to lead the new nation on its second attempt.

One observation that should be noted is that the nation entering into the Promised Land was a new nation. The people of this nation never knew the bonds of their slavery in the land of Egypt. They also never saw the power of their God bring their deliverance from the evil of Egypt either. The new nation was born in the desert and as such, they grew up knowing only total dependence on God. They grew up knowing the cloud of God that protected them from the burning sun in the daytime, and the fire that illuminated their journey at night[x]. They wore the same clothes and shoes for thirty eight years as they never wore out[xi]. They drank water that sprang up from the rocks that Moses struck with his staff[xii] and they ate the Manna that was found on the ground each morning, which was the bread of life that came down from heaven:

And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’“ And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.” As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. (Exodus 16:31 – 35)

So this is how the Pot of Manna came to be stored in the Ark of the Covenant. God commanded it be saved there so that future generations would remember how He provided for them in the wilderness.

One of the questions that we posed when we started this section was; why was the Pot of Manna stored in the Ark of the Covenant along with the Covenant Stones and the Rod of Aaron. The answer is that the Pot of Manna is a part of God’s covenant. The people of Israel promised to honor God’s law and in return He would dwell with them in a land flowing in milk and honey, which is the Promised Land. God’s dwelling place was the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle which the people carried with them in their journey. Since the Tabernacle was made by men it required the services of priests for its care and upkeep. These priests also ensured that there were adequate sacrifices for the forgiveness of the sins of the people, enabling them to move closer to God along their journey. Hence the Rod of Aaron is stored inside the Ark.

The Pot of Manna is symbolic of God’s provision along the journey that leads to His promise. It is symbolic of His provision of food that fell from heaven every morning and became the sustenance of survival. It is also symbolic of the water that flowed from the rocks in the midst of the desert and the clouds that protected the people from the burning sun in the day as well as the fire that illuminated their pathway at night. It is symbolic of all of God’s provisions to a people who are dedicated to realizing the promises of God’s covenant. To those who are steadfast on the journey and are willing to see the former worldly man pass away and be replaced with a spiritual man who knows only total dependence upon God.

Jesus is the Ark of the new covenant as He has sacrificed His body and blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. This sacrifice is foundational to the new covenant as it enables us to move closer to God through Jesus. His sacrifice ensures that each one of us can move through the wilderness found in our own life and engage in a journey to the Promised Land in heaven. A journey where our hearts of stone are changed to hearts of flesh filled with compassion. A journey in which our dependence on the world is replaced by total reliance on Him. A journey where we come to know God and see Him face to face in the Promised Land, a land where our every need is satisfied.  Then we will know the promise of His perfect provision.

[i] Numbers 14:3 – 4  Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”  So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

[ii] Numbers 14:22 – 23  because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.

[iii] Numbers 14:31 – 33  But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.

[iv] Numbers 14:35  ‘I the LORD have spoken this; I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’

[v] Deuteronomy 2:14  And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them.

[vi] Deuteronomy 1:37  The LORD was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there;

[vii] Deuteronomy 2:14  And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp until they were consumed. So it was, when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, that the LORD spoke to me, saying:  ‘This day you are to cross over at Ar, the boundary of Moab.

[viii] Deuteronomy 1:29 – 39  Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,  and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’  Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God,  who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day. And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.’  The LORD was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there; Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

[ix] Numbers 14:36 – 38  Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the LORD. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

[x] Exodus 13:21 – 22  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

[xi] Deuteronomy 8:2 -4  And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.

[xii] Numbers  20:11  Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

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Enter Into The Spirtual Warfare Of Jesus

Filed under: Jesus, spirtual warfare, Tabernacle, The Golden Altar, The Holy Place, The Truth — Leave a comment
January 14, 2008

Enter Into The Spiritual Warfare Of Jesus

In our past several postings we have taken a good look at the spiritual warfare of Jesus. We did this of course in our quest to show how His words and deeds match up to the attributes and functionality of the Golden Altar of Incense. From this analysis we have verified that Jesus is victorious in spiritual warfare as the Golden Altar predicted.

This analysis was preceded by similar studies that correlated Jesus to the Golden Lamp Stand and then the Table of Showbread. What these subsequent studies reveal is that there is an exact correlation between the words and deeds of Jesus, and attributes and functionality of these two objects as well. From these studies we have verified that Jesus is the light of the world and the bread of life as He claimed.

What we have found then, is that Jesus is the fulfillment of the hidden prophesies contained in the design of the Holy Place, where these object reside. Therefore, since the entryway to the Holy Place is called the Truth, and Jesus proclaimed, “I am the Truth”, we now have insight into the identity of Jesus.

Jesus is the way of truth through which we achieve a closer relationship with the Father. He is the doorway of truth through which we must pass to find our purpose and the steps that we must take to please the Father. He is the passageway of truth that leads us into victories over the forces of evil. Finally, He is the entryway of truth through which we enter into the Fathers’ perfect love, which results in our health, prosperity and joy.

So, the benefits of entry into Jesus the Holy Place are the benefits of entering into spiritual warfare. Choosing not to enter is a very dangerous proposition because we are in a war weather we like it or not. Innocent bystanders are frequently attacked in war. Since they do not expect to be attacked they become traumatized when struck by an unknown and unseen enemy. Since they have chose not to enter into God’s provision they are not skilled or equipped for the battle. They are therefore helpless and often do not even understand that they have become a victim of war. The result is that they are often doomed to live under the domination of evil.

I can speak about being an innocent victim of spiritual warfare because I was one. The attack rocked me to the brink of death and I crossed over to the other side where I found myself on the Judgment Seat before God. I also experienced the spiritual reality of making poor choices in my life, namely Satan, Hell and the Pit of Fire. God had mercy on me and returned me to life for a second chance.

If you are interested learning more about the details of this and other spiritual experiences of my life, you can order my book which is entitled, “Posses the Vision”. I guarantee that it is not for the faint of heart. If you read this book you will without doubt understand why you must fight the forces of evil in spiritual warfare. The book can be found at Amazon by clicking on the following link: Amazon.com: Possess the Vision: Books: Joseph, W Gordon. Once there you will also be able to browse through the book as well.

That is it for today. Next time we plan to look at some more reasons to enter spiritual warfare.

May God blessings be upon you,

Joe

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Jesus And The Golden Alter Of Incense

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus the Golden Altar, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Tabernacle, The Golden Altar, The Holy Place, The Truth — Leave a comment
December 6, 2007

Read my amazing true life story about how the forces of good and evil battle for my life and the vision that God has given me. My book, “Possess the Vision,” communicates my supernatural experiences and as a result, provides insight into the realm of the spiritual warfare that is raging for our souls and our purpose. This is a must read for all Christians. Learn more by following this link: Possess-the-Vision-at-Amazon

The Book Cover

The Book Cover

Jesus And The Golden Altar Of Incense

The Tabernacle Courtyard

The Tabernacle Courtyard

So, now that we have studied the Table of Show Bread and the Golden Lamp Stand, we can start to see that the Holy place of God is a place of prayer. The Table of Showbread signifies communing with the Lord in a very personal way through prayer. It further signifies eating the Bread of Life that enables us to become more like Jesus, our Lord and Savior. It also signifies giving thanks to the Lord who provides our daily bread.

The Table of Showbread

The Table of Showbread

The Golden Lamp Stand on the other hand, signifies the illumination of our steps toward the Kingdom of God. Again, this illumination comes through prayer that brings us communication from God that guide us in our direction and otherwise empowers us with the truth.

lampstand

This being said, we turn our attention toward the Golden Altar of Incense where we will further reinforce this concept of the Holy Place being a place of prayer. In the case of the Golden Altar however, prayer takes the form of the spiritual warfare that leads us toward overcoming the forces of evil.

Priest in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle

In this section our plan is to communicate scriptures that support the fact that Jesus is the living Golden Altar of Incense that came down from heaven. To support this proposition we will use His dieing on the cross, as the spiritual warfare that defeated the devil and regained the dominion that man lost over the earth. The result of this victory in the spirit world is that we are no longer under the bondage of the devil but rather have domination over the forces of evil. This is exactly where spiritual warfare comes into play. After all, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and will remain seated until His enemies are made His foot stool. This means that we must partake in spiritual warfare like Jesus did.

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (Hebrews 10:12-13)

Prior to addressing the core issues however, we must first learn a bit more about the Golden Altar of Incense.

In shape, the Golden Altar of Incense is a smaller version of the Brazen Altar. They differ however in their purpose and how they are used. The objects that are burned on the Golden Altar are limited to the items that produce sweet incense to the Lord (considered to be prayer by the Jewish people). As a result, the items burned on the Brazen Altar are not burned on the Golden Altar nor are they even allowed in the Holy Place. The blood of the sin offering however is sprinkled on the Golden Altar once each year for atonement of the people. This sprinkling is prophetic of the blood of the Christ that was shed at His crucifixion to achieve atonement for the people and victory over the forces of evil. For more information on the Golden Alter please go to the following link: http://www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4The_Golden_Altar_of_Incense.htm. To get an idea of where the Golden Alter is positioned inside the Holy Place please go to this link: http://www.tgm.org/URTheTempleOfHS.html.

In our next post we will look at examples of how Jesus is our Golden Alter of Incense. Until then, may God bless you all.

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