Tag Archive: Covenant


Above the Ark of the Covenant

Filed under: Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Golden Cherubim, The Holy Of Holies, The Life, The Mercy Seat, The Most Holy Place — 3 Comments
April 18, 2009


The Book Cover

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

Above the Ark of the Covenant

In our last posting we introduced the Ark of the Covenant, which is one of the objects inside the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle. Today we will present the objects that we placed above the Ark, namely the Golden Cherubim and the Mercy Seat.

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherubim

The Golden Cherubim

The Ark of the Covenant is covered with two Golden Cherubim[i], which are symbolic of the angels that surround God. Each Cherub has two of their gigantic wings overhanging and protecting the Ark[ii] and the Mercy Seat (the open space between the Cherubim, just above the Ark that is the place where God dwells[iii] – see the section on the Mercy Seat below):

And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat. You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. (Exodus 25:18 – 21)

These Golden Cherubim symbolize the protection of God’s angels over the place where God dwells and over the ark and its covenant relationship with God.

The Mercy Seat

As indicated in the above scripture the Mercy Seat was the place where the high priest would enter into true communion with the Father. God communicated His commandments and instruction to the people of Israel through His servants Moses and Aaron. It should also be noted that the Mercy Seat was a most holy place and as a result, required Aaron the high priest to make special preparations prior to entering into the presence of God:

and the LORD said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on. (Leviticus 16:2 – 4)

Tabernacle Priest befoe\

Tabernacle Priest befoe"

As you might already suspect, all of this is prophetic of Christ Jesus. Jesus is our high priest whose blood has been shed so that we may enter into the place where God dwells. It is Jesus who now sits on the Mercy Seat so that we may enter into the Most Holy place as priests of the most-high God.

Grasping the overall big picture of what the Tabernacle represents is critically important. It is the place where God dwells among His people in a covenant relationship. In this relationship God leads His people out of the evil bondage of Egypt[iv], and into their desert experience where they are purged of their unbelief and sin[v]. In this regard, the people became totally dependent upon [vi] prior to entering into the Promised Land. This proposition is supported by the fact that the Lord led the people and was continuously visible in the cloud by day (that protected them from the heat of the sun) and the fire by night (that illuminated there way).

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. (Exodus 13:21 – 22)

All of this will be continued in our next postings:

Inside-the-Ark-of-the-Covenant

More-on-the-Ark-of-the-Covenant

Jesus-is-the-Ark-of-the-New-Covenant

May God’s blessings be upon you.

Papa Joe

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

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. They start in his youth when amazingly he has a series of dreams that warn of impending danger that come true. In a mind gripping account he tells what happened when he turned away from God and suffered demonic attacks that took him into spiritual Golgotha, the place of death. There he is confronted by Satin and is brought before the judgment seat of Christ. Fortunately, judgment is not dispensed.

He awakes in the hospital the next day disbelieving what he perceives as a very bad dream. He is then pummeled by a series of physical attacks and teeters near death for months. Out of desperation he picks up a bible and later gives his life back to God.

Immediately God responds by leading him through a series of spiritual and prophetic experiences, that when melded together, communicate God’s desire. Possess the Vision weaves these experiences into a proposal to unite Christians in a common ministry to improve the life and living standards of the world’s people — in support of the command of Jesus Christ that we love one another.

[i] Genesis 3:24  So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

[ii] Exodus25:20  And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

[iii] Exodus 25:21 – 22  You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

[iv] Deuteronomy 7:8  but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

[v] Numbers 32:13  So the Lord’s anger was aroused against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was gone.

[vi] Exodus 16:35  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.

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Finding Jesus in the Holy of Holies

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies — 1 Comment
April 15, 2009

The Book Cover

Finding Jesus in the Holy of Holies

Our past four postings have been a high level review of the Tabernacle and how it is prophetic of Jesus Christ. You can review these postings by clicking on the following hyperlinks:

Jesus-is the-Life

Jesus-is-the-Most-Holy-Place

Jesus-is-the-Holy-of-Holies

Jesus-is-the-Outer-Courtyard

Today we will see what the power of entering into a covenant relationship with God looks like.

This power is available to all Christian who can pass through veil called “the Life,” (which leads into the Holy of Holies.) To provide an example of the power of Covenant we present a reading from Exodus chapter 40:

Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did. And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up. So Moses raised up the tabernacle, fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. And he spread out the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Tabernacle Courtyard

The Tabernacle Courtyard

He took the Testimony and put it into the ark, inserted the poles through the rings of the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

He put the table in the tabernacle of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil; and he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He put the lampstand in the tabernacle of meeting, across from the table, on the south side of the tabernacle; and he lit the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He put the gold altar in the tabernacle of meeting in front of the veil; and he burned sweet incense on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

He hung up the screen at the door of the tabernacle. And he put the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water there for washing; and Moses, Aaron, and his sons would wash their hands and their feet with water from it. Whenever they went into the tabernacle of meeting, and when they came near the altar, they washed, as the LORD had commanded Moses. And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. (Exodus 40:1 – 38)

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

Wow! The journey of Gods people out of the land of bondage in Egypt, and into God’s Promised Land was empowered by God. God’s presence was in the Tabernacle such that Moses could not even enter the Most Holy place. The people were led through the wilderness by God. God also provided the shelter from the burning sun during the day and illuminated their pathway in the darkness.

This is the reward for those of us who seek to find a deeper relationship with God by entering through the Way, the Truth and the Life that is found in Jesus. He will lead us out of the bondage of our relationship with the devil and guide us to His Promised Land that is in heaven with Him. He will give us shelter from our enemies and guide our every step. In Jesus we have the capability to enter into a relationship of grace, a relationship of empowerment and a relationship of covenant with the Father. Truly, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

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) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime. They start in his youth when amazingly he has a series of dreams that warn of impending danger that come true. In a mind gripping account he tells what happened when he turned away from God and suffered demonic attacks that took him into spiritual Golgotha, the place of death. There he is confronted by Satin and is brought before the judgment seat of Christ. Fortunately, judgment is not dispensed.

He awakes in the hospital the next day disbelieving what he perceives as a very bad dream. He is then pummeled by a series of physical attacks and teeters near death for months. Out of desperation he picks up a bible and later gives his life back to God.

Immediately God responds by leading him through a series of spiritual and prophetic experiences, that when melded together, communicate God’s desire. Possess the Vision weaves these experiences into a proposal to unite Christians in a common ministry to improve the life and living standards of the world’s people — in support of the command of Jesus Christ that we love one another.

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The Ark of the Covenant Overview

Filed under: Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies — 5 Comments
April 14, 2009

The Book Cover

The Ark of the Covenant Overview

In an effort to better understand what Jesus meant when He claimed to be “the Way, the Truth and the Life” we have been presenting a case that proclaims that the Tabernacle is prophetic of Jesus. This case is partially based on the fact that there are three chambers in the Tabernacle and one is entered by a gate named the Way, while another is entered through a door named the Truth, and yet a third is entered by passing through a veil named the Life.

This correlation has led us to examine the objects found inside each of these chambers. To date we have presented our examination of the contents found in the first two chambers of the Tabernacle. We have contrasted their attributes, functions and characteristics to the life of Jesus. What we have found is that the attributes, functions and characteristics of these chambers precisely predict the life of Jesus. We have therefore declared Jesus to be the Way and the Truth, and now we are preparing to present the case that Jesus is the Life by presenting the third chamber, the one that is entered by passing through the Life, the Most Holy Place.

We will start our presentation by giving you an overview of the Ark of the Covenant,

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

which is one of the objects found inside the Most Holy Place. We will introduce this overview by using a scripture from the book of Exodus as a guide:

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil.

The Ark of the Testimony is also called the Ark of the Covenant. While we will cover it in more detail in subsequent sections let us provide an overview of it here. The Ark was a golden box which contained inside of it the Tablets of the Ten Commandments,

Moses and the Ten Comandments

Moses and the Ten Comandments

the Pot of Manna and the Rod of Aaron. These objects demonstrate several components of our covenant relationship with God. The Ten Commandments recorded the laws that were to be followed by the people to remain in a covenant relationship with God. The Pot of Manna reminded the people of God’s provision during their journey through the wilderness in route to the Promised Land. Finally, the Rod of Aaron represented God’s selection of Aaron for the royal priesthood of the Tabernacle.

As we progress in subsequent sections we will find is that Jesus is the Ark of the new covenant, our spiritual Pot of Manna and our Rod of Aaron.

May God’s blessings be upon you and your family,

Papa Joe

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) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime. They start in his youth when amazingly he has a series of dreams that warn of impending danger that come true. In a mind gripping account he tells what happened when he turned away from God and suffered demonic attacks that took him into spiritual Golgotha, the place of death. There he is confronted by Satin and is brought before the judgment seat of Christ. Fortunately, judgment is not dispensed.

He awakes in the hospital the next day disbelieving what he perceives as a very bad dream. He is then pummeled by a series of physical attacks and teeters near death for months. Out of desperation he picks up a bible and later gives his life back to God.

Immediately God responds by leading him through a series of spiritual and prophetic experiences, that when melded together, communicate God’s desire. Possess the Vision weaves these experiences into a proposal to unite Christians in a common ministry to improve the life and living standards of the world’s people — in support of the command of Jesus Christ that we love one another.

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Jesus is the Life

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies, The Life — 3 Comments
April 9, 2009

The Book Cover

Jesus is The Life

Our premise is that in order to develop a closer relationship with Jesus we must first to come to a better understand who He is. One major factor in understanding Him better is being able to understanding His statement: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”


To date we have been successful in correlating this statement to the Tabernacle. This correlation is best established by looking at the Tabernacle diagram below. From it we can see that the Tabernacle is comprised of three major chambers. One chamber is called the Outer Court (or the Courtyard,) the second chamber is called the Holy Place, and the third is called the Holy of Holies (or Most Holy Place.) We also see that these chambers must be entered in order because they are contained in each other, like the layers in an onion. We can also see that each chamber has a single entrance. The correlation of all of this to Jesus’ statement is that the names of the entryways into the Tabernacle chambers are often called: “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” respectively. The gate leading into the Courtyard is often called the Way. The door leading into the Holy Place is often called the Truth, and the veil leading into the Holy of Holies is frequently called the Life. The proof of all of this comes by looking at the attributes and function of each Tabernacle object and seeing that they are perfect predictors of the life and ministry of Jesus. Therefore, the Tabernacle is prophetic of the coming of Jesus. More importantly, achieving a better understanding of the Tabernacle reveals a better understanding of who Jesus is and why He came.

tabernacle-diagram2

To date we have addressed two of these passageways. Firstly, we addressed the Courtyard which is entered through the gate called the Way (Jesus-is-the-Way). Secondly we addressed the Holy Place, which is entered through the curtain called the Truth (The-Holy-Place-of-the-Tabernacle). We now turn our attention to the Most Holy place which is entered through the veil called the Life. As in previous discussions, we will start by taking a detailed look at the structure and components of the Tabernacle.

holy-place

View of the Life from Inside of the Holy Place

Again, by looking at the chart above we can see that the Most Holy Place is separated from the Holy Place by the veil that is called “the Life”. Since there is no other entrance into the Most Holy Place it must be entered from the Holy Place (The-Holy-Place-of-the-Tabernacle.)

The Most Holy Place is the very sacred dwelling place of God. Entry was restricted to the High Priest who could enter only once each year.

As we proceed we will present all the marvelous things that we find in the Life. We will then correlate their attributes, nature and purpose to the attributes, nature and purpose of Jesus.

So when Jesus claimed to be “the Life,” He really claimed to be the passageway into the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle (the place where God would dwell with His people on earth). If this is the case, then Jesus is stating that through Him we have access to the most sacred relationship possible with the God the Father, which is a relationship of covenant. Anyone who enters into the Most Holy Place enters into God’s covenant and therefore is cared for and protected by God. Here is a supporting scripture:

And He said: “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),” (Exodus 34:10 – 14)

This preamble lays a foundation for a deeper look at the objects found in the Most Holy Place. We therefore plan to take a look at the Ark of the Covenant, which is foundational to God’s covenant relationship with man. More importantly, we will look at the objects found inside the Ark and present them in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of what this covenant is all about.

High Priest in the Most Holy Place before the Ark of the Covenant

High Priest in the Most Holy Place before the Ark of the Covenant

For example, we will investigate the covenant stones (upon which the Ten Commandments are transcribed) and find God’s law which is a part of the covenant agreement. We present the pot of manna that fed the nation during its journey through the wilderness. The pot represents God’s covenant of provision. Thirdly, we will introduce the Rod of Aaron which communicates God’s choice for a royal priesthood.

In addition, we will look at the covering of the Ark, namely the Golden Cherubim and the Mercy Seat. The Golden Cherubim represent the presence of angels to protect the covenant. The Mercy Seat is the place where God dwells and the place we man can talk to God face to face.

ark-of-the-covenant

The Ark of the Covenant

All of this will start with our next posting where we will start to build our case that the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle is prophetic of Christ Jesus.

May God’s bless and keep you always,

Papa Joe

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) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime. They start in his youth when amazingly he has a series of dreams that warn of impending danger that come true. In a mind gripping account he tells what happened when he turned away from God and suffered demonic attacks that took him into spiritual Golgotha, the place of death. There he is confronted by Satin and is brought before the judgment seat of Christ. Fortunately, judgment is not dispensed.

He awakes in the hospital the next day disbelieving what he perceives as a very bad dream. He is then pummeled by a series of physical attacks and teeters near death for months. Out of desperation he picks up a bible and later gives his life back to God.

Immediately God responds by leading him through a series of spiritual and prophetic experiences, that when melded together, communicate God’s desire. Possess the Vision weaves these experiences into a proposal to unite Christians in a common ministry to improve the life and living standards of the world’s people — in support of the command of Jesus Christ that we love one another.

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Jesus And The Bride Of Christ

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, New Jerusalem, Pot Of Manna, The Ark Of The Covenant — Leave a comment
March 18, 2008

Jesus And The Bride Of Christ

As we have read in our previous posting, our journey leads us toward becoming a part of the New Jerusalem, the Lambs wife. Let us look at a scripture to develop this view in greater detail:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

We are the Bride, the New Jerusalem adorned for her Husband. Jesus is the Tabernacle of God and will dwell with us and He will care for our every need. He will restore everything to the perfect state it was in the beginning.

The Bride

To develop the concept of the Bride a bit further let me present an experience I had at a prayer meeting several years ago. The words that follow are a reflection of my experience being a part of the Bride in the spirit. I include it hear as I believe that it provides insight into the Bride and the marriage feast. Here it is:

We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quite time. A time of preparedness. For there was to be a great event of which none can compare. There was joy and happiness. There was anticipation. For we are the source of celebration. We are the focus of attention. There is no sound in the room. Just the song of rustling linen[i]. The quiet is good for reflection. The images of the old world. The trials, the tribulations. The threats of war. The wars. The earthquakes, the storms, the floods. The disease, the famine, the pestilence. The sin. The fouling of the earth. The war with Satan and the victory of souls. The confrontation with the beast, the final victory. The deliverance. The unity of the saved. We are a new creation! We are the culmination of saved souls[ii]. We are one being comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God. Assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew[iii]. There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is great joy in the Bride[iv]. Every soul of our existence shouts with joy. For we all know that we confessed Him, we all know that we changed our sinful ways for Him, we all obeyed His commandments, we all loved Him. We are so united when we think of Him. How many times did He forgive us? How many times did He heal us? How many times did He save us from evil or keep us from harm? How endless is His love? Truly, this is our hour. And the hour is upon us. The preparation is complete[v]. The door knocks. It is the Father. He is beaming. He holds out His arm. We take it and we walk arm and arm. We enter the great hall. The floor is as a single dark green emerald[vi]. The pews are crystal[vii]. The walls are gold. There is no ceiling but the sky. The seats are filled with the angels, all in white, all with wings. They are all singing. It is the wedding song in seven-part harmony. All gaze upon us. We look for Him but the passage is too long to see the end. We walk. We walk. We see Him! JOY!! JOY!! He is so handsome. He smiles a big smile. In His eyes we see heaven. We keep walking. We are there. The Father gives up the Bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings. We take His hand. The angel Gabrielle conducts the ceremony. We can think of nothing but Him. I do. You may kiss the Bride. Anticipation!! He comes closer, facing us. He lifts the veil, draws closer and embraces us. Cheers and celebrations!! We turn to face the assembly. We walk down the aisle. The angels are drunk. They sing, they fly, they cause great explosions in the sky. A new larger sun rises[viii] over the altar behind us. The New World awaits.

So, the significance of the Pot of Manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant is that it represents the care, guidance and provision that God provides to His people who seek to enter into covenant with Him. While this support was provided to Israel under the first covenant, it has been perfected in Jesus under the new covenant. Israel’s walk with the Lord toward the Promised Land was prophetic of the superior covenant we would have with Jesus. Under the new covenant we receive blessings and gifts from God both on this earth but also in the spiritual realm. In addition, our spiritual destiny is to be one with Jesus as the new covenant is consummated with us, His Bride after the second coming of Jesus.

[i] Revelation 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
[ii] Ephesians 4:15-16 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
[iii] 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
[iv] Revelation 21:9-11 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
[v] Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
[vi] Revelation 4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
[vii] Revelation 4:6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.
[viii] Revelation 22:16-17 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 2:26-28 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’; as I also have received from My Father; “and I will give him the morning star. The Sun that rose was the Morning Star. He rose but then stopped low in the morning sky, apparently positioned in an optimal location to provide light. Isaiah 60:19-21 The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.

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Jesus Is The Reward Of The Spirit Filled Warrior Nation

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, spirtual warfare, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies, the Holy Spirit, The Life, The Manna, The Most Holy Place — Leave a comment
March 17, 2008

Jesus Is The Reward Of The Spirit Filled Warrior Nation

The rewards promised to Israel for taking the Promised Land are prophetic of the rewards we will receive for taking down the evil strongholds in spiritual warfare under the new covenant. To understand our spiritual rewards better we must first summarize the rewards promised to Israel.

Israel’s rewards included peace, prosperity and possession of the Promised Land and everything in it:

But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, (Deuteronomy 12:10)

In addition, God would abide with them in the land such that their offerings could be made:

Then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD. (Deuteronomy 12:11)

They also received favor from the Lord that came in the form of the early rain as well as the latter rain for their crops. Through this rain they would then derive their new wine and their oil:

Then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled. (Deuteronomy 11:14 – 15)

Again, these physical rewards are prophetic of our spiritual inheritance. In place of the land of Canaan the Christian Nation will enter into the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven. The New Jerusalem is also referred to as the Lamb’s wife in the Bible. We will cover the New Jerusalem and the Lamb’s wife in greater detail later in this document. For now, suffice it to say that each true Christian is a component of the Bride. After Christ comes again, the Bride will become one with Jesus in marriage and as a result, Jesus will love and care for us as a perfect husband loves and cares for his wife. In addition, since Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Him, then we will become one with God as well.

Until the time that Jesus comes for His Bride, she is to be working preparing the way for His return. This would be a similar mission to that of John the Baptist:

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. Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. (John 1:22 – 24)

The work that we do as members of the bride comes with the blessings of the Holy Spirit that empowers our work. The harvest of our grain is prophetic of the spiritual seeds that we sow and in turn, the spiritual fruit that we reap. Our new wine is the new covenant which is based on the shed blood of Jesus that is effective in setting us free from sin. Finally, our oil is the anointing of the Spirit that enables us to achieve His purpose.

This is the essence of the new covenant. We enter into it symbolically by eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus as He taught us at the last supper:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:26 – 28)

However, this physical act of communion that we practice today is only symbolic of the transformation of our nature to that of Christ Jesus through the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is in eating His body and drinking His blood that we become like Him. In encouraging and fostering this transformation we must prepare ourselves, the bride of Christ, for the Bridegroom. We do this by carrying on the mission and the works that He did here on this earth:

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6)

In addition, let us not forget that gifts and blessings come from God washed with the blood of Jesus. As we have discussed previously, we have open access to the Holy Place that brings with it the blessings of becoming enlightened to know our purpose, our mission and our direction. We can commune with the Father and are empowered to be victorious in spiritual warfare, which in turn brings safety, protection salvation and peace to the loved ones that we pray for. In this regard, we take up our cross and follow in His footsteps. We cling to the promises of God with all of our being and remain steadfast to our purpose, our dream and the mission that He created us to achieve.

All of this is to say that in Jesus we have a perfected Manna in that He sustains us as we walk in our desert place toward the fulfillment of the new covenant. This covenant will be fulfilled when the bride takes possession of the spiritual Promised Land, which is in heaven, and the bride is united in Christ Jesus and the two become one.

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Jesus Is the Spirtual Foundation Of The New Covenant

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, spirtual warfare, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Life, The Most Holy Place — Leave a comment
March 4, 2008

Jesus Is The Spiritual Foundation Of The New Covenant

In our previous postings we have presented the background on the covenant promises of God and how Moses prepared the people to enter into the Promised Land in response to them. We have introduced these subjects to help you understand the significance of the items placed inside the Ark of the Covenant and in particular, the Pot of Manna. Its significance is that it symbolized the nation’s total dependence on God. This dependence was necessary to enable them to eliminate their sin, to know only good and to eliminate the knowledge of evil. Achieving these things enabled them to once again receive the promises of God.

In essence, God provided for them even when they did not deserve it. Through the intercession of Moses, God gave the nation another chance to enter into His promise as He purged them of their sin by allowing those who refused entry to die in the desert. The result was that those that were born during the thirty eight year journey through the wilderness learned to rely on God exclusively because they knew of noting else. They knew no evil.

We will be looking at the Most Holy Place, the Ark of the Covenant, the Pot of Manna and the other artifacts located inside the Ark as being prophetic of the coming Christ. One thing that we will determine is that all the items of the Tabernacle and the covenant were physical in nature. For example, the law dealt with how the people acted in this world. The people had to physically displace the immoral people that occupied the Promised Land. The promises given were for the land, rain, favor and peace from their enemies. The reward was that God would dwell with them in the land and that His presence inside the physical Tabernacle could be entered once a year by the high priest, who could make petitions for the people.

As we will soon find out, all of these physical things are prophetic of the spiritual promises that we have in the new covenant of Jesus Christ. For example, the new law has more to do with the changing of our hearts rather than simply following misunderstood rules. Our duty is to enter into spiritual warfare rather than physical warfare in defeating and eliminating the forces of evil from our spiritual Promised Land. Our promise is to live in the spirit forever, becoming one with Jesus, where there is no pain, sickness, hunger, death, crying or strife.

In our next posting we will take a spiritual look at each of these components of the new covenant.

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Jesus Is The Way To The Promised Land

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, Tabernacle, The Life, The Most Holy Place — Leave a comment
March 3, 2008

Jesus Is The Way To The Promised Land

In our previous postings we have been discussing the Tabernacle of God and demonstrating the many ways that it is prophetic of the life and words of Jesus. One thing we have not yet discussed is how the Tabernacle came into being and what its final destination was to be. In short the Tabernacle was created in the dessert shortly after Moses and the nation of Israel left the bondage of Egypt. There destination was the Promised Land where they would be able to dwell with God in peace. This great story is communicated in the book of Deuteronomy and we will make an effort to give you the readers digest version here. In addition, our desire will be to communicate how Jesus is our way to the spiritual Promised Land of God.

The messages of Deuteronomy are the messages of a dying man who loved God and the people so much that he spent his dying days preparing their readiness to enter into the Promised Land. The book is a series of addresses designed to provide Israel with another chance to gain the lost promise of their forefathers. Moses greatest concern is that Israel would take up the idol worship and otherwise adopt the immorality of the existing culture.

Moses Prepares the People to Enter in

Now the time has come for the people to enter into the Promised Land. Moses, even though he could not enter in himself, speaks to the people on several occasions in an effort to prepare them for this mission.

He reminds them of how their forefathers refused to go into the land and of the tragic result of their disobedience. He reminds them that this disobedience resulted in their sound defeat by the Canaanites when they had decided to enter the land without God’s support:

Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!” And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop; nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah. (Numbers 14:39 44)

In addition, He reminds them of their thirty eight year desert experience. Moses reminded them of all of the times that God had supported them in the past. He testified to God’s role in delivering the nation from the bondage of Egypt:

So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, We shall all be dead. So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds; a great deal of livestock. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years; on that very same day; it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:30 – 41)

In addition, he references the victories that Israel had over nations to the east of Canaan that were also stronger than they were. He reminded them of how God had talked directly to them from the fire. Moses also reviews the Ten Commandments with them in detail and focuses on their need to love God above all else:

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)

He reminds them that they are a chosen people of God. He reminds them of the blessings of obedience and their being healed of all the diseases of Egypt, He tells them that God will go before them into the battle and he reminds them of how He took care of them in the desert.

He also reminds them of their past rebellions, identifying the time when the nation made to golden calf to worship:

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, Come, and make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. And Aaron said to them, Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me. So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt! So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.” (Exodus 32:1 – 5)

Reminders of this type were provided to ensure that the nation was ready to enter into the Promised Land and that all would go well with them in the battle and occupation of the land. These teachings were the foundation necessary for success because they are the foundation upon which the covenant is based.

In our next posting we will look into how all of this relates to the life and words of Jesus. In addition, we will take a look at the implications of this story on our lives as Christians.

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Jesus and the Covenant

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Life, The Most Holy Place — 1 Comment
February 27, 2008

Jesus and the Covenant

To date we have presented the Tabernacle of Moses including many of its components, and correlated them to the life of Jesus. In doing so we have found that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Tabernacles prophesy in each and every case. What we have not yet addressed is information about the covenant, and more importantly actions the nation planed to take as a result of the covenant.

Based on all of this we are now ready to drill down on three major principles associated with the Most Holy Place. They are the Covenant Promise, the Duty of the Warrior Nation, and the Reward for living in Covenant. The following sections address these subjects in greater detail.    

The Covenant Promise

The covenant promise was an agreement between God and the nation. If the nation lived in accord with God’s law, then God promised that they would inhabit the land that He had promised to their fathers many years prior:

See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers; to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; to give to them and their descendants after them. (Deuteronomy 1:8) 

The covenant promise of God also included the welfare of the people and their children, as well as long life:

You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time. (Deuteronomy 4:40)

The Duty of the Warrior Nation

Fundamentally, the duty of the warrior is to eliminate evil from the land. In reality, this duty is a part of the nation’s covenant responsibility. Here are the words of Moses to the people:

You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. (Deuteronomy 12:2-3)

So, while the Promised Land was given to them by God, the nation of Israel had to destroy the evil religious institutions that resided there in order to fulfill the promise. God would support a people who were totally devoted to Him and would not support a people who worshiped false gods.  

In addition, Moses told the people that unity is required for them to be successful:

You shall not at all do as we are doing here today; every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; (Deuteronomy 12:8)

In other words, individual effort was not enough. They had to work as a nation with a single cause to fulfill their destiny.

The Reward of the Warrior Nation

God’s reward for the warrior nation is rest from their enemies, safety, and most importantly, a place in the land where God will live with His people:

For as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD. (Deuteronomy 12:9-11)

And the Tabernacle of God is the place in which God resides in the midst of the nation. It is the place of burnt offerings and sacrifices.

In addition, the reward we speak of includes God’s favor and abundance:

And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

 

Of course all of these things are prophetic of Jesus as well. He is the fulfillment and perfection of all of these things, as we will present in more detail in our next posting.

Until then, may God bless every one of you.

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