Tag Archive: The Life

The Tabernacle was built to be the earthly abode of God: the place where God would dwell among His people. By looking at the following diagram you will be able to see how the Tabernacle was organized.

tabernacle-diagram2

There will also be pictures associated with the folowing text that may help in visualizing what the tabernacle may have looked like.

: The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle

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 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. If this is the case, then the Tabernacle must be prophetic of the Christ who would also come to dwell with God’s people. Over the centuries the intention of God to dwell with His people did not change as even today, He continues to strive to restore the relationship man lost with Him at the fall. Therefore, the scriptures that define the specifications, processes and objects found in the Tabernacle reflect the will of God to abide with us, and as a result, must also be applicable to the attributes, words and life of Christ who was sent to accomplish God’s intention.

: Jesus, Moses and the Tabernacle

We are going to look at the Tabernacle scriptures as they are prophetic of Christ. If Jesus is the Christ then the attributes and characteristics of the Tabernacle must be clearly demonstrated in His words and deeds. What we are about to reveal is that there is a precise correlation between the Tabernacle and Jesus. It is for this reason that we will use the scriptural specifications for each component of the Tabernacle to prove that Jesus is the Christ. In the process we will also uncover many hidden attributes of Jesus that will serve to help us better understand His nature.

: The Ascension of Jesus

Remember that Jesus claimed to be “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” By referencing the diagram above we can see that these names (the Way, the Truth and the Life) are also used to identify the entryways into the major compartments of the Tabernacle. The Way leads us into the Courtyard,

: The Tabernacle Courtyard

the Truth leads us into the Holy Place,

: Priest in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle

and the Life leads us into the Most Holy Place.

priest-and-holy-of-holies

It should also be noted that the Tabernacle is constructed in such a way that these passageways must be entered in this prescribed sequence. Therefore, the Way must be entered prior to entering the Truth, and in turn, the Truth must be entered prior to entering the Life.

What we have discovered here is that the words of Jesus that proclaim His identity lead us directly to the Tabernacle. Therefore His claim is that He is the portal into the places that God designed as the place to dwell with His people here on earth. Therefore, 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 the Father. Jesus uses the Tabernacle as a road map for us to understand what it is that we will find when we enter into a personal relationship with Him. We can proceed into Jesus with confidence because the actions and words of His life demonstrate that He is a far superior substitution for each and every component of the Tabernacle. This proof is a major focus of this blog and the teachings that accompany it will lead us into a much better understanding of who Jesus is. This in turn will lead us to grow and strengthen our relationship with Him.

From a bigger picture point of view, we are about to discover that the structure of the Tabernacle will communicate that there are three separate and distinct levels of relationship that a person can have with God. That these relationships can only be obtained in a prescribed sequence that corresponds to chambers of the Tabernacle. In fact, we will develop a progressively deeper relationship with God as we enter each successive chamber and find the gifts that God has waiting for those who seek Him with all their heart.

While all of this is quite mysterious at a high level, we plan to present 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. Readers of this site can use the following sections as a index to the content of this blog.

The Tabernacle Courtyard

: The Tabernacle Courtyard

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

The-Tabernacle-Courtyard-And-Jesus

The-Tabernacle-Courtyard-is-Prophetic-of-Jesus-a-Review

The-Brazen-Laver

The-Baptism-of-Jesus-and-the-Brazen-Laver

Being-Born-of-the-Spirit-and-the-Brazen-Laver

Jesus-gives-the-Living-Water-of-the-Laver

True-Baptism-Reveled-in-the-Reflections-of-the-Laver

Lessons-from-Jesus-our-Brazen-Laver

Jesus-the-Laver-Washes-His-Disciples-Feet

Jesus-Gave-us-all-he-had

Jesus-the-Brazen-Laver-Reveals-our-Destiny

Reflections-of-Jesus-Regarding-Service

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-do-what-ever-it-takes

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-Disregard-Status

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-Lead-by-Example

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-Personally-Touch-People

Jesus-our-Laver-Teaches-that-we-will-be-Tested

The Tabernacle Holy Place

: The Golden Altar is directly in front of the Most Holy Place

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

The-Tabernacle-Holy-Place-Is-Prophetic-Of-Jesus

Jesus-is-the-Life

The-Ark-of-the-Covenant-Overview

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

Above-the-Ark-of-the-Covenant

Inside-the-Ark-of-the-Covenant

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

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

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

Jesus-our-Priest-Forever-According-to-the-Order-of-Melchizedek

The-Road-to-the-Promised-Land-Requires-Jesus-our-Covenant-Provision

Jesus-and-the-Covenant

The Priest in the Most Holy Place of 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.

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Why Jesus Came

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle — 1 Comment

October 5, 2009

Why Jesus Came

Jesus came to earth to save us from eternal separation from God.

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:32 – 41 )

He achieved this by sacrificing His life as an atonement for our sins.

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.

Jesus on the Cross Sheds His Blood

Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29 – 32)

Jesus came to tell us the truth about the kingdom of heaven and the love of the Father.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

He came to demonstrate the Father’s love for all of us by healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead and preaching the gospel of the truth.

Jesus while healing a young man, who is Demon-possessed, with no hearing

Jesus came to introduce us to His Holy Spirit and if we follow the leading of His spirit we will then be empowered to do the things that He did on this earth. In following the lead of His spirit we will find that God directs us to seek the perfection that is demonstrated in the words and actions of His Son.

The Power of Prayer

Our investigation into Jesus, “the Life, the Truth and the Way” is designed to help us better understand His attributes, so that may seek to instill them into our own lives by the power of His Holy Spirit. It is in such a metamorphous that we find ourselves taking up the cross of Jesus. It is at this point that miracles will come to support the ministry of Jesus. It is here that we will fulfill the prediction or prophesy of Jesus, who said:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (John 14:12)

And some of the thing that Jesus did are captured in the following passage:

Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Jesus Raises Lazarus From The Grave

And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. (Matthew 11:4-6)

Tags: Bible, christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, jesus the way the truth and the life, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, The Life, The Truth, The Way, theology

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Jesus is the Mercy Seat where God Dwells

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Golden Cherubim, The Holy Of Holies, The Life, The Mercy Seat, The Most Holy Place — 4 Comments

July 7, 2009

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 Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Jesus is the Mercy Seat where God Dwells

We have introduced the Mercy Seat in our description of the Cherubim. The Mercy Seat resides in the Most Holy place in the Tabernacle.

priest-and-holy-of-holies

It is the flat gold strip of gold that connects the two Cherubs together at the base. Its significance is that the divine presence of God dwells directly over it, just below the wings of the Cherubim. It therefore, is the precise place from which God speaks to His people. It is also interesting to note that there is no figure or symbol for God in the Tabernacle and this is a testament of the invisible presence of God that requires no man made image or idol.

Getting back to our proposition that Jesus is the living Tabernacle that came down from heaven, we must support the notion of Jesus being God. After all, the presence of the living God in the Most Holy place is the key aspect of the Most Holy Place and the entire Tabernacle for that matter.

As we will soon find out Jesus claimed to be the Resurrection and the Life and in doing so claimed to be God. In support of this assertion we will present evidence that the Father supported Jesus in this statement with miracles that emphasize the point made. But first let’s take a look at the baptism of Jesus in the Holy Spirit to uncover what God the Father and John the Baptist had to say about Jesus.

Jesus is the Son of God

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water;

: Water comes from the Holy Spirit at the Baptism of Jesus

and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

Jesus is the Lamb of God

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

lambofgod

This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29-36)

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life

Jesus claimed to be the Resurrection and the Life when He spoke the following statement:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25)

In this statement Jesus claims that all true life is contained within Him. What He is saying is that even though we may physically die our spiritual life will continue on afterward and those who choose Him will have life forever with God. Those who reject God will die the second death by being cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone with Satan and the Beast.

Jesus, as happened so often in to Him in His ministry, saw His statements reinforced with a miracle that could only come directly from God the Fahter:

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:41-44)

Lazarus had been in the tome for four days before Jesus raised him from the dead.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave

This miracle demonstrates that Jesus has power by the Father over the life and death of our physical bodies. In addition, this miracle demonstrates the spiritual truth that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

But having power over death and life does not completely prove the point. To completely prove the point He would have to be resurrected from the dead and then be observed ascending into eternal life in heaven. This is exactly what Jesus did. He died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, was buried in a tome for three days, arose from the dead, walked the earth for forty days and then ascended into Heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. There He waits for His Bride to complete the work that He started. I submit the following scriptures for your review in an effort to walk you through the logical sequence of events.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last. (Luke 23:45-46)

Jesus is Buried in a Tomb

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. (Matthew 27:57-60)

Jesus Rises from the Dead

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

: Jesus rises from the grave

His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you”. (Matthew 28:1-7)

Jesus Appears to His Disciples after His Resurrection

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:19-28)

Jesus Ascends into Heaven

To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

: The Ascension of Jesus

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:3-14)

Jesus Reigns in Power Forever

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (Revelation 1:17-18)

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

Rev 20:13-15 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

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Jesus Prepares Us to Enter Into His Spirit

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Spirituality, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies, The Most Holy Place — 2 Comments

June 20, 2009

Jesus Prepares Us to Enter Into His Spirit

Jesus came to earth to prepare the world for entry into the spiritual Promised Land. He did this by giving us His life. The words that He spoke, the miracles that He performed and His promise of a helper that came in the form of the Holy Spirit, set the foundation for our entry into the promise of God.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the spirit of Jesus that lives in us and we live in Him. His spirit empowers us. We will now present a few scriptures that support this proposition. The first scripture provides an example of Jesus preparing His disciples to continue His mission after He is gone. He leaves them the promise of the Holy Spirit who will be sent to them by the Father in His name:

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. (John 14:14-21)

The next scripture communicates the story of the Holy Spirit’s descent upon the disciples:

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs; we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, Whatever could this mean? Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. (Acts 2:1-19)

From that day forward they were empowered through the Holy Spirit of God.

In addition, everything about Jesus’ preparation of the people was better that in the time of Moses. Jesus gave us a perfected law that was written on our hearts and that changed our character (see the section on Jesus-the-Brazen-Laver). We no longer blindly follow rules without understanding but rather change our hearts to become more like Jesus. He gave us a perfected priesthood that came with a perfect sacrifice and a perfect offering. Most importantly, He gave us more than a Pot of Manna to eat; He gave us His body to eat and his blood to drink in the new spiritual covenant (see Jesus-the-Table-of-Showbread and Applying-the-Attributes-of-Jesus-our-Table-of-Showbread).

Read my book entitled, “Possess the Vision.”

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.

Tags: Bible, christ, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies, the Holy Spirit, The Life, The Most Holy Place, The Tabernacle, theology

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Jesus is the Way to the Promised Land

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, The Holy Of Holies, The Life — 4 Comments

May 28, 2009

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.

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 the Tabernacle 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 wilderness shortly after Moses led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt.

Crossing the Red Sea

Their intended destination was the Promised Land where they would be able to dwell with and worship 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 the Promised Land

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 before the Burning Bush

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.

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.

Tags: ark of the covenant, christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, religion, Spirituality, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies, The Life, The Most Holy Place, The Tabernacle, theology

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Jesus and the Covenant

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, Jesus is the Ark of the New Covenant, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies — 3 Comments

May 15, 2009

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.

Jesus and Moses at the Transfiguration

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:

Moses and the Ten Comandments

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.

The Walls of Jerico fall Befor the Ark

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 is 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.

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.

Tags: ark of the covenant, Bible, christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, religion, Religious, Spirituality, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies, The Life, The Most Holy Place, The Tabernacle, theology

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The Road to the Promised Land Requires Jesus – Our Covenant Provision

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Ark of the New Covenant, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Pot Of Manna, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies — 2 Comments

May 11, 2009

The Book Cover

The Road to the Promised Land Requires Jesus – 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.

manna

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 and 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 learned to trust in God totally.

Crossing the Red Sea

As there is not any protection from the harsh conditions in the desert, the new generation had to 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.

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. 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.

Moses Praying on the Mountain - by J Hartly 1922

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.

Joshua Enters the Promised Land

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].

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

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.

Jesus Sheds His Blood on the Cross

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.

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.

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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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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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

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 is the Ark of the New Covenant

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies — 8 Comments

April 22, 2009

Jesus is the Ark of the New Covenant

We plan in this and subsequent sections to present evidence that substantiates Jesus as the Ark of the New Covenant, replacing the old Ark and old covenant in a far superior way.

Priest Before The Ark Of The Covenant

Over the course of several presentations we will demonstrate that Jesus had a very close relationship with the Father and that angels frequently ministered to Him. These things of course are the fulfillment of Tabernacle prophesy in that they reflect the relationship established with God before the Mercy Seat (directly above the Ark of the Covenant) in the presence of the Golden Cherubim (Angels).

We will also present information that supports the notion that all of the items found inside the Ark of the Covenant are displayed more perfectly in the life of Jesus. This means that in Him we find a perfected law, one that is based on the changing of one’s own heart rather than simply following the letter of the law. It means the in Jesus we find a perfected provision and favor in the sacrifice of His body and blood for us. In Him we find a perfected priest hood in the order of Melchizedek. This priesthood eliminates the need for continual sacrifices at the Tabernacle by providing a single but perfect sacrifice of His life on the cross.

A very important point in all of this is that Jesus brought perfection to the Tabernacle that was otherwise imperfect in that it was made by man. He accomplished this by demonstrating His attributes and character with His actions and words. The Tabernacle was built as place for God to dwell among His people. It was however, built based upon the design specifications provided by God and therefore represents a model of the perfect Tabernacle that was to come, Christ Jesus.

Jesus and Moses at the Transfiguration Discuss the Fulfillment of the Tabernacles Prophesy

So, in support of the proposition that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Tabernacle built by man we offer the following examples:

1. The Covenant Stones containing the commandments of God that are housed in the Ark of the Covenant are simply laws carved in stone. Jesus on the other hand is the perfected law that is written on the hearts of men. What this means is that the practice of blindly following rules is greatly inferior to a change in heart that eliminates the desire to do evil.

2. A second point of support for this proposition is that Jesus provides us with a more perfect priesthood. Jesus eliminated the need for continual animal sacrifices by replacing them with the single, but perfect sacrifice of His own body and blood on the cross.

3. We also find a more perfect Ark of the Covenant in that the Promised Land of Canaan is replaced with the more perfect New Jerusalem that came down from heaven. Therefore, Jesus is the Ark of the new covenant which is far superior to the old.

The New Jerusalem

We know that Jesus is the Ark of the new covenant for two reasons. First, because He, Himself said that He was, and second, the actions of God support His claims directly. Let us start with a scripture that documents Jesus’ statement about being the new covenant:

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)

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These words He spoke before His suffering and death on the cross. His body and His blood were the price that God paid for the forgiveness of our sins which enable the reestablishment of our relationship with Him. His shed blood replaces the blood sacrifices that had previously covered the sins of the people in a far superior way, in that they are not just covered, they are forgiven. Therefore, the blood of Jesus became the new covenant and Jesus is the Ark of it:

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come; In the volume of the book it is written of Me; To do Your will, O God.’ Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 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. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:1 – 22)

Jesus at the Tomb

In our next posting we will discuss Jesus as the Fulfillment of the law. Until then, may God bless you and yours!

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.

Tags: ark of the covenant, Bible, christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, jesus the ark of the new covenant, Jesus the Tabernacle, religion, Religious, Spirituality, Tabernacle, the church, The Holy Of Holies, The Life, The Tabernacle, theology

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More on the Ark of the Covenant

Filed under: Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies — 4 Comments

April 21, 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)

More on the Ark of the Covenant

In our previous posting we present information pertaining to the objects found inside the Ark of the Covenant. Today we plan to present some additional information about the Ark that will be used latter to support our proclamation that Jesus is our Ark of the New Covenant.

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

The Portability of the Ark

Because the people often moved from place to place, the Ark was designed to be portable. For this reason it was created with rings attached to its sides that enabled it to be transported via golden poles. In fact it was also used to lead the troops into battle as they entered into the Promised Land.

The Ark Brings Down the Walls of Jerico

The Placement of the Ark in the Holy Place

The Ark is positioned along the wall that is directly across from the entry way (the semi transparent veil called the Life) to the Most Holy place. In addition, this veil fills the doorway separating the Holy place from the Most Holy Place.

The result is that the Golden Altar of Incense and the smoke that rises from it (symbolizing the spiritual warfare of the people) are visible through the veil as it is positioned directly across the doorway from the Ark. Therefore, the spiritual warfare of the people (their prayers symbolized in the smoke going up from the altar) are visible to God as he sits on the Mercy Seat.

It should also be noted that it is from this Mercy Seat that God spoke to His people and bring either blessing or cursing in reaction to their obedience or disobedience to the covenant (law).

Tabernacle Priest befoe"

The Priesthood and the Ark

The Most Holy place was visited by the high priest just once each year. The high priest entered the chamber on this special occasion to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the altar (see picture above) for the forgiveness of the sins of the people:

And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD. (Exodus 30:10)

Other Names for the Ark

The Ark is called the Ark of the Covenant because it represented the Mosaic covenant between God and Israel. It was also referred to as the Ark of the Testimony as it was a continuous testimony to the covenant law housed in the Ark. It was sometimes referred to as the Ark of Thy Strength because it represented God as both powerful and a as blessing to Israel. In addition, it was often called the Holy Ark because of the sacredness and holiness it represented.

So, in summary, the Most Holy Place is the most precious of all the places found in the Tabernacle. It is so special that only the High Priest was allowed to enter into it, and then only once a year [ii]. The Most Holy Place is where God talked to Moses directly and therefore is the place where the closest of all relationships with God is established. This relationship is symbolized by covenant and the symbols of the covenant that are found inside the Ark of the Covenant (the Covenant Stones upon which the Ten Commandments are written, Aaron’s Rod and the Pot of Manna.)

Moses and the Ten Comandments

The Ark is covered by the Cherubim and the presence of God Himself, who sits directly on the Mercy Seat which is between the angels (Cherubim). This symbolizes the importance and the sacredness of the Ark and its contents.

The Ark contained the stone tablets on which were engraved the Ten Commandments, which are the foundation of the law for the people. The law reminded the nation that God’s favor would be upon them if they remained in covenant. This included the conquest and inhabitation of the Promised Land. The Ark also contained the Pot of Manna, which symbolized God’s provision of their every need as they wandered in the desert and were transformed to become totally dependent on Him. Again, the Pot of Manna is symbolic of God’s provision. The Ark also contained the Rod of Aaron which miraculously budded when the authority of Aaron’s priesthood was challenged. This symbolized Gods favor on Aaron but also is prophetic of God’s choice of Jesus as the high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We will investigate this further in future postings.

Our next posting will present the claims of Jesus that correlate to the objects found in the Most Holy place. In addition, we will look at the miraculous actions of God that support these statements of Jesus and support the notion that He is the manifestation of the Most Holy Place, a place that can be entered through the doorway called, “the Life.”

[i] Exodus 24:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”

[ii] Exodus 30:10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.

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)

Tags: ark of the covenant, Bible, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, religion, Religious, Spirituality, Tabernacle, The Holy Of Holies, The Life, The Most Holy Place, The Tabernacle, theology

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